PEORIA, Ill. – Nate Boyden, who starred collegiately at UC Santa Barbara and has played professionally around the world, has joined the Bradley Soccer coaching staff as an assistant, head coach Jim DeRose announced today.
“Nate epitomizes the academic and athletic excellence for which we strive at Bradley University,” said DeRose. “The success that Nate has enjoyed as a student, player and early on in his young coaching career is going to prove invaluable to our young team and we are looking forward to his continued coaching development.
“Having played at UCSB; professionally, both domestically and abroad; and most recently with perennial national PDL power the Michigan Bucks, Nate has had exposure to fantastic coaches and organizations which have provided him with experiences that will positively benefit our program at Bradley,” added DeRose. “His coaching and graduate work at the University of Michigan also have provided him interaction to student-athletes on a regular basis, which has allowed him to begin to hone is craft to meet his eventual long-term goal of becoming a head coach at the collegiate level.”
Boyden was a two-time All-Big West Conference selection, helping UC Santa Barbara to a national runner-up finish in 2004, as well as Big West titles in 2001, 2002 and 2004. The 2005 Big West Conference Men's Soccer Student-Athlete of the Year, Boyden graduated in 2006 with his bachelor's degree in psychology and a minor in sport management.
Boyden began his professional playing career in 2006 by joining the Seattle Sounders in the United Soccer Leagues. He also earned a spot on the reserve squad for Major League Soccer's Chivas USA in 2006, where he met former Bradley All-American Tim Regan. Boyden was the Sounders' 2007 Community Player of the Year and he took his game overseas in 2009, playing for Rostock FC, a semi-professional team in Rostock, Germany. He played for the Michigan Bucks this summer, helping the squad to the best regular-season record in the Premier Development League and was voted by his teammates and team management as the 14th recipient of the Paul R. Scicluna Michigan Bucks “Total Soccer” Player of the Year.
Boyden comes to Bradley from Michigan, where he was a volunteer assistant for the Wolverines' women's soccer team during the 2011 season while pursuing his master's degree in psychology with a concentration in cognition and cognitive neuroscience. He also has coached the Shoreline FC U-17 and U-17 age group teams from 2007-08 and was an assistant coach for the San Marcos Boys High School from 2005-06. His camp instructor experience includes four years at UC Santa Barbara (2002-05), as well as two years each with the Seattle Sounders (2006-07) and at Michigan (2009-10).
Boyden replaces Devin O'Neill, who has returned to his New England roots to be an assistant at Massachusetts. O'Neill had worked on the Bradley staff the last two seasons, helping the Braves to the 2010 Missouri Valley Conference Tournament title and consecutive appearances in the NCAA Tournament for the first time in program history.
“Having Devin with us at Bradley the past two seasons was both personally and professionally a phenomenal experience,” said DeRose. “Our friendship dates back to our college days, and his coaching acumen, recruiting and player development was in no small part responsible for back-to-back NCAA appearances and a MVC championship. While it is certainly tough to have him leave, I am both happy and excited for Devin and his wonderful family to have the opportunity to go back home to New England, closer to family and friends. Coach (Sam) Koch and the UMass program are synonymous with success and having Devin on the staff makes a great place that much better.”
Bradley will open its 26th NCAA Division I soccer season Aug. 24 when the Braves host in-state rival Eastern Illinois in a 6 p.m. kickoff at Shea Stadium. The Braves return 13 lettermen, including five starters, from its 2011 squad that finished 15-6-2 overall and reached the second round of the NCAA Tournament.
