Navy’s Sam Clark, Cohen Nance Earn Patriot League Weekly Honors
Navy men’s soccer picked up a pair of Patriot League weekly awards Monday as sophomore goalkeeper Sam Clark was named Patriot League Goalkeeper of the Week and freshman forward Cohen Nance earned Rookie of the Week honors. Both players played key roles during a strong week for the Midshipmen that included a 3-0 win over Presbyterian and a scoreless draw against Temple. The honors are the first weekly conference awards of both Clark’s and Nance’s collegiate careers.
Clark earned the goalkeeper award after posting back-to-back shutouts, the first two clean sheets of his college career. He made two saves in Navy’s 3-0 victory over Presbyterian before turning aside two more shots in the 0-0 draw against Temple. Clark extended his scoreless streak to 247 minutes and 46 seconds, dating back to the first half of Navy’s Aug. 28 matchup with George Washington.
The sophomore stepped into a larger role after Dylan Carmody was injured earlier in the season and has quickly become a stabilizing presence in goal for the Midshipmen. Through the award period, Clark owned a 0.63 goals-against average and a .500 shutout percentage, both tops among Patriot League goalkeepers, while his .846 save percentage ranked second in the conference. His emergence has helped Navy recover from a difficult opening stretch and establish a much more consistent defensive identity.
Nance earned Rookie of the Week after continuing his productive start to his freshman season. Against Presbyterian, the 6-foot-1 forward scored Navy’s third goal in the 82nd minute when he finished a cross from sophomore defender Will Cawlfield. Nance recorded four shots while playing 52 minutes in the 3-0 victory, giving Navy another attacking option late in the match.
The freshman remained involved four days later against Temple, playing 23 minutes and recording two more shots. Navy outshot Temple 14-8 in that match and controlled much of the attacking play, but Owls goalkeeper Gavin Atkinson made eight saves to preserve the scoreless draw. Nance was among the Navy players who threatened late, forcing Atkinson into a save in the 80th minute.
Clark and Nance became the second and third Midshipmen to receive Patriot League weekly recognition during the 2026 season. Sophomore midfielder Nick Gallucci previously earned Patriot League Midfielder of the Week honors on Aug. 24. Having players recognized at goalkeeper, midfield and forward illustrates how contributions have come from several different areas of the Navy roster during the opening weeks of head coach John Hackworth’s first season.
The awards also came at an important time for a Navy team beginning to find its footing. The Midshipmen started the year with a 7-0 loss at UC San Diego before earning a 2-2 draw at San Diego State and falling 2-0 against George Washington. Navy responded by defeating Presbyterian and drawing Temple, leaving the Midshipmen at 1-2-2 heading into their Sept. 8 matchup at Mount St. Mary’s.
Navy’s defensive improvement has been especially significant. After surrendering nine goals over its first three matches, the Midshipmen followed with consecutive shutouts against Presbyterian and Temple behind Clark and an improving back line. Senior defender Alex Galloway also earned honorable mention from the Patriot League after scoring against Presbyterian and playing all 90 minutes of the shutout against Temple.
Clark’s streak continued Tuesday night at Mount St. Mary’s, where he made three saves in another scoreless draw. That performance gave both Clark and Navy a third consecutive shutout, further validating the recognition he received from the Patriot League one day earlier. The Midshipmen’s defense held firm again despite several Mountaineers opportunities late in the first half.
For Nance, the Rookie of the Week award represents another early milestone in what has been a promising beginning to his Navy career. The Lakeland, Florida, native has already shown an ability to get himself into dangerous attacking positions and contribute against Division I competition. His goal against Presbyterian helped Navy put away Hackworth’s first victory as the Midshipmen’s head coach and gave the freshman his first major conference recognition.
Navy now turns its attention toward Patriot League play. After the Mount St. Mary’s matchup, the Midshipmen are scheduled to visit Holy Cross on Saturday, Sept. 12, for their conference opener before continuing the road trip at Longwood. A defense that has suddenly become difficult to break down could give Navy a strong foundation as conference competition begins.
MSB Take
Sam Clark has become one of the biggest early-season developments for Navy. Goalkeeper can change the entire complexion of a soccer team, and three consecutive clean sheets after such a difficult start to the year show how much the Midshipmen have improved defensively. Clark has provided stability at exactly the right time as Navy prepares for Patriot League play.
Cohen Nance’s award is just as encouraging because Navy needs young attacking players who can grow into larger roles. A freshman already scoring goals and earning conference recognition gives Hackworth another weapon to develop throughout the season. If Clark keeps controlling games from the back and players such as Nance continue progressing up front, Navy has a chance to become a much more dangerous team than its early record suggests.
