College Soccer News annually recognizes twenty assistant coaches across the country who are excelling at their work. Our selections for 2004 include some who have been listed in the past as well as some not previously recognized. In making these selections we state up-front that we know we are going to leave off some very deserving assistant coaches as is always the case when individuals are singled out for recognition. However, as in the past we are confident that those selected are deserving and worthy of recognition.
There are many very good assistant coaches in the collegiate ranks across the nation who have had and will continue to have a tremendous impact on college soccer. The very best are effective teachers, communicators, and motivators. They relate well to the players they coach while maintaining their respect. Successful head coaches will be the first to emphasize the key role that their assistants play in the degree of success that any program achieves.
The very best assistant coaches understand their role and effectively align their efforts with the direction of the head coach. Assistant coaches honored last year who are now head coaches include Mike Freitag at Indiana University, Robert McCourt at Monmouth and Jesse Cormier at Vermont. Selections from prior years who have moved from assistant to head coaches include California’s Kevin Grimes, Santa Clara’s Cameron Rast, Wisconsin’s Jeff Rohrman, and Portland’s Bill Irwin.
Anthony Adams – UMBC – The 2004 season is Adams’ eighth season as an assistant coach at UMBC under the direction of head coach Pete Caringi. Adams played collegiate soccer at UMBC from 1992 through 1995 earning four letters while earning a starting position as a defender for three seasons. Caringi stated, “Anthony has contributed so much to the program. I’ve really enjoyed working with him both as a player and as a coach.” Caringi added, “He is one of the great up-and-coming coaches in the country.” Adams has a highly successful track record as a coach at the club level with the Soccer Club of Baltimore. He has coached four different teams to a total of six state cup titles and one regional title. Adams holds a U.S.S.F. “A” license and is an U-23 ODP staff coach.
Brad Agoos – California – The 2004 season was Agoos’ fifth season as an assistant coach at California under head coach Kevin Grimes. Prior to that he was a volunteer coach for a season at San Francisco and at Charlotte. Agoos brings a ton of outstanding playing experience to the table. As a midfielder for the University of Virginia from 1989 to 1993 he helped the Cavaliers win three national championships. Agoos is an experienced competitor and solid teacher of the game who also has seven years of professional playing experience. He holds a U.S. Soccer Federation “A” badge. Agoos has helped the Golden Bear earn four consecutive NCAA Tournament berths. In 2004 California finished the season with a 13-4-3 overall record.
Stan Anderson – Wisconsin-Milwaukee – Anderson has served as the associate head coach at UWM for the past two years under head coach Louis Bennett. Prior to that he served as UWM’s first assistant coach for seven seasons. Anderson is a former All-American goalkeeper at UW-Parkside. His duties at WWM include training and coaching the Panther goalkeepers. Off the field his duties include recruiting, training, and community relations. UWM has now earned four consecutive trips to the NCAA Tournament. The Panthers have also claimed four consecutive regular season Horizon League titles and three consecutive Horizon League Tournament titles.
Leo Chappel – UC Santa Barbara – The 2004 season was Chappel’s fourth as an assistant coach at UCSB under head coach Tim Vom Steeg. Prior to that he spent three seasons as an assistant coach at Charlotte and two seasons at Ohio Wesleyan. During his tenure at UC Santa Barbara Chappel has helped Vom Steeg turn the Gaucho program into a solid national contender. The 2004 Gauchos were ranked in the College Soccer News and NSCAA Coaches Poll as the number one team in the nation at the end of the 2004 regular season. For the past 3 seasons UCSB has posted 16 plus wins and earned a berth in the NCAA Tourney. This year they advanced to the College Cup for the first time. Chappel is also a member of the Olympic Development regional coaching staff and holds an NSCAA Premier License.
Kevin Doyle – Creighton – Doyle has served as an assistant coach at Creighton under head coach Bob Warming for four seasons. He works primarily with the Bluejay netminders and is actively involved in recruiting. Before coming to Creighton in 2001 Doyle served as an assistant coach at Penn State for two seasons under the direction of Barry Gorman. Prior to that he served as an assistant coach at William and Mary for two seasons. Regarding Doyle Warming stated, “He has proven himself as one of the top assistants in the country over the past few years and his dedication to excellence is a great asset to our program.” Doyle has an NSCAA Advanced Diploma and holds a USSF “A” License. He has severs as the goalkeeper coach for Olympic Development Program teams in Georgia, Nebraska, and Ohio.
Todd Dufresne – Central Connecticut State University – The 2004 season was the eighth season that Dufresne has been an assistant coach at Central Connecticut State University under head coach Shaun Green. Dufresne’s responsibilities include recruitment, player development, scouting opponents, conducting practice sessions, and various other administrative duties. Dufresne who played for the Blue Devils in 1996 and 1997 has worked with Green to create a winning atmosphere at CCSU. He also has been active in initiatives to develop youth soccer in the State of Connecticut.
