FARMINGTON —Blake Hart has been named the new head coach for the NCAA Division III men’s soccer program at the University of Maine at Farmington.
Hart has been serving as an assistant coach with the men’s team the past three years. During that time, he also has coached with Western Maine United U-18 and been on the staff of numerous soccer camps. He also assisted with the women’s basketball program at UMF.
“This truly is a dream job, and I am very excited to be the head coach of UMF Men’s Soccer,” Hart, a Mt. Blue graduate, said in a press release from the school. “Growing up in Farmington, I would always hear about the strong culture and success of UMF men’s soccer. Now I feel so fortunate to be able to lead the program and add to that. I am eager to get started in this new role, and build on the momentum.”
UMF Director of Athletics Julie Davis said Hart demonstrated his passion for the program’s future during the search process.
“Blake has been fortunate to work under the tutelage of some very good collegiate coaches, both here as an assistant and as a student-athlete at his alma mater,” Davis said in the press release. “They understand the game and the purpose of Division III intercollegiate athletics.
“Blake shared several positive takeaways from his experiences as an assistant that would be a great fit for our program moving forward.
Hart is a graduate of Castleton University in Vermont, where he earned his bachelor’s degree in sports administration complemented with a minor in business.
In addition to his studies, he excelled for four seasons on the Spartan team, appearing in 75 games with 42 starts and tallying 15 goals and six assists. There he demonstrated leadership on many fronts, interning with the director of athletics and serving as a member of the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC).
Hart’s volunteer experiences include coaching youth soccer and basketball while officiating youth soccer with the Farmington Recreation Department.
He has been engaged with Special Olympics in the Farmington area and as well as a student-athlete at Castleton. He intends to draw upon his experiences and local connections to engage the team in community service as well.
Hart replaces Nathan Kronewetter, who had a two-year run as a coach of the Beavers before deciding to return to NCAA Division I soccer coaching in Rhode Island.
Tony Blasi — 207-689-2830
tblasi@sunjournal.com
Twitter: @Goodfellows52
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