Biography
Career Notes
• First Team CoSIDA Academic All-American as a senior.
• Four-time All-Horizon League, two-time First and Second Team.
• Two-time All-Great Lakes Region.
• 2014 Horizon League Freshman of the Year.
• Three-time Horizon League Men's Soccer All-Academic Team.
• Two-time Team MVP and two-time Team Offensive MVP.
• Totaled 18 goals, 17 assists and 53 points in 62 career games (59 starts).
• Eight career game-winning goals, tied-for-fourth all-time.
• Ranks No. 12 all-time in points (53), 14th in points per game (0.85), T-17th in goals (18) and T-12th in assists (17) at conclusion of Titan career.
• Also No. 2 all-time in career shots (171).
2017
• Earned 2017 CoSIDA First Team Academic All-American honors, becoming the first male student-athlete in school history to be named First Team Academic All-America. Also voted CoSIDA First Team Academic All-District.
• Voted Second Team All-Horizon League, becoming second player in school history to earn four All-Conference laurels in his Titan career.
• Named team co-captain for his senior season.
• Played in 13 games, starting 12 of them (missed six due to an injury).
• Scored a career-best seven goals adding one assist for 15 points.
• Notched a career-high-tying three game-winning goals.
• Ranked third in Horizon League in points per game (1.15) and goals per game (.538), ranking fourth in shots per game (3.31).
• Scored two goals -- including Golden Goal -- on a Horizon League season-high nine shots in season opening 2-1 OT win over Stetson (8/25).
• Had a three-game goal streak, scoring goals at Saint Mary's (9/2), against UIC (9/9) at home in a 2-0 win and at Fort Wayne (9/13). Added one assist for three-point game at Fort Wayne, scoring the GWG.
• Scored game-winner in 4-0 win over Belmont (9/23).
• Helped end #16-Ohio State's six-game shutout streak, scoring first goal in 33rd minute of 2-2 draw in Columbus (9/26).
• Returned from injury against NKU on Oct. 28, playing 58 minutes.
• Played all 90 minutes, totaling four shots, two on goal in 2-1 win at Cleveland State (11/3).
• Titans went 4-0-2 when Pliakos scored during the season.
• Earned Team MVP honors at year-end banquet.
• Named to the College Soccer News National Team of the Week as well as Horizon League Offensive Player of the Week (8/28), following the opening weekend of the season.
• Voted to the Horizon League Men's Soccer All-Academic Team.
• Received 2017 Horizon League Fall Academic Honor Roll laurels (3.2 GPA+).
• Earned 2017-18 Detroit Mercy Athletic Director's Honor Roll accolades (3.0 GPA or better).
2016
• Voted Second Team All-Horizon League.
• Named team's Offensive MVP.
• Saw time in 12 matches, making 11 starts.
• Led the team in scoring with four goals and one assist for nine points.
• Also led in shots (34) and shots on goal (19).
• Tied-for-sixth in the league in goals per game (0.33).
• Tied-for-seventh in Horizon League contests in shots (27).
• Made season debut at High Point (9/2).
• Named to Elon/High Point Classic All-Tournament Team (9/4).
• Tallied penalty kick goal at Valparaiso (9/10).
• Scored both goals in 2-1 win at Western Michigan (9/24).
• Posted six shots at Milwaukee (10/1), notching lone assist of season.
• Scored off PK in season finale at Belmont (11/4), totaling seven shots and five shots on goal.
• Named to Horizon League Men's Soccer All-Academic Team.
• Received 2016-17 HL Fall & Spring Academic Honor Roll laurels.
• Earned Detroit Mercy Athletic Director's Honor Roll accolades.
2015
• Named to NSCAA All-Great Lakes Region Third Team.
• Voted First Team All-Horizon League.
• Earned Horizon League Fall All-Academic Team honors.
• Received Team MVP honors.
• Started 18 of 19 games played.
• Tied for the team lead with 14 points, posting three goals and a team-high eight assists.
• Let the Horizon League in assists (8) and assists per game (0.42), while ranking 30th in the NCAA in total assists and 34th in assists per game.
• Totaled 39 shots, including 15 shots on goal.
• Had a four-match assist streak, beginning with a helper at Jacksonville (9/6).
• Had three points and scored game-winning goal in victory over St. Bonaventure (9/13) at WMU's Radisson Invitational.
• Selected Horizon League Offensive Player of the Week (9/14) following four-point (1g, 2a) at Radisson Invitational.
• Was also named to Radisson Invitational All-Tournament Team.
• Assisted on Tyler Moorman's goal in 2-1 win at Michigan (9/16).
• Tallied nine shots vs. Northern Kentucky (9/26).
• Scored goal in 2-2 tie with UIC (10/17).
• Had three points at Wright State (10/24), scoring game-tying goal in 89th minute.
• Posted assist on game-winning goal in 1-0 victory over Milwaukee (10/31).
• Assisted on both goals against Belmont (11/6).
• Finished the season with two yellow cards.
• Earned Horizon League Fall & Spring Academic Honor Roll accolades.
• Named to UDM Athletic Director's Honor Roll.
2014
• Named Horizon League Freshman of the Year.
• Selected to the Horizon League All-Tournament Team.
• Received All-Horizon League First Team accolades as well as All-Freshman Team honors.
• Earned NSCAA All-Great Lakes Region Second Team accolades.
• Named to College Soccer News All-Freshman Third Team.
• Started all 18 matches he played during freshman season.
• Led the team with seven assists and 15 points.
• Tied for the team lead with four goals.
• Had three game-winning goals, 55 shots and 22 shots on goal to lead squad.
• Named to the Dayton Flyer Classic All-Tournament Team (9/7).
• His first collegiate goal was also the game-winning goal in 2-1 win vs. Cal State Fullerton (9/12).
• Voted to the UNLV Nike Invitational All-Tournament Team (9/14).
• Had two assists at Buffalo (9/19).
• Assisted on game-winning goal at Niagara (9/21).
• Posted assist for third straight game against Wright State (9/27).
• Tallied two assists at UIC (10/4).
• Had seven shots against IPFW (10/7).
• Scored two goals in first 23 minutes of match against Green Bay (10/11).
• Added an assist on game-winning goal at Valparaiso (10/15).
• Tied a season-high with seven shots at Michigan (10/21).
• Scored game-winning goal against Cleveland State (10/25).
• Reached seven shots for third time in season vs. Bowling Green (10/29).
• Had a hand in 11 of team's 21 goals on the season.
• Tied for third in Horizon League with 15 points.
• Finished season tied for first in conference in game-winning goals and ranked second in assists.
• Tied for conference lead with 10 points in league-only matches.
• Named team's Offensive MVP.
• Named to UDM Athletic Director's Honor Roll.
Prior to Detroit Mercy
• Attended Rochester High School.
• Named to Michigan Soccer Dream Team as senior.
• Captured All-Conference honors in each of his four seasons with the Falcons and earned All-District and All-Region honors in each of the past three seasons.
• Was named an All-State Honorable Mention as a sophomore, All-State Third Team as a junior, and All-State Dream Team and a high school All-American as a senior.
• Finished his prep career with 33 goals and 31 assists.
• Also played club soccer with Waza FC East 96 Juniors.
Personal
• Son of Chris and Bess Pliakos.
• Has one brother, Demetri, who he player one season with on the Titans.
• Father played college soccer at nearby Oakland and his uncle is former professional baseball player Denny Hocking.
• Enrolled in 5-year MBA program with concentration on Accounting/Finance.
