New Jersey Institute of Technology Men's Soccer

Barboto, who built the Iona College Gaels into one of the top Division I mens soccer programs in the area, will lead mens soccer at New Jersey Institute of Technology, Assistant Vice President/Director of Athletics Lenny Kaplan announced today.   In announcing the appointment of Barboto as NJITs fourth head mens soccer coach in the programs Division I era, Kaplan said: Fernando is a proven Division I head coach with New Jersey roots, who is respected throughout the region for the program he has built at Iona. We are pleased that he will guide our program and we look forward to a successful future with him as our coach in the years to come.   Under Barboto, who completed his 13th season at Iona in November 2015, the Gaels have become a perennial top contender in the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference.   Starting in 2008, when Iona posted a record of 11-6-1, the Gaels have reached double-digit wins totals in  five of the past eight seasons. They finished 2015 at 10-7-3 overall and 5-3-2 in the MAAC.   In that same eight-year period, Barbotos Gaels have had just one sub-.500 record and that was in 2012, when they finished 7-11 overall, including two close non-conference losses against teams ranked in the Top Six nationally. Iona was 5-2 in MAAC games that season.   Headlining Ionas run of double-digit seasons, the Gaels posted an overall record of 14-2-3 in 2009, earning MAAC Coach of the Year honors for Barboto, and then went 15-4-1 two year later in 2011.   Not surprisingly, given his teams success, Barboto has helped mold several players who went on to professional soccer, including three in Major League Soccer: Franklin Castellanos (New York Red Bulls); Ignacio Maganto (LA Galaxy); and, Victor Munoz (Sporting Kansas City).   Castellanos was MAAC Offensive Player of the Year in 2013, Maganto took the same honor in 2014, and Marcos Nunez made it three Iona players in a row named MAAC Offensive Player of the Year when he brought home the award in 2015. In doing so, it marked the second time in NCAA Division I history that the same program has had three-straight conference Offensive Players of the Year with a different player winning the honor each time.   Iona under Barboto has had numerous conference award winners. In 2013 alone, the Gaels had five All-MAAC honorees, as well as three NSCAA All-Region selections, and 12 MAAC All-Academic picks.   Im excited about the chance to come to NJIT and build a strong program, said Barboto, who met his new team for the first time on Wednesday afternoon. In meeting with Lenny (Kaplan) and the rest of the people here, I can tell this is a school and department that cares about its mens soccer program, he said. NJIT is a great academic institution that has the resources to create a winning environment.   This is an exciting time to be coming here with a new facility (a new stadium adjoining NJITs $100 million dollar Wellness and Events Center, now under construction) and a new conference (Atlantic Sun).   Barbotos recruiting base at Iona has centered around players from the New Jersey/New York metro area, with a sprinkling of international students. He expects to continue that formula at NJIT.   A 1994 graduate of New Jerseys Montclair State University, Barboto first became a Division I head coach at Saint Francis University in Loretto, PA, in 2000.   At Saint Francis, Barboto took over a program that had never won more than four conference games in 11 previous seasons. Under Barbotos guidance, the Red Flash topped their best previous conference record, winning five league games in each of his first two seasons.   He took the helm at Iona in 2003, inheriting a program that had gone winless in 20 matches in 2002. Barbotos first season at the New Rochelle, NY, college produced five wins. He then guided the program to steady progress, getting a winning record of 7-6-5 in 2006, then 8 wins in 2007, before the breakthrough to 11 victories in 2008.   Including that breakthrough season in 2008, Ionas record under Barboto is 85-52-15 over the last eight years.   In conference games, Iona finished on the winning side of the ledger every season from 2006 through 2015. In his 13 seasons at Iona, Barbotos teams were a combined 65-43-10 in Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference games and his conference record at Saint Francis, which competes in the Northeast Conference, was 13-11-3 in three seasons.   His overall record at Iona, including the building years, was 116-103-27 in 13 seasons. His overall record as a Division I head coach is 133-134-34 in 16 seasons.   