After leading the Black Knights to their best overall record in five years last fall, Russell Payne embarks upon his third season as the head coach of the Army men’s soccer program in 2012. In Payne’s first year, Army cut its goals-against average nearly in half, from 2.20 in 2009 to 1.22 in 2010. The Black Knights also snapped an 11-game Patriot League losing streak with a 1-1 tie at Lafayette late in the season. Before coming to West Point, Payne was an assistant at University of Maryland. During his stay in College Park, Payne mentored eight National Soccer Coaches Association of America (NSCAA) All-Americans, 15 All-Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) selections, an NSCAA Player of the Year, a pair of Academic All-Americans, an NCAA Scholar-Athlete of the Year and 12 Major League Soccer (MLS) draft picks. The Terrapins also achieved the highest graduation success rate in the ACC.
