Fink brings three years of Northeast-10 experience to Rindge

RINDGE, N.H. (February 3, 2015) – Franklin Pierce University Director of Athletics Bruce Kirsh has announced that Roy Fink has been named the 10th head coach of the University's men's soccer program. Fink comes to Franklin Pierce after seven years coaching college soccer in New England, including the previous three as a head coach elsewhere in the Northeast-10 Conference.

"I am very excited to join the Franklin Pierce soccer family," Fink said. "In addition, I am very thankful for Mr. Kirsh giving me the opportunity to lead the program back to the regional and national stage."

Rindge will be the second head-coaching stop for Fink, who spent three seasons as the head coach at fellow Northeast-10 member New Haven, from 2012 through 2014. Inheriting a team which had not been above .500 since early in the 2003 campaign, Fink won three of his first four games with the Chargers as part of a 6-9-2 inaugural campaign. His first season in West Haven was highlighted by a 2-1 overtime win on the road against then-No. 15 nationally ranked Southern New Hampshire, which marked New Haven's first win against a nationally ranked opponent since 2008.

Over three seasons just outside the Elm City, Fink posted a 10-38-3 record, including 6-31-2 in Northeast-10 play. He fielded an exceptionally young team in both the 2013 and 2014 campaigns, as he brought his own recruits into the fold at New Haven. His 2014 Chargers roster featured just three seniors and five juniors, as opposed to eight sophomore and six freshmen. The 2013 squad had been even younger, featuring 10 freshmen and five sophomores, compared to just four juniors and two seniors.

Prior to his time in blue and gold, Fink spent four seasons as an assistant coach at Division I University of Massachusetts, where he was in charge of coordinating travel and monitoring the academic progress of the program's student-athletes. During the 2008 season, the Minutemen earned a berth in the NCAA Championship after finishing as the runner-up in the Atlantic 10 Conference.

"We are very pleased to welcome Roy Fink to the Franklin Pierce family," Kirsh said. "He brings with him a familiarity with the Northeast-10 and a background as a Division II student-athlete which can only be beneficial to our current student-athletes. We look forward to Roy leading our men's soccer program's return to lofty heights."

Fink was a standout Division II student-athlete at the University of Tampa, where he was the team's leading scorer (18-2-38) as a sophomore, during the program's 2001 national championship season, en route to NSCAA National Player of the Year, All-America First Team and both Sunshine State Conference Player of the Year and Offensive Player of the Year honors. During his time in The Big Guava, Fink was a two-time All-American, a four-time NSCAA All-Region selection, a four-time All-Sunshine State Conference selection and the league's Freshman of the Year in 2000.

After his time with the Spartans, Fink spent three seasons in the USL Premier Development League -- the top amateur soccer league in the country -- with the Boulder Rapids and the Cape Cod Crusaders. Fink has international experience as well, as he has played for Israel's U18 and U16 national teams.

Fink is a two-time graduate of Tampa, earning his bachelor's degree in fine arts in 2003 and his master's degree in business administration in 2006, after beginning his collegiate coaching career as a graduate assistant with his alma mater. He will officially join the staff at Franklin Pierce in March and will embark on his debut season with the crimson and grey this fall.

For more information on Franklin Pierce Athletics, please visit the official website of Franklin Pierce Athletics (http://athletics.franklinpierce.edu). Also be sure to follow the Ravens through the Department of Athletics' official Facebook page (http://www.facebook.com/FranklinPierceRavens), its YouTube channel (http://www.youtube.com/franklinpiercesports) and its Twitter feed (http://twitter.com/FPUathletics). Fans wishing to purchase Franklin Pierce men's soccer apparel can do so at the Department of Athletics' brand new online store (http://athletics.franklinpierce.edu/store).