ERIE, Pa. – Entering his 30th season at the helm, head men's soccer coach Dan Perritano has led his team to being named the favorite to win the Allegheny Mountain Collegiate Conference (AMCC) this season, announced in the AMCC preseason coaches' polls released Monday afternoon. Perritano enters the 2023 season as the 10th winningest coach in Division III men's soccer history, amassing 383 career victories.
Last season, the Lions advanced to the AMCC championship game and were narrowly edged, 5-4, in penalty kicks by Mount Aloysius. The Lions would move on to the ECAC Championships, defeating Pitt-Greensburg and Alvernia in the first round and semifinals. The men fell by a score of 3-1 to Rutgers-Newark Reading in the championship game.
Junior forward Blake Cooper (Murrysville, PA/Franklin Regional HS) has been named the AMCC Preseason Offensive Player of the Year. A season ago Cooper was an AMCC first team all-conference selection after ranking second in the conference in points (26) and fourth in goals (10), while also netting two game-winning goals.
Reigning AMCC Defensive Player of the Year senior goalkeeper Sam York ((Akron, OH/Revere HS) has earned AMCC Preseason Defensive Player of the Year. In the 2022 season, York ranked second in the NCAA in shutouts (13) and fifth in goals-against average (.45), while also tallying a .855 save percentage.
AMCC Men's Soccer Preseason
1. Penn State Behrend
2. Mount Aloysius
3. Pitt-Greensburg
4. Alfred State
5. Penn State Altoona
6. Hilbert
7. Pitt-Bradford
8. Carlow
9. La Roche
10. Wells
