Kean University Women's Soccer

Brian Doherty took over as Kean University head coach in 1999 and has now been at the helm of the program for 27 years and 224 victories.  Doherty, who has the most women's soccer coaching wins at Kean, collected his 200th victory during the Fall 2021 season. Coach Doherty Highlights NCAA Tournament Appearances – 2006 ECAC Tournament Champions – 2012, 2013 ECAC Tournament Appearances – 1999, 2004, 2005, 2008, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016 NJAC Tournament Appearances – 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2021, Fall 2021, 2024 Reached NJAC Title Game in 2005, 2012 NJAC Coach of the Year – 2005 Earned his 200th Career Victory Against NJCU on Oct. 13th, 2021 Earned his 100th Career Victory Against Stockton on Sept. 18th, 2010 One All-American Eight All-Region Selections 88 All-NJAC Selections Two NJAC Player of the Year Selections Four NJAC Rookie of the Year Selections In 2024, Doherty led the Cougars to an NJAC Tournament berth and their most wins since the Fall of 2021. Kean had three All-NJAC selections, including Ella Petrosh being named the NJAC Rookie of the Year. Petrosh was an All-NJAC second team selection and went on to be named to the United Soccer Coaches All-Region for the first team since 2012.  In Fall 2021, Doherty had three All-NJAC selections as he collected his 200th career coaching victory on Oct. 13th.  In Spring 2021, Doherty had five All-NJAC selections as the Cougars made the NJAC Tournament for the first time since 2018. In 2019, Doherty had three All-NJAC selections, including a first team selection for Mariaelena Torres.   In 2018, Doherty had five All-NJAC selections as the Cougars made their fifth straight appearance in the NJAC tournament, reaching the conference semifinals.  In 2017, Doherty collected 11 wins and had five players named to the All-NJAC selections as the Cougars made their fourth straight appearance in the NJAC tournament. Doherty guided the Cougars to their best NJAC finish in 10 years and 5-2-2 record in conference play in 2015. Six team members were named all-conference and the Cougars earned their fourth-straight ECAC Championship berth. The Cougars displayed one of their finest seasons in program history in 2012 as they claimed the Eastern College Athletic Conference Metro Championship.  The title was the first for the program in their 30 year history. Kean also recorded 13 wins, the most since the 1996 season. Kean repeated that success in 2013, winning the ECAC Title again with a 12-6-3 overall record. Doherty has guided the Cougars to an NCAA Division III Tournament berth in 2006 and Eastern Collegiate Athletic Conference (ECAC) Tournament berths in 2004, 2005, 2008, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015 and 2016. In his first season, Doherty led Kean to its first winning season in three years, and the Cougars have steadily developed into a solid team in the competitive New Jersey Athletic Conference. Doherty was named head coach after serving for two seasons as an assistant coach in the Kean University women's soccer program. The 2005 NJAC Coach of the Year, Doherty honed his coaching skills for six seasons as an assistant coach at Bayonne High School, where his teams won one state championship, five Hudson County championships and two league championships. With more than 26 years of coaching experience at all levels, Doherty has also served as a head coach and evaluator for the Central New Jersey Area Olympic Development Program (ODP) and as an instructor at the prestigious Adidas Elite Training Academy that has tutored professional and semi-professional soccer players. He also had a coaching stint with Sky Blue on its run to the inaugural championship of the Women’s Professional Soccer league in 2009. A United States Soccer Federation "A" licensed coach, Doherty has also earned the National Soccer Coaches Association of America Premier Coaching Diploma. A 1993 graduate of Kean, Doherty earned his Bachelor of Arts degree in communications. Head Coach Brian Doherty Career Summary Year Record Postseason 1999 9-8 ECAC Tournament 2000 6-12 2001 6-10-2 2002 6-10-2 2003 7-10-3 NJAC Tournament 2004 9-7-2 ECAC Tournament, NJAC