WEST POINT, N.Y. – Army senior goalie Adam Fullerton (Liverpool, N.Y.) was named the Patriot League Goalkeeper of the Year for the second-straight season, while Black Knight head coach Joe Alberici was named the Coach of the Year, Thursday, as the conference announced its five major award winners.
Fullerton, who also garnered First-Team All-Patriot League honors for the second year in a row, ranks fourth nationally in save percentage (.638) and fifth in goals against average (6.78), while leading the conference in both categories. The backbone of an Army defense that ranks fourth in the country in scoring defense this season, he also compiled a 5.79 GAA and a .645 save percentage in six conference games.
A finalist for both the Tewaaraton and Lt. Raymond J. Enners awards recognizing the national player of the year, the Black Knight captain needs only four more saves to move into first place on the Academy’s all time list, surpassing the mark of 603 set by George Slabowski in 1984.
A five-time Patriot League Goalkeeper of the Week honoree this season, Fullerton has registered double-digit saves on nine occasions this year, including a career-best 24 opposite Duke on April 19 when the Black Knights held the nation’s top scoring offense six goals under its season scoring average. In all but two games this season, he has held the opposition to under 10 goals.
Alberici has led the Black Knights to a 9-5 record, including a 5-1 Patriot League mark. Picked fourth in the preseason conference poll, the third-year head coach has led Army to a share of its first regular season league title and the top-seed for this weekend’s Patriot League Tournament. It is the first time in the four-year history of the Patriot League Tournament that Army has been the host and top seed.
Alberici has led the Black Knights to a pair of victories over nationally-ranked opponents this season. After picking up a last-second 8-7 victory at then 12th-ranked Hofstra (Mar. 25), he guided Army to a 9-6 upset of sixth-ranked Navy (Apr. 12) to break an 11-year, 13-game losing skid to the Mids.
A native of Auburn, N.Y., Alberici has compiled a 23-20 record during his time at West Point and owns a 31-26 career mark in four years as a head coach. He joins former Army legend Jack Emmer, who won the award in 1992 and 1998, on the list of Army coaches named Patriot League Coach of the Year. Alberici was also named the State University of New York Athletic Conference (SUNYAC) Coach of the Year after leading Oneonta State to an 8-6 record in his only season as head coach in 1994.
The league’s three other major awards went to Colgate’s Brandon Corp (Offensive Player of the Year), Navy’s Jordan DiNola (Defensive Player of the Year) and Lafayette’s Tom Perini (Rookie of the Year).
Army will take on fourth-seeded Bucknell in Friday’s first semifinal at 4:00 p.m., before second-seeded Navy faces third-seeded Colgate at 7:00 p.m. The winners will advance to Sunday’s championship game, which will be broadcast live on CBS College Sports Network (formerly CSTV), slated for a 2:00 p.m. faceoff.
Fullerton, who also garnered First-Team All-Patriot League honors for the second year in a row, ranks fourth nationally in save percentage (.638) and fifth in goals against average (6.78), while leading the conference in both categories. The backbone of an Army defense that ranks fourth in the country in scoring defense this season, he also compiled a 5.79 GAA and a .645 save percentage in six conference games.
A finalist for both the Tewaaraton and Lt. Raymond J. Enners awards recognizing the national player of the year, the Black Knight captain needs only four more saves to move into first place on the Academy’s all time list, surpassing the mark of 603 set by George Slabowski in 1984.
A five-time Patriot League Goalkeeper of the Week honoree this season, Fullerton has registered double-digit saves on nine occasions this year, including a career-best 24 opposite Duke on April 19 when the Black Knights held the nation’s top scoring offense six goals under its season scoring average. In all but two games this season, he has held the opposition to under 10 goals.
Alberici has led the Black Knights to a 9-5 record, including a 5-1 Patriot League mark. Picked fourth in the preseason conference poll, the third-year head coach has led Army to a share of its first regular season league title and the top-seed for this weekend’s Patriot League Tournament. It is the first time in the four-year history of the Patriot League Tournament that Army has been the host and top seed.
Alberici has led the Black Knights to a pair of victories over nationally-ranked opponents this season. After picking up a last-second 8-7 victory at then 12th-ranked Hofstra (Mar. 25), he guided Army to a 9-6 upset of sixth-ranked Navy (Apr. 12) to break an 11-year, 13-game losing skid to the Mids.
A native of Auburn, N.Y., Alberici has compiled a 23-20 record during his time at West Point and owns a 31-26 career mark in four years as a head coach. He joins former Army legend Jack Emmer, who won the award in 1992 and 1998, on the list of Army coaches named Patriot League Coach of the Year. Alberici was also named the State University of New York Athletic Conference (SUNYAC) Coach of the Year after leading Oneonta State to an 8-6 record in his only season as head coach in 1994.
The league’s three other major awards went to Colgate’s Brandon Corp (Offensive Player of the Year), Navy’s Jordan DiNola (Defensive Player of the Year) and Lafayette’s Tom Perini (Rookie of the Year).
Army will take on fourth-seeded Bucknell in Friday’s first semifinal at 4:00 p.m., before second-seeded Navy faces third-seeded Colgate at 7:00 p.m. The winners will advance to Sunday’s championship game, which will be broadcast live on CBS College Sports Network (formerly CSTV), slated for a 2:00 p.m. faceoff.
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