Koolman Named NSCAA/adidas Division II Coach of the Year

Eighth-year mentor first in program history to earn award,
collects second National Award of career

RINDGE, N.H. (January 21, 2007) – Franklin Pierce University men’s soccer head coach, Marco Koolman, was named the National Soccer Coaches Association of America (NSCAA)/adidas Division II Coach of the Year at the Association’s annual convention in Baltimore, Md., this weekend.

It marks the second time in Koolman’s career that he has earned National Coach of the Year honors, as he collected the award during his days at Gannon University in 1993. The award is the first in program history for Franklin Pierce. In fact, he joins two-time National Coach of the Year Mark Krikorian, who earned the women’s coach award in 1994 & ’95, as the only National Coach of the Year winners in University history.

Koolman, who earned New England Region Coach of the Year honors for the second-straight year and third time overall last month, led Franklin Pierce to a 17-2-4 mark this fall and their first NCAA Division II Championship in program history with a 1-0 victory over No. 16 Lincoln Memorial University. The Ravens captured their third NCAA New England Regional title in the last four years and advanced to the Final Four for the second time in three seasons. Franklin Pierce captured its third-straight Northeast-10 Conference regular season title with an 11-0-2 mark – its first unbeaten conference regular season since 1995. Koolman was also named NE-10 Coach of the Year for the second time this fall.

Koolman has led the Ravens to a 112-37-19 (.723) record in eight years, including a 77-18-9 (.784) mark in Northeast-10 play. Franklin Pierce has advanced to the NCAA Division II Tournament each of the last five seasons. In addition to their current run of regular season titles, the Ravens captured the NE-10 Tournament title in 2006. He secured his 100th victory at Franklin Pierce earlier this season with a 2-0 decision over Bentley College on September 19.

Koolman boasts a 186-66-25 (.716) career mark, which includes six successful seasons as head coach at Gannon, his alma mater, where he earned National Coach of the Year honors in 1993 and Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (GLIAC) Coach of the Year accolades following the 1995 season. He entered the 2007 season ranked 14th among Division II coaches all-time for career winning percentage. Since joining Franklin Pierce, Koolman has produced 15 All-Americans, 34 All-New England and 62 All-Northeast-10 selections.

This fall, senior James Thorpe (East Longmeadow, Mass./Bridgton Academy) joined former two-time All-American Christopher Joyce (2005) as the first two National Players of the Year in program history. Thorpe is also the first three-time All-American in program history and first four-time Goalkeeper of the Year in NE-10 history. Joyce is one of three NE-10 Players of the Year for Koolman, including this year’s choice David Clifton (London, England). Another Koolman recruit, Bisharra Ettienne (East Elmhurst, N.Y./Dominica State College), was named Defensive Player of the Year in the Conference the last two seasons.

Koolman's Ravens have also performed in the classroom, with four collecting CoSIDA Academic All-America honors, including Peter Petropanagos – the first three-time selection in program history, and two earning NSCAA Scholar All-America plaudits. 14 Franklin Pierce men's soccer players have earned CoSIDA Academic All-District honors under Koolman's watch and nine have collected NE-10 All-Academic honors since the Conference started the program in 2004. 12 Ravens have been named to the NE-10 Commissioner's Honor Roll, five of which achieved Gold Scholar status.

Koolman also has success placing his players in professional soccer. All-America midfielder Felix Brillant, one of Koolman's first recruits after coming to Franklin Pierce, was selected in the sixth round of Major League Soccer's 2004 SuperDraft by the New England Revolution and currently plays in Norway's first division for FK Sparta Sarpsborg after two seasons in the United State, one with the Revolution. Joyce was selected by FC Dallas in the 2006 MLS Supplemental Draft, but opted to sign a three-year contract with his current club Odd Grenland FK of the Norwegian Tippeligaen.