Tournament 2005 12-7-3 ECAC Tournament, NJAC Tournament 2006 12-5-2 NCAA Tournament, NJAC Tournament 2007 8-9-2 NJAC Tournament 2008 12-8 ECAC Tournament, NJAC Tournament 2009 7-8-4 NJAC Tournament 2010 9-6-4 NJAC Tournament 2011 10-4-3 2012 13-5-4 ECAC Champions, NJAC Tournament 2013 12-6-3 ECAC Champions, NJAC Tournament 2014 10-7-2 ECAC Tournament, NJAC Tournament 2015 10-7-3 ECAC Tournament, NJAC Tournament 2016 13-9 ECAC Tournament, NJAC Tournament 2017 11-6-2 NJAC Tournament 2018 5-8-6 NJAC Tournament 2019 8-9-1 Sp. 2021 0-4-2* NJAC Tournament Fall 2021 6-8-3 NJAC Tournament 2022 5-7-6 2023 4-10-3 2024 7-9-3 NJAC Tournament 2025 7-7-3 *-Season Shortened and played in the Spring due to COVID-19 Pandemic Updated 6 25-26

   Career Record  Years: 10  Record: 58-85-24 (.419)  Annual Coaching Honors  NJAC Joe Russo Coaching Staff of the Year: 1  All-Region Honors  All-ECAC: 1  All-Conference Honors  NJAC Goalkeeper of the Year: 1  NJAC Rookie of the Year: 1  First Team All-NJAC: 6  Second Team All-NJAC: 4  Honorable Mention All-NJAC: 10  Team Academic Honors  First Team Academic All-NJAC: 1  Second Team Academic All-NJAC: 2  Honorable Mention Academic All-NJAC: 33  CSC Academic All-District: 8  National Weekly Honors  USC DIII National Player of the Week: 1  Team Weekly Honors  NJAC Offensive Player of the Week: 6  NJAC Defensive Player of the Week: 4  NJAC Rookie of the Week: 7  Anthony Tuesta, a Hall-of-Fame standout player who was the 2006 New Jersey Athletic Conference (NJAC) Offensive Player of the Year, was named the 15th head women's soccer coach in New Jersey City University history in November 2015 and was made the first full-time coach in program history in August 2016. He also earned his B License from the United States Soccer Federation in 2023. Tuesta was named the head coach of Kean Jersey City in July of 2026.   The second winningest coach in NJCU program history, Tuesta initially joined the Gothic Knights as an assistant on the men's soccer staff for two seasons (2013-14). He then served as an assistant men's soccer coach with Division I NJIT for the 2015 season before returning to Jersey City as the head women's coach. In his eight seasons at NJCU, the Knights have had their greatest success in non-conference games, posting a 32-18-7 mark (.623).    2025: Tuesta led the Gothic Knights to their third-ever NJAC Semifinal berth with a robust 11-8-2, 3-4-2 record. The Gothic Knights were hard to beat at the Thomas M. Gerrity Athletic Complex, posting a home record of 4-1-2 this season. He had five players make the NJAC All-Conference list highlighted by Kyanah-Belle Jean-Louis making First Team All-NJAC.    2024: For the second season in a row, the Gothic Knights' women's soccer program made its way to the NJAC Semifinal round with its first ever win over Stockton University in penalty kicks before going on to lose 2-0 to top-seeded TCNJ. Tuesta finished the season with a record of 7-6-8, 2-4-3.     2023: His eighth year at the helm was arguably one of the most impactful in NJCU women's soccer history as he guided the Gothic Knights to their most NJAC wins (3), as well as the first .500-or-better record since 2011 (8-8-4). Additionally, the program's fourth-place regular-season finish is THE BEST in program history as NJCU qualified for the six-team conference tournament for just the third time ever, as well as HOSTED the first-ever home tournament game in program history. Lastly, in winning the quarterfinal match at home against Rutgers-Camden, the Green and Gold earned their first tournament victory in program history. Off the field, the team succeeded academically with a pair of Academic All-District selections, as well as nine Academic All-NJAC honorees. On the field, Tuesta helmed a staff that was eventually named the Joe Russo Coaching Staff of the Year by the NJAC, with play on the field led by NJAC Goalkeeper of the Year and First Team selection Sophia Mannino, as well as Second Team honoree Nyrohah Alvarenga. His team also combined for three weekly NJAC honors.    