NJAC to name award for former Stockton soccer coach Jeff Haines

The New Jersey Athletic Conference said Tuesday it will name its men’s soccer Coach of the Year award after former Stockton University coach Jeff Haines.

Haines was the Ospreys’ coach for 17 years. He led the Ospreys to an NCAA Division III championship, two NCAA Final Fours, an Elite Eight and two Sweet 16 appearances. Haines also guided the team to four conference titles, seven NCAA Tournament berths and three Eastern College Athletic Conference Metro Region titles, the last of which was in 2003.

Haines had a 262-99-34 record (.706 winning percentage) with Stockton, the Ospreys having won at least 11 games each season. He stopped coaching after becoming the associate director of athletics and recreation in January 2015.

“What a wonderful honor for Jeff and well-deserved recognition for an outstanding career,” Stockton AD Tony Berich said in a release. “Jeff’s record as a coach speaks for itself. However, his impact as a coach was far greater than just his accomplishments on the field.

“Off the field, he was a strong leader of young men who taught valuable lessons and instilled in them principles that have served them well in their personal and professional lives. He embodied what a coach should be and this award is a testament to his lasting legacy.”

Under Haines, the Ospreys won the NCAA Division III championship in 2001, setting an NCAA all-division record with 25 victories. He was named the National Soccer Coaches Association of America National Coach of the Year, the NSCAA Metro Region Coach of the Year and the NJAC Coach of the Year.

Haines is a member of the South Jersey Soccer Hall of Fame and the Pitman High School Sports Hall of Fame. He graduated from Lock Haven University in 1990. He was an assistant coach at Lock Haven, The College of New Jersey and Gloucester County College.

“I want to thank our athletic director, Tony Berich, for the nomination to the NJAC for this award. I also want to thank President (Harvey) Kesselman and Stockton University for giving me this opportunity to coach and be an administrator at Stockton University for over 25 years,” Haines said in the release.

“Finally, I want to thank NJAC Commissioner Terry Small and all the New Jersey Athletic Conference athletic directors and administrators for this recognition. I’m humbled, grateful, and very appreciative of this great honor from one of the best Division III conferences in the nation.”