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Saints announce 2015 men's soccer team captains

Posted 7/7/15

Former men's soccer coach and current Director of Athletics Bob Durocher announced the captains for the 2015 season at the team's annual awards banquet earlier this spring, naming rising senior Dan …

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Saints announce 2015 men's soccer team captains

Posted

Former men's soccer coach and current Director of Athletics Bob Durocher announced the captains for the 2015 season at the team's annual awards banquet earlier this spring, naming rising senior Dan Hunt captain and Harry Copeland and Rob Brandell as assistants.

A native of South Glastonbury, Conn., Hunt is the 16th player in the program's history to serve as the team captain for at least two seasons, as he shared the responsibility with Mark Provost in 2014. Meanwhile Copeland, a rising senior from Dedham, Mass. and Brandell, a rising junior from Glen Ridge, N.J., are both first-time captains.

During the 2014 season Hunt started and played in 17 games and finished sixth on the team in minutes played. As an outside back Hunt established himself as an attacking threat, recording 18 shots, scoring three goals and adding four assists. His most notable goal was the overtime game winner at Skidmore, which helped the Saints clinch the Liberty League regular season title for the second consecutive season.

"Dan has been a regular in our backline because of his consistency and I think this is what has helped him earn the respect of his teammates over the past three years," Durocher said. "We will lean on his communication to help the team get through the many adversities that arise during the season."

Copeland finished the 2014 season as one of the most dominant defenders in the country and earned first team All-America honors from the NSCAA. The Saints' co-MVP; he logged the most minutes and was one of only two players to start every game. His eight goals and four game-winning strikes tied him with Brandell for most on the team in both categories. Copeland also tallied two assists.

"Harry had a terrific year, but what's more impressive are the improvements he's made since his freshmen year," Durocher said. "Harry's presence and size in the game are critical when we play opponents who want to play physical with us."

In addition to his eight goals and four game winners, Brandell's 64 shots and 20 points were also team bests for 2014. Among his game-winning goals was the strike that helped the Saints eliminate Hobart in double overtime in the Liberty League semifinals and advance to the Liberty League championship match. The midfielder was honored as the Dana Hollingsworth Offensive Player of the Year, and was awarded NSCAA First Team All-Region.

"It is no surprise to me that Rob was voted as a captain for next season," Durocher said. "He has worked hard to establish himself in a position that is very difficult to play in our system. It is difficult to be a captain in our soccer program and all three will need to continue to grow and develop their communication to help us achieve they type of success we strive for every season."

The Saints will look to defend back-to-back Liberty League conference titles in 2015 under first-year Head Coach Mike Toshack, who was named the fourth head coach in men's soccer program history earlier in June. Toshack was formerly an assistant under Durocher and was a member of the staff during the 1999 National Championship season. He was most recently an assistant and goalkeeper coach with the Portland Timbers of Major League Soccer (MLS) in Portland, Ore., but had 12-year career at the professional level that included an MLS championship with the Houston Dynamos in 2007.