O'Rourke announces Costantino, Davies, and Ventura as captains

NEWPORT, R.I. (August 25, 2022) - Salve Regina University head men's soccer coach Craig O'Rourke II has announced two seniors and a graduate student as his captains for 2022 - Nathan Costantino (North Andover, Mass.), James Davies (London, England), and Rich Ventura (Floral Park, N.Y.) - the latter two returning to the role they served in 2021.

"The captaincy is a sacred institution with our program as it is not elected nor is it an appointed position," says O'Rourke. "The captaincy is offered to those individuals who must be willing to accept everything that goes along with it and is demanded of it. I genuinely believe that each of these young men has distinguished themselves and shown the degree of selflessness that must be in the heart of any individual named as team captain. They know that they must always work on the team's behalf – both on the field and off. They are the voice of the roster and the conduit to the coaching staff. Our captains are involved in all elements of the program – from ordering to recruiting, from scheduling to mentoring … and they must breathe Salve Regina men's soccer while wearing the title."

Ventura played in 20 matches last season, starting all of them, and had five goals and four assists for a total of 14 points. He scored game-winning goals versus Massachusetts Maritime Academy and in CCC Championship quarterfinal versus Curry College. Ventura was selected Second Team All-Commonwealth Coast Conference (CCC) and earned CCC Academic All-Conference Team honors.

Davies played in 21 matches last season, starting all of them, and had two assists for a total of two points. He wasnominated for Man of the Match five times, winning the award on Sept. 8, 2021, at UMass Dartmouth. He was selected Second Team All-Commonwealth Coast Conference (CCC) and earned CCC Academic All-Conference Team honors.

Costantino played in 15 matches last season, starting 13 of them, and had two assists for a total of two points. He was nominated for Man of the Match twice, winning the award on Sept. 18, 2021, versus Nichols College.

The trio will lead their teammates seeking a third straight trip to the CCC finals. They have hosted the last two, winning 3-2 in double overtime in 2019 at Toppa Field against Endicott, before returning from the pandemic and to the title match against Gordon in 2021 - the Scots won 2-1 in double overtime. Salve Regina opens its 2022 campaign at home against UMass Boston on Thursday, September 1 (7 p.m.) on the Toppa Field turf.