College of the Holy Cross

College of the Holy Cross Dept of Athletics
1 College Street Worcester, MA 01610

Division 1 Massachusetts Northeast

Private Small National competitor

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Coaches

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Marco Koolman

Marco Koolman is currently in his 12th season as the head men’s soccer coach at Holy Cross in 2023. The 11th head coach in the history of the Crusader men’s soccer program, Koolman has coached 22 All-Patriot League selections during his time on Mount St. James, while leading his squad to four Patriot League Tournament appearances. He owns a career record of 259-174-57 in 26 seasons as a collegiate head coach, with a career winning percentage of .587.

During the 2021 campaign, Koolman’s team finished in third place in the Patriot League with a 5-3-1 mark in conference play and qualified for the Patriot League Tournament. Holy Cross finished the season with an overall record of 8-8-3 and had three student-athletes named All-Patriot League, with Evan Jones taking home both Patriot League and ECAC Rookie of the Year honors.

In the spring of 2021, Koolman guided Holy Cross to a second-place finish in the Patriot League North Division and a trip to the Patriot League Tournament semifinals. The Crusaders had four selections to the All-Patriot League teams, their most in a single season since 2013, while placing two players on the CoSIDA Academic All-District team.

In the 2017 season, Koolman led Holy Cross to an appearance in the championship game of the Patriot League Tournament. The Crusaders finished fifth in the Patriot League regular season standings, before knocking off Lehigh and Boston University in the postseason. Koolman’s squad posted seven shutouts on the year, including a stretch of 430 straight shutout minutes late in the season. Holy Cross also placed three players on the All-Patriot League teams, while Arno Rupp was selected as the Patriot League Scholar-Athlete of the Year.

During the 2013 campaign, Koolman’s squad went 9-9-2 overall and 6-3-0 in the conference, while advancing to the Patriot League championship game. The Crusaders’ nine overall wins were their most since 2008, while their six Patriot League victories tied for the most in program history. Holy Cross also had four players earn All-Patriot League honors.

Prior to his time at Holy Cross, Koolman served as the head coach and director of soccer at the Spire Institute in Geneva, Ohio, from July of 2011 to March of 2012. He was previously on the staff at Boston College for two years, during the 2009 and 2010 seasons. Koolman helped the Eagles to an overall record of 10-5-5 and a trip the NCAA Tournament as associate head coach in 2010, while Boston College went 14-9-0 and made the third round of the NCAA Tournament in 2009 when he was an assistant coach.

From 2000-2008, Koolman spent nine seasons as the head coach at Franklin Pierce University, with the Ravens winning the NCAA Division II national championship in 2007. Franklin Pierce went 127-46-22 overall and 86-21-10 in the Northeast-10 Conference during Koolman’s tenure, making six consecutive appearances in the NCAA Tournament from 2003-2008. In addition to winning the national championship in 2007, the Ravens were the national runner-up in 2005 and advanced to the national quarterfinals in 2004.

Koolman also led his Franklin Pierce teams to three straight Northeast-10 regular season titles from 2005-2007, and the Northeast-10 tournament championship in 2006. He was named National Coach of the Year by the National Soccer Coaches Association of America in 2007, in addition to being honored as the NSCAA New England Coach of the Year three times (2004, 2006 and 2007).

Prior to his time at Franklin Pierce, Koolman was the head coach at Gannon University from 1991-1996. He led the Golden Knights to an overall record of 74-29-6 during his six-year tenure, with the team advancing to the NCAA Division II national semifinals in 1993. Koolman also earned NSCAA National Coach of the Year honors in 1993.

A native of the Netherlands, Koolman earned his bachelor’s degree in business administration from Gannon in 1991, then went on to receive a master’s degree in health services administration from Gannon in 2001. He was a four-year letterwinner for the Golden Knights from 1987-1990, and ranked fifth in NCAA Division II history at the time of his graduation with 44 career assists.