Coming to NJIT represents a move closer to home for Barboto, who resides in Cresskill, NJ, with his wife, Betina, and their sons Maximus and Tristan, and daughter Valentina.   As an undergraduate at Montclair State, Fernando Barboto was a four-year letter winner and was National Soccer Coaches Association All-America as senior playing for the perennial Division III powerhouse.   He went on to play six professional seasons with the North Jersey Imperials of the United Soccer League.   He began coaching as head coach of the womens soccer team at Montclair State, a position he held from 1995 through 1998.   Leaving his alma mater, Barboto signed on as an assistant mens coach at Lafayette, where he helped the Leopards win two straight Patriot League championships. He went from Lafayette to become head coach at Saint Francis.   At NJIT, Barboto takes over a program that has achieved a measure of success in recent years, earning Top 10 Regional ranking in 2012, finishing eighth in NSCAA North Atlantic Region that year. The 2014 Highlanders were ranked in the NSCAA Southeast Region for seven weeks, as well.   That year, they defeated #22 Navy and followed that in 2015 with a win over #22 St. Francis Brooklyn. NJITs final 2015 record was 5-10-4.   NJIT mens soccer will play its first season as a member of the schools new multi-sport conference, the Atlantic Sun, beginning in 2016.   Mens soccer is NJITs most decorated team over the years, with the schools only national championship in any sport and 12 different players recognized as All-Americans between 1960 and 1983.   Known as Newark College of Engineering until the 1970s, the schools national championship was won by mens soccer in 1960, when the team was champion of the small-college National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics. The 1961 Highlanders also reached the NAIA championship game in 1961.   Later, they were the first NJIT team to make the move up to NCAA Division I, playing their first schedule in 2004 and becoming postseason-eligible in 2005.  

Fernando Barboto, who built the Iona College Gaels into one of the top Division I men’s soccer programs in the area, led men’s soccer at New Jersey Institute of Technology, in 2016. In announcing the appointment of Barboto as NJIT’s fourth head men’s soccer coach in the program’s Division I era, Kaplan said: “Fernando is a proven Division I head coach with New Jersey roots, who is respected throughout the region for the program he has built at Iona. We are pleased that he will guide our program and we look forward to a successful future with him as our coach in the years to come.” The 2019 ASUN Conference Coach of the Year Fernando Barboto along with his coaching staff, who was named United Soccer Coaches Atlantic Region Coaching Staff of the Year,  led the Highlanders to the first NCAA appearance at the Division I level (first round; at Providence on November 21, 2019). Men's soccer became the first NJIT team to capture an ASUN Tournament and Regular Season title since competing in the ASUN Conference (first season 2015-16). NJIT tied the school-record for wins (10) in a season and ranked in the top-10 of the United Soccer Coaches Atlantic Region poll all season, with its highest ranking, week two at the No. 2 spot.  The Highlanders ranked 14th in the NCAA for total goals with 44, while United Soccer Coaches Scholar All-American and 2019 ASUN Player of the Year Rene White concluded the season ranked fifth at 17. As a team, NJIT racked up four major awards in the ASUN Conference: Barboto (Coach of the Year), White (Player of the Year), Alejandro Rabell (Freshman of the Year) and Samuel Reisgys (Goalkeeper of the Year). In addition to the four major awards, nine Highlanders earned All-Conference honors: White, Reisgys and Andrew Nino (ASUN first-team),  Joao Costa, Juan Zapata, Gerald Cubero and Thomas Radon (ASUN second-team) and Arrio Rusnak joined Rabell and Reisgys (All-Freshmen team). In 2016 and 2017, Barboto reached eight wins, marking the second-highest win total, since competing as an NCAA Division I program (first season 2004).  NJIT made its first ASUN Men's Soccer Championship appearance in the teams' first season (2016) as a member of the school's new multi-sport conference, the ASUN Conference. Men's soccer, which played the previous two seasons as an associate member of the Sun Belt Conference, competed in the ASUN a year later than the other NJIT programs, which began play in the ASUN in 2015-16. Five Highlanders were named to the ASUN All-Conference team – two named to the second-team and three to the all-freshmen team, in addition to two Highlanders earning ASUN all-Academic honors.  