KANSAS CITY, Mo. – The Penn State men's soccer coaching staff was recognized as the North Region Staff of the Year as announced by United Soccer Coaches Tuesday.
Led by fourth-year head coach Jeff Cook, the staff of associate head coach Greg Dalby, assistant coach Clint Long and volunteer coach Callum Pritchatt led the Nittany Lions to their first Big Ten "double" in program history, taking home both the conference regular season and tournament trophies. It marked the first time Penn State won the regular season since 2013 and the first Big Ten Tournament crown since 2005.
The staff, which is also supported by director of operations Kate Deakins, performance enhancement coach Kristina Jeffries and athletic trainer Matt Armistead, guided Penn State to its third-straight NCAA Tournament appearance for the first time since 1993-95. It was also the Nittany Lions' second national seeding in three years under Cook's tutelage.
Cook was named the 2021 Big Ten Coach of the Year, his second career Coach of the Year honor as he was named the Conference USA Coach of the Year in 1997 while at the helm in Cincinnati.
Cook and his staff also coached sophomore Peter Mangione to the Big Ten Offensive Player of the Year award, the program's first since Connor Maloney in 2014. Mangione and redshirt senior defender Brandon Hackenberg were honored as All-Big Ten first-team recipients while midfielders Seth Kuhn, Andrew Privett and Pierre Reedy were all second-team members.
The Regional Staff of the Year recipients have been placed on the ballot for United Soccer Coaches National Staff of the Year consideration within their respective NCAA division.
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