The 2006 season marks Joe Behan’s 11th year as head coach of the New York University men's soccer team. His squad finished last season with an overall record of 11-7-1, a 3-4 mark in the University Athletic Association (UAA), and a berth in the Eastern College Athletic Conference (ECAC) Metro Championship Tournament.
Last season also marked the Violets’ first appearance on the NSCAA/Adidas (National Soccer Coaches’ Association of America) Division III Poll. They debuted at #24 on September 13 and climbed as high as #8 in the nation on September 27. In addition, the team’s 11 victories were the most they’ve accumulated in a season since 2002.
Several of Behan’s student-athletes were cited for their outstanding individual performances during the 2005 season. Junior Nick Katsanos, sophomore Jeritt Thayer and freshman Chris Wright were named Second Team All-UAA, while sophomore Nicholas Palmer was Honorable Mention All-UAA. Thayer was also selected to the NSCAA/Adidas All-Metro Second Team, while Katsanos was a Third Team honoree.
Behan’s players were also honored for their work in the classroom, as eight Violets earned UAA Fall Sport All-Academic accolades.
In 2003, the Violets posted an overall record of 9-6-4 and advanced to the ECAC Metro Tournament for the third consecutive season. In 2002, Behan led the team to an 11-7-2 record, while his 2001 squad recorded a best-ever 14 wins and captured the program’s first-ever ECAC Division III Metro Championship.
When Behan was hired as head coach prior to the 1996 season, the team had placed seventh three times and no higher than fifth in UAA competition during the seven prior seasons. Behan’s teams have now posted winning records in four of the past five seasons.
"We have achieved our goal to instill a winning tradition at NYU,” Behan said. “Now we must focus on moving up in the UAA."
In 1999, Behan and his assistants earned UAA Coaching Staff of the Year honors as his young squad began to re-establish a serious soccer program at NYU. For the first time since 1988, the Violets finished with a winning record (11-6-2). They also tied the NYU record for most UAA points in a season (10) and earned a berth in the ECAC Metro Tournament.
A 1995 graduate of NYU’s College of Arts and Science with a bachelor's degree in English literature, Behan was a standout player for the Violets. As a striker, he was named First Team All-UAA in 1992 and 1993, and earned Honorable Mention accolades in 1994.
Aside from his career at NYU, Behan has extensive playing experience with several area club teams, including the New York Rovers and the New York Shamrocks.
A native of Dublin, Ireland, Behan currently lives in Mineola, NY, with his wife Missy.
BEHAN'S YEAR-BY-YEAR NUMBERS
| Year | W | L | T | UAA |
| 1996-97 |
3 |
13 |
0 |
0-7 |
| 1997-98 |
6 |
12 |
0 |
0-7 |
| 1998-99 |
7 |
11 |
0 |
3-4 |
| 1999-00e |
11 |
6 |
2 |
3-3-1 |
| 2000-01 |
7 |
8 |
3 |
3-3-1 |
| 2001-02E |
14 |
6 |
0 |
3-4 |
| 2002-03e |
11 |
7 |
2 |
2-4-1 |
| 2003-04e |
9 |
6 |
4 |
2-4-1 |
| 2004-05 |
7 |
9 |
2 |
1-5-1 |
| 2005-06e |
11 |
7 |
1 |
3-4 |
| Totals |
86 |
85 |
14 |
20-45-5 |
e ECAC Metro Tournament
E ECAC Metro Tournament Champions
