The Community College of Rhode Island men’s soccer team is hosting an information session this summer on Friday, July 12 from 4:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. for new and returning student-athletes interested in joining the program.

Tryouts for the 2024 season begin Aug. 9. Information Sessions are designed for enrolled students interested in playing soccer at CCRI. Coaches will be on hand to answer questions and provide information on what is needed for tryouts, which courses to register for, and detailed instructions on completing the mandatory student-athlete packet. All students interested in playing soccer in the fall are welcome to attend.

Under the guidance of head coach Gabe Toro, who enters his 16th season this fall as the college’s longest-tenured coach, the Knights look to build on a strong finish to their 2023 season.

After winning the NJCAA Division III Region XXI championship in 2022 and qualifying for the NJCAA Men’s Soccer Championships for the first time in school history, the Knights finished 5-7-2 in 2023, but played their best soccer in October and closed out the year with wins in two of their final three regular-season games to qualify for the regional tournament.

With a win over Springfield Tech in the Region XXI quarterfinals, CCRI earned a postseason victory for the second year in a row before falling to eventual regional champion Northern Essex in the semifinals. Six of the team’s seven scorers in 2023 were freshman, including First Team All-Region XXI selection Sebastian Velez (North Providence, RI) and All-Region XXI Honorable Mentions Chad Parente (Bristol, RI), Ryan Paiva (Riverside, RI), and Andrew Jackson (Rumford, RI).

Since taking over the program in 2009, Toro has won 72 games and a Region XXI championship in addition to leading CCRI to its first trip to the nationals. He was also a recipient of the 2022 Northeast District Coach of the Year Award.