WORCESTER --- The WPI men's soccer coaching staff was selected as the NCAA Division III Region II Staff of the Year as announced by the United Soccer Coaches this month.
 
The United Soccer Coaches All-Region II Coaching Staff of the Year recognition marks the second coaching honor this year for head men's soccer coach Brian Kelley and his staff. Kelley and his cohorts: Alex Wolfel, Dylan Foran, Taskin Guven, Riley Doherty and Connor Hoeckele earned the NEWMAC Men's Soccer Coaching Staff of the Year this fall. 
 
Kelley, a two-time NEWMAC Coach of the Year honoree, guided the Crimson and Gray that earned a trio of postseason All-Conference honors as Francesco Valagussa (Arlington, MA) and Luke Savoie (Mansfield, MA) earned spots on the league's first team as sophomore Evan Haas (Concord, NH) claimed second team honors. 
 
At the regional level, Valagussa and Savoie were recognized by the United Soccer Coaches as a part of the All-Region II first team and were joined by senior Aaron Vaz (Medford, MA) on the third team. Valagussa was then named a United Soccer Coaches All-America third team member and became the second player to claim All-America laurels for WPI since 1992. 
 
WPI finished 9-3-8 overall with a 6-1-1 mark in NEWMAC play en route to earning the regular season title and ultimately the NEWMAC tournament championship for the second time ever and first since 2017. The Engineers ranked second in the final Region II poll behind conference foe Babson who was defeated by WPI in the conference championship in penalty kicks to earn the automatic bid in the 2023 NCAA DIII Men's Soccer Tournament for the first time since 2019. 
 
The Crimson and Gray were selected to host the first and second rounds of the NCAA tournament and concluded its season on a 13-match unbeaten streak after falling to Stevens on penalty kicks (4-1) in the first round. 
 
United Soccer Coaches Release