Junior Phillip Costa was the first men’s soccer player selected to ASUN Fall 2016 Winners For Life Team. The six one-goal wins and seven shutouts in 2016 (most in the ASUN) are the most in a single season in NJIT's Division I era.  The draw against No. 22 North Florida, was the fourth of the season for the Highlanders, marking the third-straight season, the Highlanders have recorded four draws. In the DI era for NJIT (first season 2004), the team record is five set in 2005. In 2017, Mamadou Guirassy led the nation in goals (16) and was selected ASUN Conference Player of the Year.  Guirassy was drafted in the fourth round of the 2018 Major Soccer League (MLS) SuperDraft by the Portland Timbers. After the Highlanders advanced to the semifinals of the 2021 America East Tournament for the second straight season, NJIT saw three players named to the America East All-Conference team and what lies ahead for NJIT as graduate students Rene White and Regsan Watkins who rank among the top 5 in the NCAA Division I career goals and points leaders will be graduating.  White, concluded his collegiate career as a two-time CoSIDA Academic All-America First-Team and All-District First-Team selectee, America East Conference first-team and All-Academic Team and ECAC Division I First Team.  The NJIT forward was named to the Dean's List for six semesters, graduating in Fall 20 Cum Laude with a BS in Business Concentration in Financial Technology and graduated in Spring 2021 with a MS Business program. For his career at NJIT, he tallied: 49G (NJIT DI Record), 67 GS (NJIT DI era record), 49G (NJIT DI era record; 3rd all-time), 10A (Third in the NJIT DI era record), 108 PTS (NJIT DI era record; 3rd all-time). Watkins, who played two seasons at NJIT, was named the 2021 America East Striker of the Year, combined for 19 career goals at NJIT which ranks third, 13 assists ranks third and 51 points ranks third in the NJIT DI era.  For his career, Watkins scored (40) career goals and (101) points. In 2022, the Highlanders earned their third straight America East Conference playoff berth under seventh-year head coach Fernando Barboto. NJIT registered seven shutouts, which ties the NJIT Division I mark for shutouts in a season (7 in 2016). Maximus Barboto was selected America East Rookie of the Year and named to TopDrawerSoccer.com Top 100 Freshmen List. After four seasons at NJIT, Samuel Reisgys combined for 237 career saves (which tops the NJIT career record book), 61 matches, 22 wins, 10 ties and eight shutouts.  Reisgys will return for his fifth year in 2023. Alejandro Rabell wraps up his Highlander career as the NJIT Division I all-time assists leader with 19 while ranking second all-time at NJIT.   Under Barboto, who completed his 13th season at Iona in November 2015, the Gaels have become a perennial top contender in the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference.   Starting in 2008, when Iona posted a record of 11-6-1, the Gaels have reached double-digit wins totals in  five of the past eight seasons. They finished 2015 at 10-7-3 overall and 5-3-2 in the MAAC.   In that same eight-year period, Barboto’s Gaels have had just one sub-.500 record and that was in 2012, when they finished 7-11 overall, including two close non-conference losses against teams ranked in the Top Six nationally. Iona was 5-2 in MAAC games that season.   Headlining Iona’s run of double-digit seasons, the Gaels posted an overall record of 14-2-3 in 2009, earning MAAC Coach of the Year honors for Barboto, and then went 15-4-1 two year later in 2011.   Not surprisingly, given his teams’ success, Barboto has helped mold several players who went on to professional soccer, including three in Major League Soccer: Franklin Castellanos (New York Red Bulls); Ignacio Maganto (LA Galaxy); and, Victor Munoz (Sporting Kansas City).   Castellanos was MAAC Offensive Player of the Year in 2013, Maganto took the same honor in 2014, and Marcos Nunez made it three Iona players in a row named MAAC Offensive Player of the Year when he brought home the award in 2015. In doing so, it marked the second time in NCAA Division I history that the same program has had three-straight conference Offensive Players of the Year with a different player winning the honor each time.   Iona under Barboto has had numerous conference award winners. In 2013 alone, the Gaels had five All-MAAC honorees, as well as three NSCAA All-Region selections, and 12 MAAC All-Academic picks.   “I’m excited about the chance to come to NJIT and build a strong program,” said Barboto, who met his new team for the first time on Wednesday afternoon. “In meeting with Lenny (Kaplan) and the rest of the people here, I can tell this is a school and department that cares about its men’s soccer program,” he said. “NJIT is a great academic institution that has the resources to create a winning environment.     