New Jersey City University Athletics

 
James ‘Michael’ Coughlin begins his third season as an assistant men’s soccer coach at NJCU, focusing on training the Gothic Knight goalkeepers for head coach Patrick Snyder.
 
In his first season in Fall 2012, Coughlin mentored Sheldon Parkinson, an Honorable Mention All-New Jersey Athletic Conference selection, who became the first NJCU men’s soccer player since 2008 to sign a professional contract when he turned pro after his junior season, joining Phoenix FC of the United Soccer League (USL)—the second highest division of professional soccer in the country. In 2013, he also coached an NJAC Defensive Player of the Week selection (Ruben Morales).
 
Coughlin, himself an accomplished player, is the current Director of Goalkeeping for the New Jersey Cedar Stars Academy (NJCSA). He came to NJCU from the New Jersey Olympic Development Program (ODP), where he has served as an assistant coach and a goalkeeper coach since 2012.
 
Prior to ODP, he was the general manager and head coach of the New York Athletic Club of the National Premier Soccer League (NPSL) in its inaugural season in 2008. The club advanced to the national quarterfinals—its only post-season appearance in its history. He also coached in the New York Cosmopolitan League.
 
Coughlin began his coaching career at his high school alma mater, The Pingry School (Bernards, NJ), as an assistant coach/goalkeepers from 1995-99, before returning for a second stint in 2011, where he continues to coach. He helped guide Pingry to multiple state and county championships and the program was nationally ranked in 1995, 1996 and 2011.
 
Coughlin played three seasons professionally in the USL, primarily for the New York Stallions and North Jersey Imperials.
 
A 1995 graduate of the University of Vermont with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science and Small Business, he played goalkeeper for five seasons for the Catamounts from 1990 and 1992-94 for Coach Rob McEachen.
 
Coughlin recorded one of the lowest goals against averages in school history as a rookie starter in 1990, helping lead Vermont to the NAC championship and an appearance in the NCAA Division I Tournament—despite playing most of the season with a broken wrist. He earned NAC Rookie of the Week honors during the 1990 campaign. He redshirted during the 1991 season while recovering from wrist surgery.
 
A 1990 graduate of The Pingry School, he was a four-year, three-sport athlete in soccer, ice hockey and lacrosse for the Big Blue. In soccer, he played four seasons (1986-89), including three years of varsity for Coach Miller Bugliari. As a sophomore, Pingry captured the 1987 Prep A state championship and the 1988 Somerset County title with Coughlin in net and his club reached the state playoffs and Somerset finals in three consecutive seasons (1987, 1988 and 1989). Coughlin collected All-County and All-State soccer accolades as a junior and senior in 1988 and 1989 and was co-captain as a senior.
 
Also at Pingry, he played four years of ice hockey (three varsity) for Coach Brian La Fontaine and four years of lacrosse (two varsity) for Coach Mike Webster. He served as an ice hockey co-captain as a junior (1988-89) and senior (1989-90).
 
Outside of soccer, Coughlin has enjoyed a diverse professional business career. After college, he ran an athletic sales group, selling apparel to major retailers, including Macy’s, while continuing to coach (high school) and play professional soccer. Later, he joined Lehman Brothers in New York where he worked 10 years in institutional sales and business development in the financial world. Most recently, he has been employed by Sotheby’s International Realty for nearly three years and also owns an internet company.
 
Coughlin, 42, resides in Union City, NJ with his wife, Ashley, and infant daughter, Catherine.