JERSEY CITY, N.J. (NJCUGothicKnights.com) | Joe Cullen was a leader of one of the great dynasties in the history of New Jersey Athletic Conference soccer as a player, winning four consecutive NJAC championships at nearby Montclair State. Now, the former All-American will begin the task of rebuilding arguably his alma mater's biggest rival as the rookie head coach guides the 2016 New Jersey City University men's soccer team onto the pitch for the opening of the 58th season of intercollegiate action on September 1.
 
Cullen's Gothic Knights will play 19 games this season—12 in September and seven in October—with seven home, nine away and three neutral tournament contests.
 
To do so, NJCU will field a 28-man roster, including 10 returners. Most notable, seniors Davauni Brown (Newark, N.J./Newark Tech) and Kevin Cavalcanti (Teaneck, N.J./Paramus Catholic) return as starters in the midfield with fellow senior Juan Arango (Bergenfield, N.J./Bergenfield), and former All-NJAC back Gabriel Freitas (Kearny, N.J./Kearny) is back for his senior go-around.
 
2016 Men's Soccer Roster: http://njcugothicknights.com/roster.aspx?path=msoccer
 
In all, 18 newcomers will be given the opportunity to contribute immediately to turn around a program that suffered back-to-back one-win seasons in 2014 and 2015.
 
Cullen adds four new assistant coaches—all former Montclair State standouts who were prominent players in the region's most dominant program for more than a decade. Brendan Guzman, Michael Rudden, Dan Hernandez and Thomas Benack will work with Cullen and the large group of players in their bid to return the Gothic Knight soccer program to prominence.