Munga Eketebi – Florida International University – Eketebi is a long time assistant coach at FIU under head coach Karl Kremser. Eketebi has been a key part of the program at FIU and soccer in general in South Florida beginning with an outstanding playing career with the Golden Panthers from 1983 through 1986. Eketebi’s primary coaching responsibilities include helping with daily practices, administrative duties, and recruiting. Kremser stated, “FIU is fortunate to have an individual like Munga. He was an outstanding player, he’s a great recruiter and individual.” Kremser added, “Munga has been a great addition to our program. He was the first full time soccer assistant in the history of the program and we couldn’t have gotten a better one.” FIU has earned four straight NCAA Tourney berths.
Brent Erwin – SMU – Erwin has served as an assistant coach at SMU under legendary head coach Schellas Hyndman for five seasons. SMU has made eleven consecutive trips to the NCAA Tournament including 20 berths out of the last 21 seasons. Erwin came to SMU from the IMG Bollettieri Soccer Academy located in Bradenton, Florida. While their he served as the assistant coach to each of the Academy’s six teams, including its Semi-Pro team. Erwin has served as a member of the U.S. Soccer National team goalkeeping staff, specifically with the U-17 U.S. men’s national team. He is also a member of the U.S. Soccer instructional staff and is a Region III ODP staff coach. He hold a USSF “A” License.
Kelly Findley – Charlotte – The 2004 season was Findley’s first as an associate head coach under head coach John Tart after serving the previous three seasons as an assistant coach at Charlotte. Prior to that Findley was the head coach at Mars Hill for two seasons and an assistant coach at Miami (Ohio) for the 1998 season. As a player Findley was a three-time NAIA All-American at Judson College in Elgin, Illinois. He also played professional soccer with the Charlotte Eagles for six years. He holds a U.S. Soccer Federation “A” License and a NSCAA Premier Coaching Diploma. Findley is also actively involved as a coach in the North Carolina Olympic Development Program.
Andy Fleming – Boston University – Fleming has served as an assistant coach at Boston University under head coach Neil Robert for seven seasons. In July 2004 he was named Associate Head Coach. He serves as the program’s recruiting coordinator and the primary assistant to Roberts in the day-to-day operations of the program. Fleming has helped to attract some very talented recruits to Boston University. In 2004 College Soccer News ranked the Boston University recruiting class as the 25th best in the country. Fleming has been very active in a variety of roles in youth soccer serving as an assessor for the Region I Olympic Development Program and a national scout for the Adidas Elite Soccer Program. He holds an “A” License from the U.S. Soccer Federation and an NSCAA Advanced Diploma. In 2004 the Terriers won the America East Conference title and an NCAA Tourney berth.
Mike Jacobs – Duke University – Jacobs has a stellar record as a coach at the collegiate or professional level for the past ten years. For the past three years he has served as an assistant coach at Duke under veteran head coach John Rennie. Prior to that he served as a full-time assistant at Evansville from 2000-01. From 1996 through 1999 Jacobs was the head coach at Iona and was named the 1997 Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference Coach of the Year. Jacobs holds a USSF ‘A’ license as well as an NSCAA Advanced National diploma. He also is a member of the United States Soccer Federation National Goalkeeping staff and has been an active staff coach in the Olympic Development Program. Duke had an outstanding season in 2004 playing their way into the College Cup.
Kom Momeni – Coastal Carolina – Momeni has served as an assistant coach under Shaun Docking for three years at Coastal Carolina. Docking stated, “Kom is a very good teacher of the game.” Docking added, “His rapport and guidance with the players is one of his strengths and makes him key to our ability to get the most our of our team.” Momeni served as an assistant coach at the University of the Incarnate Word in San Antonio, Texas for three seasons prior to coming to Coastal Carolina. Momeni has been credited with playing a key role in organizing the Chanticleers defensively. Coastal Carolina has earned four consecutive NCAA appearances. In 2003 they won a school single-season record 20 games and advanced to the Sweet Sixteen in NCAA Tourney play for the first time in school history.
Bobby Muuss – Wake Forest – Muuss has served as an assistant coach at Wake Forest for four years under head coach Jay Vidovich. He serves as the recruiting coordinator for the Demon Deacons and on the field his focus is primarily on the goalkeepers. Muuss has helped Wake Forest attract some of the top recruits in the country. College Soccer News ranked the Demon Deacon class as the #16 class in the country in 2001, #12 in 2002, #7 in 2003 and #6 2004. Wake Forest has had four consecutive NCAA appearances and was the number one seed in the NCAA Tournament in 2003 and 2004. Prior to coming to Wake Forest Muuss served as a volunteer assistant coach at Connecticut for four seasons. Vidovich states, “Bobby brings a lot to the table. He’s won a national championship as a player and as an assistant coach. His knowledge of what if takes to win will help make Wake Forest a benchmark program.”
