WATERBURY, Conn. – Post University head men's soccer coach Ted Haley had a very successful summer in his first year as coach of the Elm City Express of the National Premier Soccer League (NPSL) as his team was crowned NPSL National Champions earlier this month.
 
"It started with the ownership group and the management group doing it the right way from the beginning. The team worked really hard to get better every week and stay together, grow together. We talked about going on a run and doing something special," said Haley.
 
Haley was not the only one with Post connections to be involved in the championship as seven former Eagles played a huge part in leading the team to the title. Joe Baccielo (2010-13), Ani Lekaj (2011-13), Kevin Ipina (2010-13), Raphael Moura (2012-15), Donald Fossie (2013-15), Anthony Asante (2015), and Mamadee Kamara (2014-16) all received championship rings as key contributors to the Elm City championship. Post assistant coach and former student-athlete Luis Figueiredo was also member of the Express coaching staff.
 
Baccielo was a two-time Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference (CACC) Player of the Year and All-American and is Post's NCAA leading goal scorer. Ipina, also a two-time All-American, Lekaj, and Fossie helped anchor the Eagles' defense during some of the most successful years in school history.
 
Moura earned CACC Rookie of the Year honors in 2012 and was named All-Academic three times, earning the league's highest academic honor the Top XIV Award in 2013 and the ECAC Tournament MVP in 2015. Asante was named First Team All-CACC in his only year as an Eagle. Kamara was second on the team in goals in 2016.
 
On top of winning the national championship, Haley also captured NPSL National Coach of the Year honors as the Express finished 13-1-2 on the year. Lekaj also earned postseason honors and was named Second Team All-NPSL.
 
Haley looks to keep the success rolling into Post's season this year as the Eagles, who were picked to finish second in the CACC, begin the year at home on Saturday, Sept. 2 against NYIT at 3 p.m.