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College of the Holy Cross

Worcester, MA 01610
Massachusetts Northeast
Private Small Developing team
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Ben Graham

Ben Graham enters his second season as the head women's soccer coach at the College of the Holy Cross in 2023.


Graham was the associate head coach of the Holy Cross men from 2018-2021, after spending two seasons as an assistant coach from 2016-2017. He helped the team to three Patriot League Tournament appearances during that time, with Holy Cross reaching the championship game in 2017, the semifinals in the spring of 2021 and the quarterfinals in the fall of 2021. Last year, the Crusaders went 8-8-3 overall for their most wins in a single season since 2013, and placed third in the Patriot League at 5-3-1 after being picked eighth in the preseason poll.


Prior to his time at Holy Cross, Graham spent two seasons as an assistant men's soccer coach at Stanford from 2014-2015. He helped the Cardinal win the national championship in 2015, after the team advanced to the NCAA Tournament second round in 2014. Stanford also won back-to-back Pacific-12 Conference titles during his time on the staff.


Before heading to Stanford, Graham was an assistant men's soccer coach at Northeastern from 2012-2014, working with the goalkeepers in addition to assisting with recruiting and scouting opponents. He helped the Huskies to their first-ever Colonial Athletic Association title and an NCAA Tournament second round appearance in 2012.


From 2009-2011, Graham built the men's and women's soccer programs at Marymount (Calif.) College – the school's first varsity teams – from the ground up as they transitioned to fully accredited NAIA programs. In three seasons, he led the Mariners to 31 combined wins and matched a men's program-best with eight wins in 2010. Under Graham, three Mariners earned all-conference status and two were named NAIA Scholar-Athletes.


Prior to his time at Marymount, Graham was an assistant men's soccer coach at Cal State Bakersfield for two seasons from 2007-2008, assisting in the Roadrunners' transition from Division II to Division I. He also served as a graduate assistant at the University of Incarnate Word in San Antonio, Texas, from 2005-2006, helping the Cardinals to two NCAA Division II tournaments.


Originally from Newcastle-Upon-Tyne, England, Graham received his bachelor of laws and juris doctor degrees from the University of Sheffield (England) in 1996 and 1998, respectively. He played semi-professionally in the United Kingdom before coming to the United States to pursue coaching at the high school and club level in 2000. Graham won a high school state championship in Maine in 2002 and was named the NSCAA Coach of the Year in the state. He went on to receive a master's degree in teaching in curriculum and instruction from Cal State Bakersfield in 2009, and is pursuing his doctorate degree at the United States Sports Academy


Graham holds a USSF A license, a USSF National Goalkeeping License and an NSCAA Premier Diploma.

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Chris Wasilewski

Wasilewski is entering his second year on the women's soccer coaching staff at the College of the Holy Cross in 2023, after joining the Crusaders as an assistant coach in 2022.


During the 2022 season he helped the Crusaders post Patriot League victories over Lafayette and Navy.


Before his time at Holy Cross, Wasilewski spent three years at the professional level as a video analyst with the New England Revolution (MLS) and New England Revolution II (USL1). He previously spent three seasons as the director of performance analysis at Providence College, his alma mater.


A two-time graduate of Providence with a bachelor's degree in marketing and a master's degree in management, Wasilewski has served as a staff coach with Bayside FC since 2017 and currently holds a United States Soccer Federation "D" license.

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Ricky Newton

Ricky Newton arrives on the Hill after spending the last four years as an assistant women's soccer coach at the University of Massachusetts. Newton coached two All-Atlantic 10 players, the Atlantic 10 Offensive Player of the Year and an Atlantic 10 Rookie of the Year.


Newton has had several stops since his playing days. Prior to UMass, he made his way around the globe to six different countries and three continents to work with female athletes both on the field and in the weight room. He has 15 years of coaching experience under this belt and a background in strength and conditioning as well as injury rehabilitation


A 2010 graduate of the University of Gloucestershire with a bachelor's degree in sports education, Newton was a standout player, captain and coach who helped lead his team to a national championship in his senior season.

