Alma Mater: NYU '95
Season as Head Coach: 20th
Career Record: 174-145-35 (.541)
NCAA All-Americans: 2
NCAA Championship Appearances: 3 (2006 Final Four, 2007 First Round, 2010 First Round)
ECAC Championships: 2 (2001, 2012)
UAA Championships: 1 (2010)
Coach of the Year Honors: UAA (2; 1999, 2010)
***Interested Recruits should email Assistant Men's Soccer
Coach Ryan Finnigan at ref270@nyu.edu.
Hired as Head Coach in 1996, Joe Behan has led the New York University men’s soccer program to its first three appearances in the NCAA Division III Men’s Soccer Championship and to its first University Athletic Association (UAA) Championship.
Now in his 20
th year at NYU, Behan has been at the helm of the Violets’ resurgence on the men’s soccer pitch, leading the program to its loftiest heights ever and to a 174-145-35 (.541) overall record. He has guided NYU to 10 postseason appearances, including a berth in the NCAA Division III Final Four in 2006. It marked the program’s first-ever national tournament appearance since joining the Division III ranks in 1982.
Prior to Behan’s hiring in 1996, the Violets had placed seventh three times and no higher than fifth in UAA competition during the seven prior seasons.
Under Behan’s guidance, the Violets made return trips to the NCAA Tournament in 2007 and in 2010, when NYU won its first UAA Championship.
Last season, the Violets finished 11-7-1 overall and advanced to the semifinals of the Eastern College Athletic Conference (ECAC) Division III Metro/Upstate Championship. Three players earned Second Team All-UAA honors: senior Mickey Ingerman, freshman Malcolm Montilus and sophomore Peter Aasa, while two other players, sophomore Lucas Doucette and freshman Nicolas Notaro, were chosen Honorable Mention. Montilus was also named ECAC Metro Co-Rookie of the Year.
In 2013, NYU finished 6-8-3 overall and 4-2-2 at home. Four players earned All-UAA honors, including Aasa who received Second Team accolades. Juan Velez, Tim Goldman and Ingerman were tabbed Honorable Mention.
In 2012, Behan led NYU to its best start in program history (9-0) en route to ending the season as the ECAC Division III Metro Champions. The ECAC title was the second in school history, with the first coming in 2001. The Violets climbed as high as #6 in the NSCAA (National Soccer Coaches Association of America)/Continental Tire Division III national rankings en route to an overall 12-7-2 record.
Forward Kyle Green led the way throughout that season, He was named the ECAC Metro Tournament’s Most Outstanding Player, was selected First Team All-UAA and Third Team NSCAA All-East Region. Under Behan’s guidance, Green completed his decorated four-year career third in school history in points (75), fourth in goals (31), and fifth in both assists (13) and game-winning goals (7).
In 2010, NYU went 11-3-4 overall and 4-0-3 in the UAA to claim its first-ever Association Championship and earn an automatic bid to the NCAA Championship. The Violets won the title behind a stout defense: the squad became the first in UAA history to go all seven Association games without allowing a goal. The team broke school records for goals-against average (0.47) and consecutive shutout minutes (754:50), while tying the record for shutouts (12). For their efforts, Behan and his assistants received UAA Coaching Staff of the Year honors for the second time in his tenure at NYU.
NYU experienced similar success in 2006 and 2007. Midfielder Jeritt Thayer became a two-time All-American and graduated as the program’s all-time leading scorer (35 goals) before going on to join the New York Red Bulls’ practice squad. Defender Nick Katsanos (2003-06) was Behan’s first player to join the professional ranks, suiting up for Apok Velouchi of the D League – Group 4 in his native Greece.
In 2006, NYU earned its highest national ranking after advancing to the national semifinals, finishing #4 in the final NSCAA/Adidas Division III poll and setting team records for wins (15-4-4), longest winning streak (10) and longest unbeaten streak (12, 10-0-2). Thayer became the Violets’ first-ever UAA Player of the Year and was named to the NSCAA/Adidas Division III Men’s All-America Second Team and the d3kicks.com All-America Third Team.
For an encore, the 2007 squad went 13-5-1 and was ranked as high as #4 in the national poll before earning its second consecutive NCAA invitation.
Behan’s Violets officially arrived on the national scene when they made their debut in the national rankings at #24 on September 13, 2005. NYU climbed as high as #8 in the nation on September 27 while posting a shutout streak of 571:02. The Violets also earned their fifth ECAC Division III Metro Tournament postseason bid.
In 2001, NYU recorded a then-school record 14 victories and captured its first-ever ECAC Division III Metro Tournament title.
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 earned a berth in the ECAC Metro Tournament.
A 1995 graduate of NYU’s College of Arts and Science with a Bachelor of Arts 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 lives in New York with his wife Missy.
BEHAN'S YEAR-BY-YEAR NUMBERS
Year Overall UAA
1996 3-13 0-7
1997 6-12 0-7
1998 7-11 3-4
1999 11-6-2 3-3-1
ECAC Metro Tournament
2000 7-8-3 3-3-1
2001 14-6 3-4
ECAC Metro Tournament Champions
2002 11-7-2 2-4-1
ECAC Metro Tournament
2003 9-6-4 2-4-1
ECAC Metro Tournament
2004 7-9-2 1-5-1
2005 11-7-1 3-4
ECAC Metro Tournament
2006 15-4-4 4-2-1
NCAA Final Four
2007 13-5-1 4-3
NCAA First Round
2008 6-9-3 1-6
2009 7-8-2 2-3-2
2010 11-3-4 4-0-3
UAA Champions/NCAA First Round
2011 7-9-1 2-5
2012 12-7-2 2-4-1
ECAC Metro Tournament Champions
2013 6-8-3 0-6-1
2014 11-7-1 2-5
ECAC Metro TournamentTotal: 174-145-35 .541 41-79-13 .357