Barboto’s recruiting base at Iona has centered around players from the New Jersey/New York metro area, with a sprinkling of international students. He expects to continue that formula at NJIT.   A 1994 graduate of New Jersey’s Montclair State University, Barboto first became a Division I head coach at Saint Francis University in Loretto, PA, in 2000.   At Saint Francis, Barboto took over a program that had never won more than four conference games in 11 previous seasons. Under Barboto’s guidance, the Red Flash topped their best previous conference record, winning five league games in each of his first two seasons.   He took the helm at Iona in 2003, inheriting a program that had gone winless in 20 matches in 2002. Barboto’s first season at the New Rochelle, NY, college produced five wins. He then guided the program to steady progress, getting a winning record of 7-6-5 in 2006, then 8 wins in 2007, before the breakthrough to 11 victories in 2008.   Including that breakthrough season in 2008, Iona’s record under Barboto is 85-52-15 over the last eight years.   In conference games, Iona finished on the winning side of the ledger every season from 2006 through 2015. In his 13 seasons at Iona, Barboto’s teams were a combined 65-43-10 in Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference games and his conference record at Saint Francis, which competes in the Northeast Conference, was 13-11-3 in three seasons.   His overall record at Iona, including the building years, was 116-103-27 in 13 seasons. His overall record as a Division I head coach is 133-134-34 in 16 seasons.   Coming to NJIT represents a move closer to home for Barboto, who resides in Cresskill, NJ, with his wife, Betina, and their sons Maximus and Tristan, and daughter Valentina.   As an undergraduate at Montclair State, Fernando Barboto was a four-year letter winner and was National Soccer Coaches Association All-America as senior playing for the perennial Division III powerhouse.   He went on to play six professional seasons with the North Jersey Imperials of the United Soccer League.   He began coaching as head coach of the women’s soccer team at Montclair State, a position he held from 1995 through 1998.   Leaving his alma mater, Barboto signed on as an assistant men’s coach at Lafayette, where he helped the Leopards win two straight Patriot League championships. He went from Lafayette to become head coach at Saint Francis.    Updated June 2023

Uy joined the NJIT mens soccer staff as an assistant coach in April 2016, having most recently served as an assistant coach at Adelphi University, which made its first appearance in the NCAA Division II Tournament in 2015. The Adelphi Panthers finished with a 13-5-3 overall mark and received a third seed in the East Region of the NCAA Division II mens soccer tournament. A 2011 graduate of Fairfield University with a degree in sociology and currently pursuing his maters in sports management at Adelphi, Uy served as an assistant under new NJIT head coach Fernando Barboto at Iona College from August 2014 to January 2015. In 2014, Iona finished 10-7-3 and advanced to the semifinals of the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) tournament. A four-year player for Fairfield, which also competes in the MAAC, Uy was selected Fairfield Freshman Athlete of the Year in 2007.  In 2008, Uy was named to the All-MAAC second-team and All-Tournament team, as the Stags captured the MAAC title and an automatic bid to the NCAA Division I tournament.  Matt received athletic recognition on the All-MAAC first-team in 2009 and 2010 and NSCAA/adidas All-Region team in 2008, 2009 and 2010. In 2008, Uy was invited to the u20 national team camp, followed by a tournament in Mexico hosted by Chivas Guadalajara and spent time with second division club FK SIAD MOST in Czech Republic. After graduation, Uy continued his playing career professionally in Asia, playing for the top division in the Philippines, where he earned 10 international caps with the u23 mens national team.  With the u23 mens national team, Uy participated in the Asia Cup Qualifiers, World Cup 2018 Playoff Qualifier and Suzuki Cup. He played for Global FC (2012-2013) and Loyola Meralco Sparks (2013) of the United Football League. The Long Island native attended high school at IMG Academy in Bradenton, Florida (2006-2007) after being selected for the 2007 US Residency Program, where he earned over 40 caps with the u17 national team. He played in the National Championship game as a member of the u20 New York Red Bulls and appeared in the final four with the 2011 Long Island Rough Riders PDL. Uy holds NSCAA National diploma and USSF C coaching licenses.

