Men’s Soccer: UVA’s Bell called into New Zealand Full National Team for international friendlies

UVA junior midfielder Joe Bell (Wanaka, New Zealand) was called up to the New Zealand National Team earlier this week. The All-Whites are scheduled to play friendlies in Ireland (Nov. 14) and in Lithuania (Nov. 17) beginning Thursday.

Bell, who has yet to cap with the national team, served as captain the past two summers for the U-20 squad that advanced to the round of 16 in the 2019 U-20 World Cup in Poland. In the summer of 2018, his U-20 team won the Oceania Championship in Tahiti and Bell was awarded the Tournament’s Golden Ball (MVP).

For the Cavaliers, Bell has started 55-straight games since arriving in Charlottesville in 2017. On Wednesday, he was named the 2019 ACC Midfielder of the Year and a First Team All-ACC honoree. He has scored three goals and assisted on four others in 2019. His four assists in ACC play this season are tied for the third most among his league cohorts.

When Bell registers a point, the Cavaliers are 12-2-1 in the last three seasons.