Goodhines ready to rebuild Averett’s men’s soccer program

Averett University was in search of a coach to turn around its men’s soccer program. It found a match. Ed Goodhines, who has a history turning teams into winners, was named the Cougars’ new head coach on Friday.

“I just look forward to the challenge. Every program that I’ve had has been down here and I’ve gotten it up to here,” Goodhines said as he used his hands to show the level of improvement.

Goodhines will have his work cut out for him. Averett’s program is 58-154-6 since 1995 and hasn’t won a USA South Conference game since 2004.

“I’m accustomed to building something,” Goodhines said. “It’s going to take time, obviously. But I’m a diligent worker and a strong recruiter. I don’t leave any stone unturned.”

Goodhines started a women’s program at his alma mater, Division II Long Island University-Southampton, which he guided from 1983-1991. His only losing season was his first. He then coached the men’s team from 1992-2000 and led the Colonels to three New York Collegiate Athletic Conference titles from 1998-2000.

Since leaving LIU-Southampton, Goodhines has served as the director of athletics and the boys soccer coach at Fredericksburg Academy, a college prep school. There, he managed to turn that program around as well. He took the perennial losing boys soccer team to the state semifinals within three years.

Yet, Goodhines’ ability to turn a program around isn’t the only quality that made him a good fit for Averett.

“That was one of many things,” said Sam Ferguson, Averett’s director of athletics. “We knew that we needed someone who is committed to academics, committed to developing our student-athletes as people and we want to win, too.”

Goodhines’ 1999 squad had the highest team grade point average in the country among Division II schools.

Averett began its coaching search in early April after longtime coach Jim Gourlay resigned.

Rob Berkowitz, the women’s soccer coach at East Stroudsburg, told Goodhines about Averett’s job opening. Berkowitz, who played for Goodhines at LIU-Southhampton, was a graduate assistant at Averett from 1998-2000.

“Ever since I’ve been out of the college level, I’ve had the desire to get back in,” said Goodhines, who acknowledged that he had been seriously looking for a college coaching opportunity for about eight months.

“It seemed like a perfect fit,” he said of Averett.