Staten Island, NY | The College of Staten Island has named Christopher Owen as its newest addition to Women’s Soccer, joining the program as an assistant coach. A former standout player, Owen brings well over a decade of coaching experience to the table and will join the team in time for the College’s move to the NCAA Division II ranks this fall.
“I’m very excited to have Chris joining the coaching staff,” said head coach Brittany Casares, who is entering her second season at the helm. “His experience and knowledge will help bring this program to another level. He will help me identify the type of player we are really looking for to be successful and we can’t wait to get started.”
A New Jersey native, Owen enjoyed a standout career at Montclair State University as a goalkeeper, appearing in 58 games during his career from 2001-05. In his four years he collected a 33-18-6 record, complete with 21 clean sheets and a miniscule 0.97 goals against average. After receiving his degree he joined the Red Hawks as an assistant coach, first with the men’s team and then later and for a longer period, with the women’s unit.
“I’m super excited,” said Owen. “Having known Brittany for a long time, she’s a great coach and a great person and I’m excited to join her staff and am looking forward to the new challenges that await. With the recent announcement of the move to Division II, I think we are all very excited about everything going on at Staten Island.”
Concentrating on team tactics, conditioning and scouting, Owen also acted as the head goalkeeping coach for the men’s program at Montclair State from 2006-08. During that run, the Red Hawks took home a pair of NJAC titles and advanced to the Round of 16 and the Elite 8 of postseason play. After a step away from collegiate coaching, Owen returned to Montclair State in 2011, and has spent the previous nine seasons with the Red Hawks’ women’s program. There, alongside intense training of goalkeepers he took on an expanded role as a scout, recruiter, and trainer, becoming a primary supervisor at team practices and training sessions. There, he helped lead the Red Hawks to five-straight NCAA Postseason Tournament appearances from 2012-16.
Owen is hoping to bring his championship pedigree and experiences to benefit the Dolphins’ young program.
“Having done it for a number of years now, I’m looking forward to sharing some of the many triumphs and failures I’ve been a part of at Montclair State and applying them here,” said Owen. “We have a young program here at CSI, and to be able to share and grow as a program is something I think everyone is looking forward to.”
While Owen’s experiences are extensive at the college level, he also brings a wealth of experience on the youth level as well. Since 2013 he has been a Head Coach for 17 and under groups with Cedar Stars Bergen West Academy, and since 2018 he has served as the Director of Goalkeepers for the Americans Soccer Club, also serving as a head coach for 12 and under boys teams. Now at Staten Island, he is anxious to lead CSI through the Division II provisional process and helping Coach Casares elevate the competitive level of the program.
“My short-term goal is to take on the new experiences here at CSI and learn and develop as a coach in this new setting,” he said. “I think we all hope to grow the program to be a more dynamic and highly-competitive program within the conference and in NCAA Division II. It’s really an ideal time for growth here and I’m motivated to be a part of it.”
A graduate of Montclair State with a Bachelor’s in Justice Studies, Owen resides in West Milford, NJ, with his wife, Natasha, and three children.
