The Johns Hopkins men’s soccer program has produced some of the greatest players in Centennial Conference history since the league was formed in 1993. Any discussion of those great players, and more specifically great goal scorers, must include Matt Doran, who utilized his prowess on the offensive end of the field to lead the Blue Jays to a four-year run that is nearly unmatched in program history.
Doran arrived in 1998 as a member of a highly-touted freshman class. Four years later, Doran and his classmates had guided the Blue Jays to a 65-11-4 record, two Centennial Conference titles, one appearance in the NCAA Quarterfinals and another in the Sweet 16 and two ECAC Championships. The 1998 team came ever so close to the final four as the Blue Jays fell 1-0 in triple overtime in the NCAA Quarterfinals.
Doran, for his part, was the dominant offensive player that great teams need. He punched up 70 goals and 28 assists for 168 points and finished his career ranked second in school history in each category. His 2000 season ranks among the great individual seasons in NCAA Division III history as he scored a school-record 27 goals and added eight assists for a program-best 62 points. Those marks remain the Johns Hopkins single-season standards, as does his 15-game goal-scoring streak, which also stands as the Centennial Conference and NCAA Division III record.
Doran’s play on the field, coupled with the team’s success, led to a resume of individual honors that also ranks among the most impressive in school history. He earned All-Centennial Conference honors in each of his four seasons, including first team honors as a sophomore, junior and senior, and was named the Centennial Player of the Year as a junior. He was named a First Team NSCAA All-American in 2000 and earned NSCAA All-Region honors in each of his final three years, including first team honors as a junior and senior.
