Kevin East, an alumnus of Kean University and for the past nine years the head men's soccer coach at New Jersey City University, was named to the newly created position of Coordinator of Soccer Operations/Head Men's Soccer Coach at Rutgers-Newark by Director of Athletics Mark Griffin on January 30.

After originally taking over the Gothic Knight program as a part-time coach in 1998, East posted a 123-66-11 record which included posting 17 wins in three of the last four seasons. He coached NJCU to its first NCAA Championship Tournament berth in 2005. This past fall, the Gothic Knights reached the ECAC Metro Men’s Soccer title match and had five players listed on the All-New Jersey Athletic Conference roster.

“I am excited to be at Rutgers-Newark and look forward to building both soccer programs into a competitive force within the NJAC,” East stated. 

“The thing that impressed me the most about Rutgers-Newark is its excellent academic reputation and aggressive commitment to athletics. Rutgers-Newark was just ranked in the top 12 for small research universities in the country and the athletic department recently installed a new state-of-the-art playing surface for the soccer team. I think it is a great time to be at the university.”

The 36-year-old coach has completed work for a National “A” Coaching License from the United States Soccer Federation, putting him on the highest level of coaches in the country. He also has a Director of Coaching certificate from the National Soccer Coaches Association of America and is an active member of the group’s National Rating Board. He also has coached and instructed in the Olympic Development Program and is the former president of the College Soccer Association of New Jersey.

At Kean, East was named the Defensive Most Valuable Player for the final four as Kean claimed the 1992 NCAA Division III Men’s Soccer Championship. The three-time first-team All-NJAC goalkeeper still holds the Cougar record with 29 career shutouts for his mentor, coach Tony Ochrimenko. The Cougars went 61-16-2 during his three seasons as starting keeper, reaching the NCAA Tournament each year.

East was drafted by the Columbus Crew in the inaugural season of Major League Soccer in 1996, and he served as back-up goalkeeper for the Metro Stars in 1998 and 1999. He started in goal professionally in the United Soccer League for the Jersey Dragons (1994-95), the Central Jersey Riptide (1996-97), the New Jersey Stallions (1998), and the North Jersey Imperials (1999).

At Montgomery High School, East was an all-state, All-Somerset County and All-Skyland Conference keeper who helped his team to a Central Jersey state sectional title.