Men's Soccer | 12/11/2024 2:15:00 PM
KANSAS CITY, Mo. - The Bloomsburg men's soccer team added to its list of accomplishments in 2024 with the coaching staff, led by head coach Mark Bassett, named the Division II Atlantic Region Staff of the Year.
The award highlights the unprecedented success of the Huskies men's soccer program under Bassett's leadership. In his fourth season at the helm, Bassett rewrote the history books, setting a single-season program record with 15 wins on the same day he guided Bloomsburg men's soccer to its first Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) Championship title in program history.
Bassett was assisted by graduate assistant coach Patrick Alvarez and volunteer assistant coach Liam Harmon.
The Huskies student-athletes additionally recorded a program-best seven All-PSAC East accolades, including a team record five first-team selections. The accolades delved further into the postseason with three D2CCA All-Atlantic Region honors, featuring first-team recognition for Patrick Walsh (Macungie, Pa./Emmaus) and Brady Rimple (Cherryville, Pa./Northampton Area), as well as the second D2CCA all-region recognition for Kody Besser (Lacey Township, N.J./Lacey Township). Bloomsburg added four United Soccer Coaches All-Atlantic Region selections, with Besser, Rimple and sophomore Owen Hollobaugh (State College, Pa./State College) making the first team and Walsh garnering second-team honors. The awards elevated to All-America status, with Walsh becoming the first Bloomsburg men's soccer player to place on a D2CCA All-America team and Walsh and Rimple receiving CSC Academic All-America honors.
In four seasons, Bassett has coached the Huskies to a 49-22-8 record, recording double-digit wins in each of the last three seasons for just the second time in program history. With a Bassett in his tenure, he has coached 23 All-PSAC East honorees, a PSAC East Freshman of the Year and Defensive Athlete of the Year, one two-time D2CCA All-Region performer, four United Soccer Coaches All-Region players and a D2CCA Third Team All-American. The fourth-year coach mentored two CSC Academic All-Americans and a PSAC Champion Scholar while being named the PSAC East Coach of the Year twice.
In those four seasons, the Huskies matched the previous program-wins record, set a new standard in single-season wins, captured the first PSAC title in team history, made back-to-back NCAA Tournament appearances for the first time in team history and won the first NCAA Tournament game in program history.