2022: Tuesta guided his squad to a very strong performance in 2022, earning five wins, including one in NJAC play. Additionally, the team captured four draws, with one coming in conference play. The team scored 46 goals, which is the fifth-most in program history and posted the third-lowest goals against average (1.83), as well. Individually, three players picked up All-NJAC nods, led by then-junior Kim Brites on the Second Team.    2021: After an abbreviated 2020-21 Spring campaign, the squad picked up three victories, earned a pair of NJAC weekly awards and another All-Conference recognition. Brites was named Honorable Mention All-Conference following finishing second in the NJAC in points/game a year after her dominant rookie season.    2020-21: After the postponement of the 2020 Fall season, Tuesta helped guide the Gothic Knights to their first postseason bid under his direction, and the program's first since 2011. After three one-goal games in the four-game regular-season, NJCU nearly won its its first-ever NJAC Tournament game in the 0-0 double-overtime tie with Kean University (the squad fell 4-3 in PKs) in the First Round. At season's end, Tuesta's players earned one NJAC Defensive Player of the Week award (then-junior Cidney Lee-Sam) and two All-Conference selections: First Team honoree Brites and Honorable Mention selection then-sophomore Arame Diouf.    2019: Tuesta led Jersey City to its second seven-win effort since he took over the program this season. After dropping their first two, the Gothic Knights then went on a 7-1-1 run, including a NJAC-opening 1-1 double-overtime draw with Ramapo College. Individually, this would mark the end to this historic career of then-senior Malleny Vargas, a four-time All-NJAC selection who totaled 139 points, including 59 goal, during her career. Tuesta helped guide Vargas to NJAC Offensive Player of the Week recognition once, as well as the United Soccer Coaches (USC) NCAA Division III Player of the Week. She also earned her third straight First Team All-NJAC nod and third-career All-ECAC selection (First Team).    2018: Tuesta's squad started off this campaign 4-3, another strong beginning for the Gothic Knights under his direction. Vargas garnered NJAC Offensive Player of the Week and First Team All-Conference accolades this season as well.    2017: The Gothic Knights won two NJAC matches in a season for the second straight year after not having one a game in conference play since 2012 (four years prior to Tuesta taking over). NJCU won three of four games from Oct. 7-14, including a 2-1 win over Rutgers-Cmaden and a 3-2 victory at Ramapo. Vargas was named NJAC Offensive Player of the Week twice, as well as ECAC Division III Offensive Player of the Week once — she also finished the season with her first of three First Team All-NJAC accolades.    2016: In Tuesta's first season at the helm, the Gothic Knights reached seven wins for the first time since 2011 and also took home a pair of NJAC wins. The season began with a 3-1-1 mark and the grabbed a pair of conference wins in a span of three games from Sept. 28-Oct. 8, defeating Rutgers-Newark 2-1 in overtime and Rutgers-Camden 3-2 in double-overtime, both on the road. Vargas was named NJAC Rookie of the Week twice before taking home co-Rookie of the Year accolades from the conference, in addition to Second Team honors.  Overall  Conference  Year  W  L  T  W  L  T  Postseason  2016  7  8  1  2  7  0  2017  5  11  0  2  7  0  2018  5  10  0  0  8  0  2019  7  10  1  0  8  1  2020-21  0  4  1  0  4  0  NJAC Tournament (#7 seed; First Round)  2021  3  10  3  0  8  1  2022  5  9  4  1  7  1  2023  8  8  4  3  3  3  NJAC Tournament (#4 seed; Semifinals)  ECAC Tournament (#4 seed; Quarterfinals)  2024  7  6  8  2  4  3  NJAC Tournament (#5 seed; Semifinals)  ECAC Tournament (#4 seed; Semifinals)  2025  11  8  2  3  4  2  NJAC Tournament (#5 seed; Semifinals)  ECAC Tournament (#3 seed; Quarterfinals)  Overall  40  70  14  8  52  6  Before/Outside of NJCU:  An experienced club coach, Tuesta currently serves as the Zone III Director of 11v11 for Kearny Thistle United and Paisley Athletic. Prior to that, he served as head coach of the PASCO Soccer Club from 2020-23, where he ran the U-10, U-15 and U-17 programs, overseeing the development of the players through training on technical, tactical and physical elements of the game. He also managed each team and was in charge of recruiting, as well. In 2022, his U-17 squad made it all the way to the NJ State Cup Finals.    