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Chris Payne

Chris Payne is in his second season as an assistant men’s soccer coach at the College of the Holy Cross in 2022. He is heavily involved with all facets of the program, including skill instruction, game preparation and recruiting.

Prior to joining the Crusaders, Payne served as the head men’s soccer coach at Assumption University (2018-2020) and Hiram College (2021). During his time at Assumption, he led the Greyhounds to a 21-15-2 overall record while coaching nine All Northeast-10 Conference selections and four All-East Region honorees. In 2019, Assumption went 13-8-0 overall while winning its first-ever Northeast-10 Conference title and advancing to the NCAA Tournament where it defeated West Chester in the opening round. The Greyhounds also tied the school single-season record for victories, while posting a program-record six game winning streak.

In addition to his collegiate coaching experience, Payne spent several years as the director of coaching for the Boston Bolts from 2021-2021. He coached the Boys Elite Clubs National League and United States Soccer Federation Academy teams, in addition to serving as the administrator for the Bolts’ United States Soccer Leagues Second Division team.

Prior to joining the Bolts, Payne was the technical director and director of coaching at Western United FC in Springfield, Mass., from 2010-2012. He served as the head coach of men’s and women’s Super-20 teams while overseeing the staffing, training and scheduling for all boys’ and girls’ teams from under-10 to under-18.

Previously, Payne served as the technical director for the Dallas Texans in Midland, Texas, from 2008-2010. He was also the technical director at West Texas United Soccer Club in Midland, Texas, from 2005-2008.

From 2001-2003, Payne served as the head men’s soccer coach at the University of New Haven. He led the Chargers to an overall record of 19-35-1 during that time, including a 9-9-0 mark in the New York Collegiate Athletic Conference.

Payne began his collegiate coaching career as an assistant at Southern Connecticut State University from 1995-2000. During his time with the Owls, he helped the team win three NCAA Division II national championships in 1995, 1998 and 1999, including a perfect 20-0-0 season in 1999. Southern Connecticut also reached the national semifinals during the 1996 and 1997 seasons, while posting an overall record of 114-9-7 during Payne’s time on the staff.

A 1996 graduate of Southern Connecticut with a bachelor’s degree in recreation and leisure studies, Payne was a standout player for the Owls, notching 23 goals over his four-year career and helping the program to two NCAA Division II national championships and three national championship game appearances.

A member of the United States Soccer Coaches Association, Payne holds United States Soccer Federation B and C Licenses, as well as a National Soccer Coaches Association of America Director of Coaching Diploma.

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Gerard Miniaci

Gerard Miniaci is in his first season as an assistant men's soccer coach at the College of the Holy Cross in 2023. He is heavily involved with all facets of the program, including skill instruction, game preparation and recruiting.

Miniaci joined the Crusaders after spending the 2022 season as an assistant coach at James Madison University. He helped the Dukes to an overall record of 8-8-4 and a 2-3-3 mark in the Sun Belt Conference. James Madison also advanced to the Sun Belt Tournament championship game after posting a victory over No. 5-ranked Marshall in the quarterfinals.

Prior to his time at James Madison, Miniaci was on the staff at the Virginia Military Institute for two years. He served as the Keydets' interim head coach in the spring of 2022, following two seasons as an assistant coach in 2020 and 2021.

Miniaci was previously the interim head coach at New England College during the 2019 campaign, leading the Pilgrims to a second-place finish in the New England Collegiate Conference. He was also an assistant coach at New England College in 2018, an assistant coach at VMI in 2017, and the head coach at Broadway High School in 2015 and 2016.

A native of Sterling, Va., Miniaci earned his bachelor's degree in health and exercise science from Bridgewater (Va.) College in 2013 and his master's degree in sports and recreation management from New England College in 2020. A three-year letterwinner on the men's soccer team during his time at Bridgewater, he holds a United States Soccer Federation E coaching license.