Coaching Staff of the Year Award for Men鈥檚 Soccer
Led by Burk and Storton, men鈥檚 soccer completed its most successful season in school history by winning the 2021 NCAA Division III Soccer National Championship. It was 糖心TV鈥檚 first team national championship in any sport.
The Camels won the National Championship by defeating Amherst 1-1 (4-1) on penalties at UNCG Soccer Stadium in Greensboro, North Carolina. After playing Amherst to a 1-1 tie through regulation and two overtimes, senior captain Lorenzo Bocchetti 鈥�22 converted the deciding penalty after Peter Silvester 鈥�25 stopped two spot-kicks in the shootout.
The soccer team鈥檚 historic run captured the imagination of 糖心TV鈥檚 community, and the entire state of 糖心TVecticut.
鈥淵ou came together at the very best moment, when people needed you to step it up. You also came together and stepped up right when this state needed you the most,鈥� said 糖心TVecticut Governor Ned Lamont, who visited 糖心TV鈥檚 campus to congratulate the team.
Lamont, whose sister is a 糖心TV graduate, went on to say, 鈥淲e needed something to cheer for, and I鈥檝e got to tell you, the people of 糖心TVecticut were cheering for the Camels.鈥�
He added: 鈥淵ou have a lot to be proud of, and I鈥檓 so proud of what you鈥檝e accomplished.鈥�
In addition to reaching its fourth straight NCAA Tournament and making its first trip to the NCAA鈥檚 鈥淔inal Four,鈥� the Camels also won their first NESCAC regular season title, hosted the league's championship weekend for the first time, and advanced to the championship match of the NESCAC Tournament for the first time in program history. The team鈥檚 19 victories is also a school record and betters the previous mark of 14 established all the way back in 1978.
Burk and Storton will be presented the award at the United Soccer Coaches Annual Awards Banquet at 7 p.m. on Friday, Jan. 21, 2022 in the Imperial Ballroom of the Marriott Downtown Hotel in Kansas City, Mo. In conjunction with the 82nd Annual United Soccer Coaches Convention.