Previously, Tuesta has coached with New Jersey Cedar Stars Academy (NJCSA) of Holmdel as a head coach until 2016 and before that with Parsippany Soccer Club from 2012-2015. With NJCSA, he coached U-11 and U-12 boys pre-academy teams, while at Parsippany he was head coach for U-9, U-12, U-13, U-18 and U-20. In 2015, he worked with teams that were U-18 Boys NJ State Cup finalists and USL Super-Y League U-13 national qualifiers; 2014 U-20 USL Super-Y national champions; and, in 2012 won the USL Super-Y League U-17 national champions in Orlando, Fla. and captured the NJ Youth Soccer State Cup Champions. That team also competed in the 2012 National Premier Leagues (NPL) championship in Chicago, Ill. Tuesta has also served as a club trainer.    On the high school level he was assistant coach of the Clifton varsity boys’ soccer team in 2014 and in 2012 was a volunteer coach for the Montville High School varsity boys’ soccer team.    A 2009 graduate of Kean with a degree in Spanish, Tuesta, a two-time First Team All-NJAC selection in 2006 and 2007, was an outstanding forward and the league’s top player in 2006. He claimed 2006 and 2007 NCAA Division III/NSCAA First Team All-Metro Region honors. In 2006, he was a D3kicks.com Second Team All-America choice and Kean’s Player of the Year.    In two seasons, Tuesta scored 24 goals and added 10 assists for 58 points. He played in 40 games (36 starts) and was credited with 101 shots (65 on goal). The Cougars were a combined 19-18-5 in his career. Prior to Kean, Tuesta played two seasons at Mercer County Community College, leading the Vikings to back-to-back NJCAA National Finals in 2002 and 2003.    A 2002 alumnus of Clifton High School — historically one of the top high school programs in the state — Tuesta was officially inducted into the Clifton High School Athletics Hall of Fame in October 2021. He played four seasons (1998-01) of varsity soccer for the Mustangs and was instrumental in the school winning four consecutive Passaic County and Northern New Jersey Interscholastic League (NNJIL) championships. The Mustangs won the 2000 state sectional title and advanced to the 2000 state finals.    Individually, Tuesta scored 93 goals and delivered 40 assists for 226 points in four years for Clifton, but essentially in three years as he missed much of his junior campaign with a leg injury. He was a three-time First Team All-State selection, All-Passaic County, All-Area and All-NNJIL league selection in 1998, 1999 and 2001 and the 1999 Herald News Area Player of the Year. In 1999 and 2001, he was listed as one of the Top 51 Players in the state by the SCANJ as a First Team selection; as a freshman in 1998 he was listed as a Third Team SCANJ Top 51 pick.    Tuesta comes from a successful soccer family. Most notably, his uncle, Carlos Atoche, was a professional player for Sports Boys in Peru. He is currently an assistant coach with the Peruvian Women’s National Team.    Tuesta is a native of Peru where he lived until 1995. He resides in North Arlington, N.J., with his wife, Jennifer, and their dog, Oscar. 

Joe Colodne enters his Seventh season on the sidelines for the Kean University women's soccer team in 2024. Colodne comes to Kean after serving as the assistant women's soccer and Goalkeeper Coach for Drew University from 2014-2018. Colodne also served as a staff coach with World Class FC from 2016-2018 and FC Copa from 2009-2016. Currently working for Cedar Stars GA, serving as the Goalkeeper Director for the GA girls.  During his coaching stints, he has captured two US Club regional titles, been a finalist for the NJ Youth Soccer State Cup and coached the #1 team in the state of New Jersey and the #5 team in the United States at the U18 level. In addition to Club accolades, Coach Joe won the USYS ODP Regional Titles with the 2006 Girls NJ ODP team in 2021. Colodne is currently a History Teacher for Plainfield High School and received a bachelor's degree in History from Rider University in 2002. During his time at Rider, he played collegiately on the Broncs men's soccer team in 1997-98.