Brendan Guzman Named New Head Men’s Soccer Coach at NJCU
JERSEY CITY, N.J. | , a former assistant coach at ¿ìèÆƽâ°æ, was appointed the new head men’s soccer coach of the Gothic Knights, effective May 23. Guzman, who was the program’s top assistant for five seasons from 2016-21, will be the 15th head coach in school history. The NJCU men’s soccer program was launched in 1959 and will be celebrating its 65th season in Fall 2023.
Guzman succeeds Joe Cullen, who coached the Gothic Knights for seven seasons from 2016-2022, including a berth in this year’s New Jersey Athletic Conference (NJAC) Tournament, before returning to a role coaching at his alma mater, Montclair State. Guzman began his collegiate coaching career working on Cullen’s staff.
"We are incredibly excited to welcome back Brendan as the head coach of the men's soccer team," said Robert Cole, Interim Director of Athletics. "Brendan's outlook on the Division III student-athlete experience aligns perfectly with the profile of a NJCU student-athlete. Brendan's experience as a NJAC player, NJAC assistant coach and a collegiate head coach makes him the right person to continue the upward trajectory of our program. His passion for student-athlete development and love of sport is unparalleled. We are optimistic about the short and long term outlook of the program with Coach Guzman at the helm."
Guzman returns to Jersey City after spending two seasons as the Head Women's Soccer Coach at Division II College of Staten Island. The Dolphins competed at the Division III level through the 2019 season, canceled their 2020 campaign due to the COVID-19 pandemic and resumed play as a Division II program with Guzman at the helm in 2021 and 2022. He guided the program to immediate success within the East Coast Conference (ECC), collecting 14 points in ECC play over his two seasons. Guzman also produced three ECC Honor Roll Players of the Week and one All-ECC selection.
"It is with deep honor and uncontainable excitement that I accept the opportunity to lead as the head coach of ¿ìèÆƽâ°æ men's soccer," said Guzman. "This opportunity feels like a homecoming of sorts, a culmination of over a decade of experiences in playing, coaching, and analyzing this beautiful game. I am immensely grateful to ¿ìèÆƽâ°æ for bestowing this privilege upon me. I also extend my appreciation to Interim Director of Athletics, Robert Cole and my predecessor, Joseph Cullen. As I pursued my own coaching ventures, they were tirelessly building an exceptional athletic department and an outstanding program. When Coach Cullen and I joined forces in 2016, we embarked on the challenge of rebuilding a program, guided by an unwavering optimism for its future. Today, I am humbled and privileged to be entrusted with the task of building upon Coach Cullen's remarkable work."
During his previous five seasons on the sidelines with NJCU from the Fall 2016 season through the Spring 2021 campaign, Guzman served as head of recruiting for the Gothic Knights and was responsible for practice design. He also served as the program's liaison between the student-athletes and the academic advisors, ensuring academic eligibility for his players. NJCU earned four All-NJAC selections during this tenure, including three defensive players.
A 2016 graduate of Montclair State, Guzman was a member of the Red Hawks' men's soccer program from 2012-15, making 85 appearances as a back, including 31 starts. He amassed 14 points, including four goals, and played nearly 3,900 minutes on the pitch over his four seasons. Guzman was part of four NCAA Tournament teams, including two Elite 8 finishes and one NJAC Championship.
Guzman, a native of Clifton, N.J., is a 2012 graduate of Clifton High School and currently resides in Jersey City.
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Contact:
Ira Thor, Associate Vice President for University Communications (interim) | ithor@njcu.edu | 201-200-3301