Matt Stimson – Stanford – The 2004 season was Stimson’s fourth as an assistant coach at Stanford under Bret Simon. Prior to that Stimson served as an assistant coach at Creighton for the 1999 and 2000 seasons. Simon stated, “There isn’t a better assistant soccer coach in the country than Matt Stimson. He’s involved in all aspects of our program – recruiting, training, administration.” Simon added, “His work ethic and enthusiasm are two big parts of the engine that keep us going.” Stimson served as the first assistant coach at Hartford in 1998. He has been very active in youth soccer and has been actively involved in the Olympic Development Program in the past in a variety of coaching roles. As a player Stimson competed at Springfield College from 1989 through 1992.
Brian Pensky – Maryland – Pensky has served as an assistant coach at the University of Maryland under Sasho Cirovski for three seasons. During that period of time the Terps have made three consecutive trips to the College Cup. Before coming to Maryland Pensky was an assistant at Loyola (Md) College where he helped the Greyhound women’s team win the 2001 MAAC Conference Tournament and earn an NCAA Tourney berth. Prior to coming to Loyola, Pensky coached for three years at George Washington University. Pensky holds an “A” license from the U.S.S.F. and an NSCAA Premier and NSCAA goalkeeping diploma. Pensky’s primary responsibilities at Maryland include on-field coaching, recruiting and scouting. The Terps had back-to-back 20 game seasons in 2002 and 2003 and are 17-5-1 in 2004 heading into the College Cup.
Ralph Polson – College of Charleston – The 2004 season was Polson’s fifth season as the Associate Head Coach for the College of Charleston under head coach Ralph Lundy. Prior to joining the staff at the College of Charleston Polson coached at NCAA Division II Presbyterian College for seventeen years. Polson guided Presbyterian to the NCAA Division II National Tournament in 1995. He also serves as the NSCAA Division I All-America Committee National Chairman and the South Region Chair. In 2004 Charleston had a banner year recording an overall record of 17-6-1. The Cougars won the Southern Conference Championship and defeated South Carolina in a first round match in the NCAA Tournament before losing a hard fought contest to UNC-Greensboro 2-1 in the second round.
Jay Primiano – Rhode Island – Primiano has served as an assistant coach at Rhode Island for twelve seasons under veteran head coach Ed Bradley. Primiano responsibilities include on the field coaching, game analysis, recruiting, and fund raising. The Rams are annually a very competitive side. Rhode Island lead the Atlantic 10 in scoring in 2004 and were tied for fifth in the nation in total goals scored. In 2003 Primiano was named the AFLAC Assistant Coach of the Year. Primiano has been actively involved in the development of youth soccer in the State of Rhode Island. He has an “A” license from the United States Soccer Federation and an Advanced National Diploma from the National Soccer Association of America. Primiano played collegiate soccer as a forward at Rhode Island College where he was coached by Ed Bradley.
Erik Ronning – Northwestern – Ronning has served as an assistant coach at Northwestern for four seasons under head coach Tim Lenahan. Following the 2003 season, he was promoted to the position of Associate Head Coach. Ronning serves as the recruiting coordinator and his duties include on-field coaching for the Wildcats. Before coming to Northwestern Ronning spent four seasons as an assistant at Colgate where his responsibilities included all aspects of recruiting, off-season workouts and individual training. Ronning was a four-year starter as a collegiate player at Colgate where he earned All-Patriot League first-team honors in 1996. He holds an NSCAA Advanced National diploma as well as an “A” license from the USSF. Ronning also is a member of the Region 2 ODP coaching staff and serves as a scout for the Adidas Elite Program. He also is associated with the Chicago Sockers FC. Northwestern had a program best 15-6-2 overall record in 2004 in route to earning their first ever NCAA Tourney berth.
Carlos Somoano – North Carolina – The 2004 season was Somoano’s third at the University of North Carolina under the direction of head coach Elmar Bolowich. North Carolina has now earned six consecutive NCAA Tournament berths. In 2004 College Soccer News ranked North Carolina’s recruiting class as the fourth best in the nation. Somoano assists Bolowich in all aspects of the Tar Heel program, including practice, recruiting, fund-raising, game operations and management. He also serves as the coordinator of the Carolina Soccer Camp. Prior to coming to Chapel Hill, Somoano was the top assistant coach at Virginia Commonwealth University under head coach Tim O’Sullivan for six years. Somoano has also been involved as a coach in the Olympic Development Program. As a collegiate player, Somoano earned four letters at Eckerd College were he was a two-year captain.
Eric Yamamoto – Santa Clara – Yamamoto has served as an assistant coach for Santa Clara since completing his playing days there in 1986. He currently serves as the top assistant for the men’s soccer team at Santa Clara under head coach Cameron Rast. In the past he has been involved with both the men’s and women’s soccer programs at Santa Clara. The former All-American adds a great deal of value and experience to the Santa Clara staff. Yamamoto has played an active role in developing the skills of numerous outstanding Bronco netminders and defenders over the years. He also serves as a member of the U.S. National Team coaching staff. Santa Clara earned their 15th NCAA Tournament berth in 2004.