Mike Eckberg, who recently served as an assistant coach at Division I Towson University, has been hired to become the sixth head women's soccer coach in program history at the State University of New York at New Paltz, announced on Thursday, Feb. 2 by the Department of Athletics, Wellness & Recreation. "What stood out with Mike was his vision, drive and work ethic for achieving goals," explained Director of Athletics [Stuart Robinson](https://nphawks.com/staff.aspxstaff=1). "Mike displayed the qualities that we were looking for when we began the search process, and while we had a very strong pool of candidates, Mike's passion and approach separated him from the others. I look forward to working with him as he begins his head coaching career at New Paltz." Under Eckberg's guidance, the Tigers saw their first-ever appearance in the Colonial Athletic Conference (CAA) Tournament in the 2014 where the Tigers went 3-0-2 in their final five matches and helped produce one National Soccer Coaches Association of America (NSCCA) Mid-Atlantic Region honoree and six CAA All-Conference players. Prior to his time at Towson, Eckberg spent the 2013-14 season as an assistant at Penn State where the Nittany Lions posted a 15-7-1 record, reaching the Big Ten Tournament Semifinals and the second round of the NCAA tournament. Eckberg assisted in the player development of one NSCAA All-American and five NSCAA All-Great Lakes Region selections. "I am honored and humbled to be the new head women's soccer coach at New Paltz," said Eckberg. "I would like to thank the search committee for their investment throughout this process and [Stuart Robinson](https://nphawks.com/staff.aspxstaff=1) for giving me this wonderful opportunity. Their level of professionalism and sincerity was very evident to me throughout my visit to New Paltz.   "I am incredibly excited to meet the student-athletes and begin working with them," continued Eckberg. "There is a solid foundation within the program that I think will cultivate the right environment to reach the next level in the SUNYAC. Their eagerness and positive energy is contagious and I can't wait to start." Before Penn State, Eckberg served as the recruiting coordinator in the 2013 offseason for Southwest Minnesota University. In the 2012 season Eckberg worked as an assistant at the University of Wisconsin-River Falls, helping the Falcons to a 9-8-3 record and a Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WIAC) Tournament semifinal appearance, a significant improvement from a 6-13 finish in 2011. The program also saw individual athletes earns multiple awards, including one NSCAA All-Region, four WIAC selections and one CoSIDA Academic All-American.  In addition to his collegiate experience Eckberg brings with him years of club experience, having worked with the Minnesota Olympic Development Program for two years and the Bloomington Youth Soccer Club for six. In 2013, his U13 boy's team qualified for the MYSA State Tournament and secured a spot within the six team state premier league. Eckberg graduated from Luther College (IA) in 2007 with a Bachelor of Arts degree in business management and Spanish. He is a member of the NSCAA and holds NSCAA National and Goalkeeping Level III diplomas and a USSF B License.