YORK, Pa. - Salisbury head coach Gerry DiBartolo became the second coach in conference history to earn CAC Coach of the Year honors seven times, joining former Mary Washington mentor Roy Gordon in an elite class of coaching accolades. DiBartolo and the Sea Gulls earned their eighth CAC title in progam history this fall, and were rewarded for their efforts with a conference-best five selections on the 2015 All-CAC Men’s Soccer squad.
St. Mary’s junior midfielder Nick Tait was named Player of the Year, while the other major award went to Wesley freshman forward Adrian Coverdale, who secured Rookie of the Year accolades. Tait became the third St. Mary’s player to take home the conference’s top award and first since 2002, when current Seahawk head coach Alun Oliver received the honor.
DiBartolo, who recently announced that the 2015 campaign would be his final one at the helm of the Salisbury men’s soccer program, also earned Coach of the Year honors in 1994, 1999, 2000, 2004, 2007, and 2013. Five Sea Gulls captured All-CAC awards this season, including two on the first team. Junior forward Leslie Umunna and junior defender Nathaniel Eiben received first team honors, marking the first all-conference award for both players. Landing on the second team for SU were senior midfielders Taylor Groginski and Dennis Runikera, along with senior goalkeeper Drew Staedeli. Groginski and Runikera secured All-CAC accolades for the first time, while Staedeli earned his third all-conference nod after claiming second team honors in 2014 and first team honors in 2013.
A quartet of teams grabbed four spots on the All-CAC team - Christopher Newport, Frostburg State, Wesley and York.
Christopher Newport picked up three All-CAC first team honorees, including junior forward Patrick Burns, junior midfielder Harry Nodwell and senior defender Sean Christein. Burns and Nodwell are both repeat first team selections, while Christein claimed All-CAC recognition for the first time. Representing the Captains on the second team was senior forward Ryan Balfour.
Coverdale headlined the group of four Wesley players on the All-CAC squad, also earning All-CAC first team accolades in addition to the Rookie of the Year honors. Coverdale is the second Wesley player to capture Rookie of the Year, joining teammate Will Mileski, who was one of three Wolverines to land on the 2015 second team. Mileski, a junior forward, was named to the second team along with senior midfielder Tobi Sowande and senior defender R.J. Dina. All three garnered All-CAC honors for the first time in their careers.
Frostburg State placed three players on the All-CAC first team, including a repeat first team honoree in junior goalkeeper Hassan Mostafa. Senior defender Mitchell Muise and freshman forward Guy Nabo also landed on the top team, while freshman midfielder Hunter Jarmon was a second team pick for the Bobcats.
York junior midfielder Nigel Robinson was the lone Spartan to capture first team recognition, while senior defender Ryan Donahue, senior forward Greg Bechard and sophomore forward Joel Teston claimed second team awards. Donahue is a three-time second team selection, while Bechard is a repeat second team pick.
Tait led a three-player all-conference contingent for St. Mary’s, earning his second straight first team nod and third All-CAC honor overall. Senior defender James Pollock and freshman midfielder Juwan Kearson were named to the second team for the Seahawks.
Mary Washington senior midfielder Mike Bennett and junior defender Guy Cross received all-conference accolades for the first time, with Bennett landing on the first team and Cross on the second team.
Marymount was the eighth team represented on the All-CAC team as freshman defender Rodney Ngoh secured first team honors.