Army West Point Athletics
Men’s Soccer Claims Trio of Patriot League Major Awards: Gage Guerra Earns Offensive Player of the Year, Max Andrews Collects Rookie of the Year, Brian Plotkin Named Coach of the Year
November 04, 2022 | Men's Soccer
BETHLEHEM, PA - Patriot League Regular Season Champion Army West Point men's soccer claimed three major awards, announced today by the league. Sophomore forward Gage Guerra was selected as Patriot League Offensive Player of the Year after leading the conference in goals and points. Freshman defender Max Andrews earned Rookie of the Year while making 14 starts and logging the second-most minutes on the team. Head coach Brian Plotkin was named Coach of the Year in his second season at the helm of Army after leading the Black Knights to their first regular season title in 26 seasons (1996).
In addition, Army saw six cadet-athletes earn All-League honors, with the trio of Guerra, Cooper Warren and Nick Atkinson on the first team. Max Andrews landed on the second team, while Tomas Hut and Sam Epitime claimed third-team honors.
Patriot League Offensive Player of the Year + All-Patriot League First Team
Gage Guerra: Sophomore, Forward (Houston, Tx. / Kingwood Park)
Guerra led the Army attack all season long, on his way to earning the Patriot League Golden Boot as the conference's top goal scorer and points getter. Guerra totaled nine goals and three assists for the Black Knights, with eight goals coming in Patriot League play to spearhead Army's run to the title. The sophomore was on the mark in the conference-opener against Loyola, before scoring a brace in back-to-back games on the road against Holy Cross and Boston University. Guerra was involved in all three goals at Holy Cross, giving Army a narrow 3-2 road victory on his way to Patriot League Offensive Player of the Week. In the Army-Navy Cup, Guerra scored the game-winning goal while breaking a scoreless deadlock in the second half with a right-footed finish. He would put together another multi-point night with a goal and assist versus Lehigh, to help Army to a 2-1 victory at home. Guerra would go on to score his ninth of the season on the road at Colgate to rescue a point for the Black Knights, with the nine tallies marking the most by an Army player in five seasons. Guerra earned Offensive Player of the Week on three occasions to lead Army in weekly awards.
Patriot League Rookie of the Year + All-Patriot League Second Team
Max Andrews: Freshman, Defender (Wilton, Ct. / Wilton)
Andrews was a key member of Army's backline throughout his plebe season, making 14 starts at center back and logging the second most minutes on the team. Coming into the starting lineup in Army's second game of the season, the Black Knights suffered just one defeat across its final 13 contests en route to the regular season title with Andrews in the starting XI. A vital part of four shutout efforts, Andrews came in at No. 79 in Top Drawer Soccer's Freshmen Rankings following his standout rookie season.
Patriot League Coach of the Year
In just his second season at the helm of the Army men's soccer program, Brian Plotkin has led Army to its first regular season championship in 26 seasons. After leading Army all the way to penalty kicks in the Patriot League semifinals in his first season, Plotkin ensured the #1 seed for the Black Knights this season with a 5-1-3 record in conference play. After a pair of losses in its opening three games, Army would suffer just one defeat across its final 13 contests on the way to the title. Plotkin becomes the first Army head coach to win the award since Joe Chiavaro in 1996.
All-Patriot League First Team
Cooper Warren: Junior, Midfielder (Auburndale, Fl. / Lakeland Collegiate HS)
Warren was a mainstay in the midfield for the Black Knights, making 15 starts and logging 1254 minutes, the third-highest total on the team. Warren was the main distributor for Army's attack, leading the Patriot League with eight assists on the season. A set-piece maestro, Warren delivered services off free-kicks and corners all season for the Black Knights,accounting for eight of Army's 25 goals. Warren put together five assists across a six-game span in September, earning Patriot League Midfielder of the Week in the process. The junior delivered another helper in the Army-Navy Cup, before tabbing a pair of assists in Army's come from behind victory over Bucknell.
