ST. LOUIS, Mo. – Drake men's soccer had ample representation at the Missouri Valley Conference postseason awards ceremony. Two individual athletes took home major awards as graduates
Declan Watters and Jonathan Burke earned Defensive Player of the Year and Goalkeeper of the Year, respectively. The Drake coaching staff also celebrated with the 2022 Coaching Staff of the Year Award.
Watters, a graduate, has been a mainstay for Drake with starts in all 15 matches and the team's highest total of minutes played (1,350). Watters anchored a solid Bulldog defense that ranked third in the MVC with just 0.93 goals allowed per match. He provided an intimidating force on the Bulldogs' back end with his 6-5 frame. Watters' honor marks the first-ever Defensive Player of the Year win for Drake.
Burke, another graduate, is just the second Bulldog goalkeeper to earn the league's Goalkeeper of the Year award after
Jared Brown did so last season. Burke recorded the third-most saves per game (4.13), second-most saves (62), and best save percentage (.816) in the MVC this season. Five of his seven wins came via shutout and his 0.94 goals against average ranked fifth on Drake' all-time single-season records list.
Drake's coaching staff captured the MVC's Coaching Staff of the Year award for the second time in program history and the first time since 1994. First-year head coach Pat Flinn led the Bulldogs to a 7-4-4 record this season, including a 5-2-1 mark in league action. The Bulldogs earned the No. 2 seed in the MVC Tournament after being selected last in the 2022 preseason poll. His seven overall wins and five MVC wins are the most-ever for a first-year Drake head coach. Flinn is assisted by coaches
Kyle Smith,
Andrew Blalock, and
James Wypych.
Both Watters and Burke were named to the All-MVC First Team along with AJ Franklin, the Bulldogs' leading scorer.
Defender
Bradan Allen, forward Sam Thornton, both graduates, and midfielder
Louis Yuill were all selected as Second-Team All-MVC performers.
Elsewhere, a pair of Bulldog rookies earned All-Freshman honors. Midfielder Damian Segura and defender Ryder Barrett received the first-year recognition.
Three members of the MVC-champion Missouri State Bears claimed individual honors. Jesus Barea earned the league's Player of the Year Award, the Bears' Nicolo Mulatero earned the MVC Forward of the Year Award, and Jack Denton received the Midfielder of the Year Award.
Evansville's Nacho Diaz claimed the MVC Freshman of the Year Award for his fantastic first year campaign.
