Newberry College

Newberry College Athletics
2100 College St Newberry, SC 29108

Division 2 South Carolina Southeast

Private Small Competitive team

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Coaches

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Justin Cook

Newberry men's soccer coach Bryce Cooper announced the hiring of Justin Cook as Associate Head Coach for the Wolves in July of 2021.

Cook is entering his second season as a part of the Newberry coaching staff. He was named interim head coach after the 2022 season with the resignation of head coach Bryce Cooper and promoted to head coach in the spring of 2022.

In his first season as Head Coach, Cook finished his first season with a 4-8-3 record, going 2-6-3 in conference play, but improving on the previous season's record of 3-13. Under his tutelage, the Wolves also saw an improvement in defensive production as goals allowed (21), opponent shots (235), and shots on goal percentage (.455) all improved from the previous season's totals (43 goals allowed, 287 opponent shots, and .491 shots on goal percentage in 2021).

Cook comes to Newberry from the University of South Carolina, where he has served as an assistant coach since 2017. He has been an integral part of the coaching staff on the field, and the recruiting trail, with the Gamecocks winning 28 games in his time in the program.

Before South Carolina, Cook served as an assistant coach and recruiting coordinator at Tulsa for ten seasons. During his time in Tulsa, the Golden Hurricane made eight NCAA Tournament appearances, three American Athletic Conference Tournament Championships, four Conference-USA Tournament Championships, and three C-USA Regular Season Championships. Tulsa advanced to the second round four times in their eight NCAA appearances, the third round once and the NCAA Quarterfinals once.

Justin also had a highly decorated playing career. He was named Big Ten Freshman of the Year in 2000 and the Big Ten Player of the Year in 2004. Cook was selected 51st overall in the 2005 Major League Soccer Super Draft, and in 2015 he was inducted into the Ohio State University Athletics Hall of Fame.

"I am thrilled that Justin and his family are joining the Newberry family, Cooper said. "He has worked in some top Division I programs and environments across the country and will bring instant credibility and professionalism to our staff and program. He has a strong, extensive, and proven recruiting background with contacts domestically and internationally that will help us continue to identify and target elite players that can help bring us success on and off the field. Justin has been in this profession for a long time and understands what it takes to help build a successful program. He will have a hand in all facets of our program, and I'm excited to work with him and look forward to getting started."

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Zach Watson

Zach Watson was hired as an assistant men's soccer coach in January 2021 and enters his second season with the Wolves. In his second season as assistant coach, the Wolves would make strides in the program, improving on their record from the previous season.

Zach also heads the developmental team for Men's Soccer, going 4-4-2 in their 2022 season.

Originally from Bridgewater, Mass., Watson was an assistant coach at Curry College in Boston for the past two years. There, he worked with the goalkeepers, who led the conference in saves in 2019. He also assisted in all aspects of the program. While at Curry, Watson also coached teams with Steel United and ran the goalkeeper program for the Boston region. In addition, he has worked with the New England Revolution of MLS as an academy staff coach.

"I'm thrilled to join the Newberry family!" Watson commented. "Having played in the SAC, I'm familiar with the schools and their high level of play. The program has grown tremendously over the years, and I am excited to be a part of it and help continue the growth."

Watson played collegiately as a goalkeeper at Sacred Heart University from 2014-17 and at nearby Coker in 2018. He graduated with a bachelor's degree in Criminal Justice in 2018 and a master's degree in College Athletic Administration in 2019. He currently holds his USSF C License, a USC Advanced National Diploma, UEFA C License, and a Level 1 GK diploma. He is also a Regional level referee and has done numerous high level events including the UPSL National Quarterfinal in 2019.