BROCKPORT, N.Y. – The College at Brockport men's soccer team will look to get back to their winning ways in 2017 by learning from an underwhelming campaign a year ago.
 
The Golden Eagles finished the 2016 season with a 3-10-2 overall record, with a 2-6-1 mark in State University New York Athletics Conference (SUNYAC) play.
 
The Green and Gold will lean on veteran leadership from returning seniors, defenders Chris Aherne, Stephen Latino, Connor Melanophy and midfielders Chris Shepard and Justin Mercer. All five of which, played in at least 11 of the 15 contests last year. Goalkeeper Austin McBride hopes to add a veteran presence to a goalkeeping group that is still young and developing.
 
Head coach Gary LaPietra, entering his 22nd season, is looking for the experience of last year to pay dividends.
 
"We are welcoming back some very exciting players that will provide us with more experience," LaPietra noted. "Which our team lacked last season."
 
LaPietra is confident in the veteran leadership of his team and named two seniors Melanophy and Mercer, along with returning junior Quintin Volpe, as the team captains. A year ago, Volpe was the team's leader in goals with five.
 
Brockport will be anchored by its veteran defense this year with Melanophy making the move from midfield to the back four to join Latino and Aherne. Sophomores Michael Meyers, Austin Butts and Jake Fusilli hope to build off of 2016 and have a strong impact. Their progression can give Coach LaPietra much needed depth.
 
"We have a very large recruiting class coming in this season with some outstanding transfers" said LaPietra.
 
Volpe aims to lead a group of forwards with a lot of new faces. Incoming transfers Jeff Hibbard, Connor DeSantis and Russell Hines are going to be counted on to add much needed scoring. Returning sophomore Michael Duren and junior Dylan Serfis are working to carve out a role for themselves and help out the Brockport offense.
 
The Green and Gold midfield will be led by senior captain Mercer. Returning sophomores Cameron Beale and Chris Kinsley are expected to take a step forward and increase their productivity as they continue to progress. Brockport local and transfer, Jason Hayes, hopes to earn a spot on the starting eleven and elevate the game play of the players around him.
 
Coach LaPietra is optimistic that sophomore Joseph Romano can take a step forward after making nine starts last year and leading the team in saves with 30. With the help of senior keeper McBride, Romano has the potential to become a goal stopper for the Golden Eagles.
 
The Green and Gold are adding to the youth movement by bringing in 14 freshman. Nolan Byrnes, Anthony Contero, Ryan Cullen, Alex Giordano, Michael Provost and Noah Mohamed will compete for playing time at the forward position. Tristen Briggs, Ciaran Murphy, AJ Sinclair and Wilson Wong hope to add depth to the midfield. At defense, Andre Boyko, Peter DiStefano, David Neff and Mathew Peterkin are going to be in a position to learn from established veterans.
 
"I expect that our team will be exciting to watch since we have improved our overall team speed and have some very dynamic players that will create many scoring opportunities," said LaPietra.
 
Assistant coach Darren Wynne appears comfortable entering his second season and will have an impact on the growth and progression of the young players.  In the offseason, Brockport added two new assistants and former Golden Eagles, David LaPietra and Mike Killian.
 
With a mix of veterans, a year of growth for the underclassman and exciting incoming talent, the expectations for the Green and Gold have not changed.
 
"Our goal remains to compete for a chance to participate in our conference playoffs and look to play at the highest level in the NCAA Tournament," Lapietra expresses.
 
The Golden Eagle season starts on the road on Sept. 1 at 5 p.m. with a game at the Rochester Institute of Technology. The Green and Gold home opener will be on Sept. 5 at 7 p.m. where Brockport will face off again Medaille College.
 
Be sure to stay up to date on all your Golden Eagle news, scores, and awards by following @BportAthletics on Twitter and by like the "Brockport Golden Eagles" Facebook page.