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Cat Klein

Cat Klein joins the Crusaders after spending the 2022 season as the goalkeepers coach at the Wentworth Institute of Technology. She was also the goalkeepers coach at Weston High School from 2021-2022, helping the team to a Dual County League small conference title.


A 2019 graduate of Stonehill College, Klein played on the Skyhawks' women's soccer team for four years as a goalkeeper. She captained the squad and helped the team win the Northeast-10 championship in 2016. Klein received the Stonehill College Athletic Director's Award in 2019 following her senior season.

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Marco Koolman

Marco Koolman is currently in his 12th season as the head men’s soccer coach at Holy Cross in 2023. The 11th head coach in the history of the Crusader men’s soccer program, Koolman has coached 22 All-Patriot League selections during his time on Mount St. James, while leading his squad to four Patriot League Tournament appearances. He owns a career record of 259-174-57 in 26 seasons as a collegiate head coach, with a career winning percentage of .587.


During the 2021 campaign, Koolman’s team finished in third place in the Patriot League with a 5-3-1 mark in conference play and qualified for the Patriot League Tournament. Holy Cross finished the season with an overall record of 8-8-3 and had three student-athletes named All-Patriot League, with Evan Jones taking home both Patriot League and ECAC Rookie of the Year honors.


In the spring of 2021, Koolman guided Holy Cross to a second-place finish in the Patriot League North Division and a trip to the Patriot League Tournament semifinals. The Crusaders had four selections to the All-Patriot League teams, their most in a single season since 2013, while placing two players on the CoSIDA Academic All-District team.


In the 2017 season, Koolman led Holy Cross to an appearance in the championship game of the Patriot League Tournament. The Crusaders finished fifth in the Patriot League regular season standings, before knocking off Lehigh and Boston University in the postseason. Koolman’s squad posted seven shutouts on the year, including a stretch of 430 straight shutout minutes late in the season. Holy Cross also placed three players on the All-Patriot League teams, while Arno Rupp was selected as the Patriot League Scholar-Athlete of the Year.


During the 2013 campaign, Koolman’s squad went 9-9-2 overall and 6-3-0 in the conference, while advancing to the Patriot League championship game. The Crusaders’ nine overall wins were their most since 2008, while their six Patriot League victories tied for the most in program history. Holy Cross also had four players earn All-Patriot League honors.


Prior to his time at Holy Cross, Koolman served as the head coach and director of soccer at the Spire Institute in Geneva, Ohio, from July of 2011 to March of 2012. He was previously on the staff at Boston College for two years, during the 2009 and 2010 seasons. Koolman helped the Eagles to an overall record of 10-5-5 and a trip the NCAA Tournament as associate head coach in 2010, while Boston College went 14-9-0 and made the third round of the NCAA Tournament in 2009 when he was an assistant coach.


From 2000-2008, Koolman spent nine seasons as the head coach at Franklin Pierce University, with the Ravens winning the NCAA Division II national championship in 2007. Franklin Pierce went 127-46-22 overall and 86-21-10 in the Northeast-10 Conference during Koolman’s tenure, making six consecutive appearances in the NCAA Tournament from 2003-2008. In addition to winning the national championship in 2007, the Ravens were the national runner-up in 2005 and advanced to the national quarterfinals in 2004.


Koolman also led his Franklin Pierce teams to three straight Northeast-10 regular season titles from 2005-2007, and the Northeast-10 tournament championship in 2006. He was named National Coach of the Year by the National Soccer Coaches Association of America in 2007, in addition to being honored as the NSCAA New England Coach of the Year three times (2004, 2006 and 2007).


Prior to his time at Franklin Pierce, Koolman was the head coach at Gannon University from 1991-1996. He led the Golden Knights to an overall record of 74-29-6 during his six-year tenure, with the team advancing to the NCAA Division II national semifinals in 1993. Koolman also earned NSCAA National Coach of the Year honors in 1993.