Freitas, a man with deep roots in New Jersey soccer, joined the NJIT mens soccer coaching staff as an assistant coach in August 2015.   A 1998 graduate of Rutgers with a degree in Business Management, Freitas has served as an assistant coach at three institutions in the New Jersey Athletic Conference, known as one of the top NCAA Division III circuits in the nation.   He began his college coaching in 1995 at Rutgers Newark, NJITs University Heights neighbor. Next came two separate stints (1997-2004 and 2009-12) at Kean University in the Union, NJ. In between his spells at Kean, he was an assistant at New Jersey City University from 2007-09. At Kean, he worked with four teams that reached the Division III national tournament.   Freitas has also been active in club soccer, serving as head coach for Newark-based Ironbound SC since 2010. In that time, his teams were U-16 Y-League North American and Regional champions and U-17 Y-League North American, Regional, State Cup, and US Club National champions.   Prior to that he was an assistant coach for Sport Club Newark, which won a U-21 state championship title in his time there (2000-05).   Over the years, he has served as a liaison Boavista FC of Portugal on its North American tour in 2004 and for the giant Portuguese club Benfica when it played a friendly vs. AEK Athens at the old Giants Stadium in New Jersey in 2007.   Freitas holds National B, C, and D coaching licenses.   Away from the pitch, he works with EE Cruz and Company, a major contracting firm that was co-founded, coincidentally by the late Edward Cruz (63, 13 HON) who was in the Highlanders Hall of Fame for his playing career with Newark College of Engineering (NJITs former name) that included the 1960 NAIA National Championship.   With EE Cruz, Freitas has held key roles on multimillion dollar projects. He is also manager of Freitas Tavern in his hometown, Elizabeth, NJ. (last edit Oct 2015)

Sean Furtek joined the NJIT men’s soccer program as an assistant coach in March 2026, bringing a strong background in collegiate competition, player development, and goalkeeper training. A native of Wayne, New Jersey, Furtek recently earned his Master of Business Administration from Johnson & Wales University in May 2025. During his time with the Wildcats, he played one season as a goalkeeper and was instrumental in helping the program capture the 2023 Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) Tournament championship. Prior to his graduate studies, Furtek completed his Bachelor of Arts degree at William Paterson University in 2023. As a four-year member of the Pioneers men’s soccer team, he developed a reputation for his work ethic, leadership, and commitment both on the field and in the classroom. Furtek’s academic excellence was recognized through his induction into the National College Athlete Honors Society (Chi Alpha Sigma). He was also named to the GNAC All-Academic Team in 2023 and 2024 and earned Academic All-NJAC Honorable Mention honors in 2021 and 2022. In addition to his collegiate experience, he worked as an academy head coach for a NE Revolution sister club, Cranston League for Cranston's Future" (CLCF) in 2024-2025, where he won first place in the NECSL Spring League and reached the semi-finals of the league tournament, currently serves as a Boys MLS NEXT 2 and Girls Goalkeeping Coach with Cedar Stars Academy (Monmouth), where he designs and implements specialized training programs focused on technical development, decision-making, and overall goalkeeper performance. Furtek gained collegiate coaching experience as an assistant coach at Division II Felician University in 2025, where he contributed to training sessions, match preparation, and player development initiatives. He also served as a Player Development Coach for New England Revolution from 2024 to 2025, working closely with athletes to refine technical skills and tactical understanding. Earlier in his coaching career, Furtek spent two years (2021–23) as a head coach and trainer at The Sports Factory (TSF). In these roles, he led team training sessions and developed curriculum for youth players. Furtek holds a U.S. Soccer National “D” License along with Grassroots 9v9 and 11v11 certifications.   Updated March 2026