Abel “Shadow” Sebele ’09*

Abel “Shadow” Sebele ’09 was Episcopal’s career-scoring record holder for soccer. He finished his career with 70 goals and 50 assists and led EHS to its first three State Final Four appearances, including its first State Championship in 2008. Sebele was named First Team All-IAC, First Team All-State, and Alexandria Sportsman’s Club Soccer Player of the Year during his sophomore and junior seasons. He was Honorable Mention All-Met as a sophomore, and Second-Team All-Met and Co-State Player of the Year as a junior. Sebele set school single-season records for goals (31), assists (23), and game-winning goals (10). 

As a captain during his senior year, Sebele scored an incredible 18 goals in the team’s first eight games, before sustaining a wrist injury that required surgery and forced him to the sidelines. He subbed into the state semifinal match at the end of overtime to be eligible for the ensuing penalty shootout, and he converted the team’s final spot kick to clinch victory over Paul VI and a place in the championship game.  

Sebele earned 12 varsity letters, also competing in winter and spring track all four years. His team won the IAC Championship in spring 2009 and he was a member of the 4x400m relay team that set an indoor State Championship meet record in 2008. “Shadow came alive in the relay events, putting in some top performances indoors on the 4x200m teams and also on the 4x400m,” Damian Walsh, varsity track and field head coach, said. “He was one of the most special athletes in my time at EHS.”

He continued his soccer career at West Virginia University where he was named to the All-Big East Rookie Team as a freshman, All-Big East Second Team as a sophomore, and All-Big East Third Team as a junior.

After playing minor league soccer for several years, Sebele was tragically killed in a pedestrian accident in 2016. In honoring this exceptional player, WVU named the Player of the Year Award in his memory and FC Wichita, where he was the captain of their inaugural team, retired Sebele’s #18 jersey.

*posthumous induction


View Shadow Sebele's Hall of Fame induction acceptance speech given by his former teammates.