A native of Portland, Maine, Joel Bancroft enters his first season with the women’s soccer program as it makes its debut in NCAA Division I and the America East Conference.

Bancroft comes to UMass Lowell after serving last season as an assistant coach with a Penn State women’s squad which captured the Big Ten regular season championship – the Nittany Lions’ 15th straight regular season title – and reached the final of the NCAA Championship before losing to perennial power North Carolina 4-1.

The Nittany Lions posted a 21-4-2 overall record and a 10-0-1 lip in the Big Ten.

Bancroft was involved in all coaching facets at Penn State and also served as the coordinator of the team’s community service efforts and youth clinics, team banquet as well as strength and performance.