A native of the Netherlands, Koolman earned his bachelor’s degree in business administration from Gannon in 1991, then went on to receive a master’s degree in health services administration from Gannon in 2001. He was a four-year letterwinner for the Golden Knights from 1987-1990, and ranked fifth in NCAA Division II history at the time of his graduation with 44 career assists.

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Chris Payne

Chris Payne is in his second season as an assistant men’s soccer coach at the College of the Holy Cross in 2022. He is heavily involved with all facets of the program, including skill instruction, game preparation and recruiting.


Prior to joining the Crusaders, Payne served as the head men’s soccer coach at Assumption University (2018-2020) and Hiram College (2021). During his time at Assumption, he led the Greyhounds to a 21-15-2 overall record while coaching nine All Northeast-10 Conference selections and four All-East Region honorees. In 2019, Assumption went 13-8-0 overall while winning its first-ever Northeast-10 Conference title and advancing to the NCAA Tournament where it defeated West Chester in the opening round. The Greyhounds also tied the school single-season record for victories, while posting a program-record six game winning streak.


In addition to his collegiate coaching experience, Payne spent several years as the director of coaching for the Boston Bolts from 2021-2021. He coached the Boys Elite Clubs National League and United States Soccer Federation Academy teams, in addition to serving as the administrator for the Bolts’ United States Soccer Leagues Second Division team.


Prior to joining the Bolts, Payne was the technical director and director of coaching at Western United FC in Springfield, Mass., from 2010-2012. He served as the head coach of men’s and women’s Super-20 teams while overseeing the staffing, training and scheduling for all boys’ and girls’ teams from under-10 to under-18.


Previously, Payne served as the technical director for the Dallas Texans in Midland, Texas, from 2008-2010. He was also the technical director at West Texas United Soccer Club in Midland, Texas, from 2005-2008.


From 2001-2003, Payne served as the head men’s soccer coach at the University of New Haven. He led the Chargers to an overall record of 19-35-1 during that time, including a 9-9-0 mark in the New York Collegiate Athletic Conference.


Payne began his collegiate coaching career as an assistant at Southern Connecticut State University from 1995-2000. During his time with the Owls, he helped the team win three NCAA Division II national championships in 1995, 1998 and 1999, including a perfect 20-0-0 season in 1999. Southern Connecticut also reached the national semifinals during the 1996 and 1997 seasons, while posting an overall record of 114-9-7 during Payne’s time on the staff.


A 1996 graduate of Southern Connecticut with a bachelor’s degree in recreation and leisure studies, Payne was a standout player for the Owls, notching 23 goals over his four-year career and helping the program to two NCAA Division II national championships and three national championship game appearances.


A member of the United States Soccer Coaches Association, Payne holds United States Soccer Federation B and C Licenses, as well as a National Soccer Coaches Association of America Director of Coaching Diploma.

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Gerard Miniaci

Gerard Miniaci is in his first season as an assistant men's soccer coach at the College of the Holy Cross in 2023. He is heavily involved with all facets of the program, including skill instruction, game preparation and recruiting.


Miniaci joined the Crusaders after spending the 2022 season as an assistant coach at James Madison University. He helped the Dukes to an overall record of 8-8-4 and a 2-3-3 mark in the Sun Belt Conference. James Madison also advanced to the Sun Belt Tournament championship game after posting a victory over No. 5-ranked Marshall in the quarterfinals.


Prior to his time at James Madison, Miniaci was on the staff at the Virginia Military Institute for two years. He served as the Keydets' interim head coach in the spring of 2022, following two seasons as an assistant coach in 2020 and 2021.


Miniaci was previously the interim head coach at New England College during the 2019 campaign, leading the Pilgrims to a second-place finish in the New England Collegiate Conference. He was also an assistant coach at New England College in 2018, an assistant coach at VMI in 2017, and the head coach at Broadway High School in 2015 and 2016.


A native of Sterling, Va., Miniaci earned his bachelor's degree in health and exercise science from Bridgewater (Va.) College in 2013 and his master's degree in sports and recreation management from New England College in 2020. A three-year letterwinner on the men's soccer team during his time at Bridgewater, he holds a United States Soccer Federation E coaching license.

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