By: Sharvani Regmi
BROCKPORT, NY-- The SUNY Brockport men’s soccer team, 11-time SUNYAC champions, will kick off their 2024 season with an away game against RIT on Friday, August 30. Coming off a strong run in 2023, where they advanced to the semifinals of the SUNYAC playoffs, Brockport went 9-3-5 and dominated in away fixtures with just two losses in nine away games.
Brockport started their 2023 campaign with a home game against RIT that ended in a 1-1 tie. In the historic series between Brockport and RIT, the Golden Eagles have a record of 3-3-2.
Golden Eagles head coach Gary LaPietra has the highest number of wins as the men’s soccer head coach in the team’s history, with 261 wins under his coaching. He led Brockport to the SUNYAC title in 2009 and 2018.
“We were disappointed with our 2023 season run, but we took a lot away from that with the team,” LaPietra said. “I mean, we did some great things throughout the season, but we were just disappointed that it ended the way it did. We are excited about going into the season with some high sets of goals with winning the conference.”
LaPietra is entering his 29th year with the Brockport men’s soccer program.
“I kind of try to learn a bit more from the players I have because things change over time and things that didn’t work back in the day are a little bit different now,” said LaPietra. “So, I just try to change with them. Every year we discuss things together as a group, and it just works, which I try to incorporate into my coaching philosophy.”
Senior forward Russ Domm scored more goals than any other Golden Eagle last year. Domm scored six goals in 17 games in 2023. The Rochester native was named United Soccer Coaches (USC) All-Region and All-SUNYAC 1st Team in 2023 for his performance last season.
“Going into a new conference, our goals are still the same: to perform collectively at our best as a team and to win the Empire 8 conference,” Domm said. “My goals for this season are to score as many goals as I can while also supplying multiple goals for my teammates.”
The departure of starter defender Josh Fitzpatrick and forward Dylan Rippe leaves room for fresh faces to step up in the squad. After the recruitment process, the newcomers to look out for this season include center back Khadim Amar from New York City, central midfielder Julius Kemp from Syracuse, NY, and central midfielder Trevor Lagarde from Monroe, NY, who transferred from Keystone College.
Graduate student goalkeeper Andrew Taylor is Empire 8’s player to watch from Brockport, as he was named the SUNYAC Co-Defensive Player of the Year with a record of 8-3-4, a 0.88 goals-against average, and a save percentage of 0.833 last year.
In the 2023 season run, the Golden Eagles scored 28 goals in 17 games, averaging 1.65 goals per game. They converted on both penalty kicks they attempted. The highest-scoring game for the Golden Eagles was an away conference game against Houghton University that ended in a 4-0 win. Max Voyer scored a brace while Chuck Domm and Warren Banks scored a goal each, and goalkeeper Trevor Clark managed to keep a clean sheet.
Senior defender Malcolm Phillips is entering his final season as a Golden Eagle.
“I feel good and excited since I have been friends with a lot of the people on the team since childhood,” Phillips said. “I have known them for more than half of my life. We are in a new conference, and I want to win it with these guys in my final year in the program.”
Brockport will be facing Elmira College, the current Empire 8 champions, on October 19 on their home ground. The Golden Eagles had a 2-1 victory over Elmira in the 2023 season, with a goal each from Josh Fitzpatrick and Dylan Rippe. Brockport will be facing familiar names like Hartwick College, Elmira College, Houghton University, SUNY Poly, Nazareth College, and Utica University at the Empire 8 conference.
LaPietra’s goals for the 2024 season include fighting for the Empire 8 conference title and getting to the NCAA playoffs. With 17 returning players and 11 new recruits, LaPietra will adapt the new team to his preferred passionate and aggressive style of soccer.
Gary Lapietra is as dishonest a coach as they come! Zero integrity! Lies during recruitment, never informed anyone that preseason was a tryout. The man is a horrible representation of SUNY Brockport & SHOULD BE FIRED!