ANNAPOLIS, Md. – Tyler Collins (Jr., Crofton, Md.),
David Jackson (Fr., Cypress, Texas),
Matt Nocita (Jr., Porter Ranch, Calif.) and
Jacob Williams (Jr., Millersville, Md.) represented the Navy men's soccer program on the United Soccer Coaches All-Atlantic Region Second Team, the organization announced on Tuesday night.
This is the third-straight season that Williams has earned All-Region honors after being named to the third team in 2018 and 2019. Collins and Nocita earn the award for the second-straight campaign following a second team recognition for Collins in 2019 and a first team nod for Nocita. Jackson earns his first regional award and he is the only freshman recognized on the top two teams in the region.
Earlier this season, Collins, Nocita and Williams were all named to the All-Patriot League First Team and Jackson earned third-team honors while also being named as the Patriot League Rookie of the Year. Nocita also earned a major award in the league after being named the Patriot League Defensive Player of the Year for the second-straight season.
Collins started in six of the Midshipmen's seven contests where he played 559 minutes in those matches. Collins helped limit the opposition to just seven goals this season along with 60 shots – compared to Navy's 95 – and 24 shots on goal. Collins has made 38 appearances and 37 starts in his career all coming in the center of the Navy defense where he has played 3,177 minutes.
Nocita played the full length in each of his six appearances this year for a total of 560 minutes. Along with helping Navy to a 0.97 goals-against average, Nocita tallied a goal in the Midshipmen's come-from-behind win at North Carolina State in the fall. In his career, Nocita has played and started in 40 of Navy's 41 games since joining the squad in 2018 and he also logged 3,673 minutes while chipping in with four goals and two assists during his first three years with the Midshipmen.
Jackson led Navy in scoring during his first year of collegiate soccer on his way to the regional recognition. In five appearances, Jackson racked up six points for the Midshipmen behind two goals and two assists. Both of his goals were game-winning tallies as he secured Navy's comeback win at North Carolina State with a first-half goal and then scored the Midshipmen's lone goal against Bucknell in a 1-0 decision. For the season, the freshman finished with 10 total shots and eight on goal.
Williams appeared in all seven games for Navy where he made six starts. During his junior campaign, Williams led the Midshipmen with 15 shots and has was second on the team with six shots on goal. In the Midshipmen's Patriot League finale, Williams gave Navy a 1-0 lead late in the game against American where the match finished in a 1-1 draw. Williams now has 16 career goals and 36 points in 40 career games for Navy.
This is also the second-straight season the Midshipmen have had at least four regional honorees after placing five on the All-Region teams last year. This is the first time in program history Navy has had back-to-back seasons with at least four regional award winners.
The Midshipmen finished its 2020-21 season with a record of 4-2-1 and they finished tied for second in the Patriot League South Division.
