Archive: Sports

GANSEVOORT, N.Y. – Head Coach Dan Kane of the Wells College men's soccer team was selected as the North Eastern Athletic Conference Men's Soccer Coach of the Year following a poll of his peers, the league office announced Thursday. In addition, the Express earned a program-record five selections to the three NEAC All-Conference teams.

Senior Tyler Morris (Maryland, N.Y.) earned placement on the NEAC First Team while freshman Jack Pilgrim (North Kingstown, R.I.) was selected to the conference's Second Team. Senior Max Cherry (Ridgewood, N.J.), junior Jesse Constantino (Cincinnatus, N.Y.) and sophomore Owen May (Warsaw, N.Y.) were voted to the league's Third Team.

Recognized by his peers for an outstanding seventh season in Aurora, Kane and his Assistant Coach John "Doc" Cook guided the team to a record 12 overall victories and nine NEAC wins in 2015. Wells set team records in total offensive points (32-30=94), points per game (5.22), assists (30), goals-against average (0.92) and team shutouts (8) in 2015. Wells has qualified for the postseason for the second-straight year, posting eight wins in its last nine matches to earn the league's second seed.

Joining the Express in the 2009 season, Kane has bettered his team's winning percentage in each season with the team. Off the pitch, he also serves a key role in the Department of Athletics as an Assistant Athletics Director, managing all athletics facilities. Earlier this year, Kane was one of only four employees to receive the College's Award for Excellence – he was lauded for his "loyalty, grace, innovation and enthusiasm" during his tenure as the Interim Director of Athletics from January to August 2014.

"I am so pleased that Coach Kane has been recognized by his peers for his outstanding work with our men's soccer team," remarked Director of Athletics Michael Lindberg. "Dan and his Assistant Coach, "Doc" Cook, have an extraordinary work ethic and passion for the game. This is matched only by their dedication and commitment to the academic, athletic and life goals of our student-athletes."

Only the third player in team history to be named to the league's First Team, Morris has served as his team's starting centerback for the previous two seasons. Across that span, the Express have posted a miniscule 0.98 goals-against average while posting 23 wins in 36 overall contests. Additionally, he has contributed with two goals on offense in 2015. Recently, Morris secured the College's fifth-ever Capital One Academic All-District ® First Team honors for his academic and athletic prowess in 2015.

Morris has appeared in 63 career games for the Express since 2012, scoring five goals for 10 points (5-0=10) while leading all field players in minutes played across the last two seasons. The Rookie of the Year for the men's soccer team in 2012, Morris also competes on the men's swimming team where he helped three relays to top-10 records in only his first year as a swimmer in 2014.

Pilgrim is the first freshman from Wells to earn at least Second Team All-Conference honors since Delroy Roberts in 2008. Entering the postseason this Saturday, Pilgrim has tied Roberts' single-season record for points in a season with 23, scoring 10 goals and three assists for the Express. Ranking seventh overall in the conference in point scoring, he finished second with 21 points against conference opponents.

The first-ever Express player to reach double-digit goals scored in one season, Pilgrim has registered three game-winning goals in 2015 – he tallied the game's lone goal against Penn College (Oct. 8), scored the overtime winner against preseason favorite Morrisville State on Oct. 14 and potted the game's lone goal with 3:41 remaining in regulation time against Bryn Athyn on Oct. 24. He currently ranks fifth all-time in career points scoring.

Cherry received Third Team All-Conference for the second time in 2015 after scoring a career-high 20 points via eight goals and four assists (8-4=20). Tying for the NEAC lead with five game-winning goals this past season, he concluded the regular season of play ranked 10th overall in the conference in point scoring.

Eight of Cherry's 16 career goals have been of the game-winning variety, setting the program record with his tally on Oct. 31 against Cazenovia. His 41 career points via 16 goals and nine assists is also the second-most all-time in team history, also ranking second in career assists.

Constantino has earned an All-Conference selection for the first time, earning Third Team All-NEAC honors. Playing primarily in the midfield, Constantino has assisted four goals for the Express to tie for the team lead in that statistic. Assisting the game-winning goal against D'Youville on Sept. 4, he has also assisted his team's first goal of the game on two occasions, sparking his team to victory in each instance.

He has made 49 appearances for Wells entering this weekend, posting six assists for six points (0-6=6) dating back to his first season in 2013.

May secured Third Team All-Conference honors for his work between the posts for the Express. On the year, May posted the league's highest save percentage (.816) among goalkeepers with over 1,000 minutes played. His 11 overall goalkeeping victories in the regular season placed him in a tie for the league lead while his nine wins against conference opponents ranks first among all backstops in the NEAC.

Across 15 career appearances, May has posted 12 wins and three losses and an 0.69 goals-against average. His .811 career save percentage trails only C.J. Bayly '15 by mere percentage points and his .800 career winning percentage is tops amongst Express goalkeepers with at least 10 games played.

Wells will take on the Wolfpack from Keuka College this Saturday, Nov. 7 at 2 p.m. on the campus of Morrisville State College. Keuka defeated Penn St.-Berks this past Wednesday in the first round of the NEAC postseason, finalizing this weekend's Final Four teams.

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