Nick Atkinson: Junior, Defender (Raleigh, N.C. / Leesville Road)
Atkinson played as key a role as any in Army's run to the regular season championship, logging the most minutes on the team with 1404 while appearing in every contest. From fullback, Atkinson was Army's second-leading scorer this season, with five goals and two assists from the backline. Atkinson made himself at home at Malek Stadium, scoring in each of Army's fist two home games including the game-winning goal against Florida Atlantic to give Army its first win of the season. He would score his third in four games against Seton Hall, with the junior constantly finding space in the box off set pieces to deliver the finishing touch. He would go on to score a brace at home against Bucknell, helping Army to a pivotal three points against the Bison.
All-Patriot League Third Team
Sam Epitime: Junior, Midfielder (Bloomfield, N.J. / Bloomfield)
Epitime tied for the fourth-highest points total on the team after recording two goals and two assists. Making 15 starts and appearing in every contest, Epitime's goals proved vital, with both going down as game-winners. On the road against Albany, Epitime made a run forward, before getting fouled in the box and putting away the penalty himself to give Army the 1-0 victory with 10 men. In an important league game against Lehigh, Epitime scored Army's second of the contest with a tight-angle strike to help Army to a 2-1 victory at Malek. Providing moments all season with this his dribbling ability, the junior delivered a highlight-reel assist to Gage Guerra in Army's draw against Boston University.
Tomas Hut: Sophomore, Goalkeeper (Nutley, N.J. / Seton Hall Prep)
Hut was a mainstay in goal for the Black Knights throughout Patriot League play, finsihing with a 6-3-3 record across 12 starts in his sophomore campaign. Hut notched his second career shutout while making five saves against Sacred Heart on his way to earning Patriot League Goalkeeper of the Week. He would go on to tab back-to-back shutouts against Navy in the Army-Navy Cup and UAlbany on the road, while ending the season allowing just one goal from open play across his final six starts.
2022 Men's Soccer All-Patriot League and Major Awards
Offensive Player of the Year – Gage Guerra, Army West Point, So., F
Midfielder of the Year – David Jackson, Navy, Jr., M
Defensive Player of the Year – Griffin Roach, Boston University, Sr., D
Goalkeeper of the Year – Francesco Montali, Boston University, Sr., GK
Rookie of the Year – Max Andrews, Army West Point, Fr., D
Coach of the Year – Brian Plotkin, Army West Point
First Team
Gage Guerra, Army West Point, So., F
Marcos Kitromilides, Lafayette, Sr., F
Jack Sarkos, Lehigh, Sr., F
Kelan Swales, Loyola Maryland, Gr., F
Cooper Warren, Army West Point, Jr., M
Colin Innes, Boston University, Sr., M
David Jackson, Navy, Jr., M
Nick Atkinson, Army West Point, Jr., D
Griffin Roach, Boston University, Sr., D
JD Wagner, Navy, Sr., D
Francesco Montali, Boston University, Sr., GK
Second Team
Robbie Matei, American, Jr., F
Aidan Davock, Colgate, Jr., F
Evan Jones, Holy Cross, So., F
Baba Kallie, Navy, Jr., F
Evan Schweickert, American, Jr., M
Quinn Matulis, Boston University, Sr., M
Hale Lombard, Lafayette, Jr., M
Cooper Nunn, American, Jr., D
Max Andrews, Army West Point, Fr., D
Nick Hazel, Lafayette, Sr., D
Matthew Lala, Loyola Maryland, Sr., D
Alex Sutton, Lafayette, Sr., GK
Third Team
Andrew Rent, Boston University, Jr., F
Lawrence Aydlett, Lafayette, So., F
Noah Ward, Navy, So., F
Zemi Rodriguez, American, So., M
Sam Epitime, Army West Point, Jr., M
Alejandro Coury, Colgate, So., M
Mike Bleeker, American, Jr., D
Evan Morrison, Boston University, Gr., D
Will Echeverria, Lafayette, Sr., D
Tomas Hut, Army West Point, So., GK
Army will host a Patriot League Semifinal matchup on Tuesday, Nov. 8 at 6 p.m. from Malek Stadium with an opponent to be determined.
