La Plata, Md. — The College of Southern Maryland men’s soccer team enters the 2025 season with a young roster eager to end a 17-year drought without a Maryland Junior College Athletic Conference championship, blending returning players with a strong class of newcomers under new head coach Nick Porovne.
The CSM men’s soccer program, known as the Hawks, finished the 2024 campaign with a 2-9-2 record in both overall and conference play, a challenging year that included losses in the Region 20 Division II tournament. Despite the setbacks, the team showed resilience in ties against opponents like Frederick Community College and a win over Carroll Community College. Porovne, appointed in January 2025, brings a fresh perspective to CSM men’s soccer, aiming to build on local talent and international recruits to revive the program’s competitive edge.
Four sophomores return to anchor the CSM men’s soccer squad. Goalkeeper Brandon Rollins from Indian Head started all 11 games in 2024, recording 122 saves and a 74.4% save percentage despite allowing 42 goals for a 5.29 goals-against average. Defender Bryce Lawson from Waldorf appeared in seven games with one start. Midfielder Zach Cooper from Dunkirk played in all 11 contests, starting four. Zion Abdullah from Welcome started 10 of 10 games, scoring one goal and adding one assist for three points, with a perfect 100% shots-on-goal rate from four attempts. Abdullah earned All-Region 20 second-team and All-MD JUCO honorable mention honors last season.
The CSM men’s soccer team faces significant losses from the 2024 roster, including key contributors who provided offensive spark and defensive stability. Striker Bailey Kindall from Indian Head tallied two goals and four points in 12 games, finishing his career with 10 goals and 20 points over 31 appearances. Defender Bryce Wilcher from Huntingtown led the team with seven goals and 15 points in 11 starts, concluding his two-year stint with 15 goals and 33 points. Eliass Elfasoukhi, who transferred to Indiana Wesleyan, contributed four goals and six assists in just four games last year, amassing 15 goals and 23 assists over 23 career games. Other departures include Wiktor Blachowicz, who moved to Benedictine-Mesa after earning All-Region 20 second-team and All-MD JUCO second-team accolades, and Elijah Lopez, now at St. Mary’s College of Maryland.
A robust group of 20 newcomers, including 16 freshmen and four sophomores, joins the CSM men’s soccer program, many hailing from Southern Maryland high schools like North Point, Chopticon and Thomas Stone. Forward Aydyn Meaders from White Plains brings impressive high school credentials from North Point, with 21 goals and five assists for 47 points over 26 games. Nelson Acevedo Jr. from Waldorf, also from North Point, recorded three goals and 11 assists in 13 games. Matthew Knapp from La Plata offers versatility as both a forward and goalkeeper, posting 20 goals as a field player and a 1.75 goals-against average with 52 saves in goal over 21 games at La Plata High. International talent bolsters the roster, including Fondjo Ulrich Kamyou from Buea, Cameroon, and Henri Mietchop from Douala, Cameroon. Sophomore transfers like Xavier Lalanne from Waldorf and Antone Perry from Waldorf add experience, with Perry scoring one goal in five games at California University of Pennsylvania in 2018.
Porovne, who previously served in coaching roles in the region, emphasizes development and team cohesion for CSM men’s soccer. He inherits a program with a storied past in the Maryland JUCO conference, which includes 12 teams competing in a round-robin format leading to playoffs. The Hawks last claimed an MD JUCO title in 2008, following championships in 1994 and 1995 during a period of dominance. Recent seasons have seen ups and downs, with a 12-5-2 record in 2023 advancing to the Region 20 championship game, where they fell 5-0 to CCBC Essex.
The 2025 schedule for CSM men’s soccer features tough conference matchups in the MD JUCO, starting with an away game at CCBC Essex on August 22, followed by home contests against Howard Community College and others. Key dates include October 3 at Potomac State College for homecoming and October 11 versus Garrett College. The season culminates in the Region 20 tournament, with aspirations to qualify for the NJCAA Division II national championship.
CSM men’s soccer has produced notable alumni, including players who advanced to four-year programs like Indiana Wesleyan and Benedictine-Mesa. The program competes in NJCAA Region 20, which feeds into national tournaments, and has earned multiple All-Region and All-MD JUCO selections in recent years. With a focus on local recruitment, Porovne aims to leverage Southern Maryland’s talent pool, where high school programs like North Point and Chopticon have produced standouts.
As the Hawks prepare for their opener, the blend of youth and experience positions CSM men’s soccer for potential improvement in a competitive conference dominated by teams like CCBC Essex, the 2023 Region 20 champions. The team’s last strong run came in 2019, when they improved by five wins and scored 48 goals, ranking high in the region. Community support at the La Plata campus field remains key, with fans anticipating a return to playoff contention.
