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Ian Hennessy named new UD men’s soccer coach
Hennessy, 39, replaces Marc Samonisky, who announced his retirement in November. He becomes the 11th head coach in UD mens soccer history, which dates back to 1926, and only the third since 1963. “We are extremely pleased to welcome Ian to the University of Delaware as our new men’s soccer head coach,” UD Director of Athletics Edgar Johnson said in announcing the hiring. “He has been successful not only as a player but as an assistant coach at the NCAA Division I level, and we are confident he will use his great passion and enthusiasm for the game to help bring a winning program here to Delaware. We were impressed with how well-respected he is by his peers and players, not only regionally but nationally. We are fortunate to have him here.” A native of Cork, Ireland, Hennessy earned his bachelor’s degree from Seton Hall University in 1990 and earned his doctorate in molecular biology from Columbia University in 2001. Hennessy began his collegiate coaching career as an assistant at Rutgers University in 2001, helping guide the Scarlet Knights to 15-7-3 record, a No. 9 national ranking, a No. 1 ranking in the Mid-Atlantic region and a berth in the NCAA championship tournament round of 16. He then moved on to Boston College where he has served as an assistant to head coach Ed Kelly for four seasons. During his time at Boston College, the Eagles have posted a combined record of 42-26-8, won the 2002 Big East Conference championship, advanced to the NCAA final eight in 2002 and to the final 16 in 2004. Also, Hennessy has coached the New Jersey Imperials in the Premier Developmental League and was an assistant for the New Jersey Stallions in the United Soccer League. He coached at the Player Development Academy in New Jersey before moving to Boston and has served as the Olympic Development Program (ODP) head coach for the states of New Jersey and Massachusetts. He currently works as a Region I ODP Evaluator and also holds a U.S. Soccer Federation A-level coaching license. As a player, Hennessy excelled at both the collegiate and professional level. A former Republic of Ireland youth international, Hennessy led Seton Hall to three Big East titles. He was named the Big East tournament’s outstanding player in both 1986 and 1987 and earned a spot on the National Soccer Coaches Association All-American team in 1987. He completed his career at Seton Hall as one of the university’s all-time great players and still ranks among the all-time leaders in goals (No. 2 with 52) and assists (No. 4 with 30). He will be inducted into the Seton Hall Athletics Hall of Fame on Feb. 9. Hennessy began a 12-year professional playing career with the Boston Bolts of the American Pro Soccer League in 1990-91, played with the United States Indoor Soccer League’s New York Fever (1993-94) and New Jersey Stallions (1995-96), was a member of the Major League Soccer’s New York MetroStars in 1996-97 and played for the Connecticut Wolves of the A-League in 1997-98. He also played for the Reading Rage of the United Soccer League. |
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