Suffolk men's soccer, who returned to the pitch for traditional competition for the first time since 2019, ushered in new eras in the process as Bill Maddock made his Rams' coaching debut in a year that the program would compete in the Commonwealth Coast Conference (CCC) for the first time in history.
Suffolk managed to keep Mass. Maritime off the scoreboard in its opener, which was played through sideways rain from start to finish, that foreshadowed a thrilling season.
Following the season debut, the Rams' first victory in game one of the year since 2017, all Suffolk's remaining 16 regular-season games turned into edge of your seat finishes.
Including the season opener, Suffolk played in eight shutouts on the year, going 5-2-1 in such contests.
Four of the Rams bouts needed overtime to determine a winner, one of which extended into double OT, that bout, at then-No. 21 Babson Oct. 5, ended in a scoreless draw.
Additionally, close to 50 percent of Suffolk's games were decided by one goal. The blue-and-gold compiled a 3-5-0 record in one-goal outings.
With all the close knit contests, Suffolk managed to meet expectations and finish as the eight seed in the CCC Tournament with a 4-5-0 league ledger, which was as expected in the conference's preseason coaches' poll.
In the play-in game, a cross city matchup at seventh-seed Wentworth, the Rams fell short, 2-0, to wrap up its first year in the CCC and under Maddock's guidance, 8-9-1 overall.
THROUGH THE LENS
RAM CAM
Ram Cam provides a behind-the-scenes look of Suffolk Athletics through the perspective of a student-athlete. Here is your chance to take the pitch with graduate student Nigel Leo.
SUFFOLK SOUNDS
Suffolk Sounds, the official show of Suffolk Athletics, features on-camera interviews. Each episode will dives into the world of Suffolk Athletics now, what it was like prior to today and what the plans are for the future.
Alfredo Serrano Figueroa of the men's soccer team joined Suffolk Sounds for episode 36. Watch the full episode below.
RETURN OF RAMS FANFEST
After a year hiatus, Suffolk Athletics welcomed back all members of Ram Nation to East Boston Memorial Park Saturday, Oct. 23 for Rams Fan Fest.
The sixth Rams Fan Fest featured Rammy's Fun Run, an all ages race of alumni, family, faculty, staff, students and friends, in a friendly 5k through the streets of East Boston, for a great cause, the Suffolk CARES Pantry.
A block party with President Marisa J. Kelly preceded a Suffolk men's and women's soccer doubleheader against Curry. Both the Rams' teams defeated the Colonels with the men logging a 2-0 shutout.
LEO LOGS FIRST-TEAM ALL-CCC
Nigel Leo, who brought his talents to Beacon Hill after a four-year career at Belmont, made his name known at midfield in a Suffolk jersey early on. He scattered nine points over the first four games en route to become the first-ever Suffolk men's soccer player to receive a weekly award from the CCC with player of the week recognition Sept. 8. The Rancho Palos Verdes, California native continued be an offensive threat for the Rams for the remainder of the regular-season, which he wrapped up with the fourth-most points in the league on a team-best 24 to capture a spot on the All-CCC first-team.
His scoring line is broken down to 11 goals, which also landed him fourth amongst his conference counterparts and sat atop the Suffolk squad, and a pair of helpers. Four of his goals pushed Suffolk to victory including a pair of league wins, a 1-0 decision over Nichols Oct. 9 and a 2-0 shutout of Curry Oct. 23.
Leo is the first Suffolk player to take home a first-team selection since Alberto Bittan grabbed Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) first-team status in 2016.
sorensen secures all-ccc second-team spot
Brady Sorensen enjoyed a standout season after his freshman year was derailed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The Plymouth, Massachusetts, product registered 13 points on five goals and three assists over 15 regular-season games to grab a spot on the All-CCC second-team.
His five tallies were good for a share of 10th in the league and second on the Suffolk squad. One of his markers was a game-winner for the blue-and-gold, as he found the back of the net in overtime to lift the Rams past Lesley Sept. 28.
LEO ALL-REGION
United Soccer Coaches has released its annual Division III All-Region Teams, and for the first time in Suffolk men's soccer history a Ram made the national organization's list as graduate student Nigel Leo represented the blue-and-gold on Region II second-team.
Leo is the first Suffolk player to receive the all-region nod and is one of a dozen student-athletes from the CCC to pick up the accolade this season.
Nigel Leo of the Suffolk men's soccer team was selected to the College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA) Academic All-District Team, which recognizes the nation's top student-athletes for their combined performance on the field and in the classroom. All nominees must have a GPA of 3.30 or above, be a starter or important reserve, and have competed in at least 75 percent of a team's competition.
Leo is the second-ever men's soccer player to earn Academic All-District distinction following Tucker Mee '21 who made history a year ago as the program's first-ever honoree.
SENIOR SALUTE
Prior to kick-off on Saturday, Oct. 23 against Curry, Suffolk men's soccer honored its graduating members of the Class of 2022 and welcomed back members of the Class of 2021 to be recognized in a Senior Day Ceremony at James A. Sartori Stadium at East Boston Memorial Park.
RAMS REFLECT
The 2022 Rams Reflect is the seventh in a series of annual collections. Senior captains and representatives of Suffolk teams have been invited to contribute viewpoints based on personal experience from both their senior seasons and full varsity careers at Suffolk.
I realized what it truly means being a Ram ... Every student-athlete I've met in this program has faced adversity through injuries, time-management issues, personal problems and more. Yet, I've never seen a Ram back down, we fight, and we persevere through discipline and hard work. That is what it means to be a Ram, someone who is willing to overcome every obstacle or setback and never give up.
Big Data Dreams Come True
Courtesy of Suffolk.edu Tony Ferullo of Suffolk University's Public Affairs Office
Graduating senior who left Spain to study business analytics at the Sawyer Business School is well on his way to a career as a data scientist
Leaving Spain to study big data in the US was a difficult decision, says Alfredo Serrano Figueroa, BSBA '22, but one that has paid off well. After graduation, he will join Management Solutions as a data science consultant.
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