WEST POINT - Army Director of Athletics Kevin Anderson announced Tuesday that former University of Maryland assistant coach Russell Payne has been named the 11th head coach of the Black Knights' men's soccer program.
Payne comes to West Point after five years as an assistant coach at national power Maryland where he helped lead his alma mater to five-straight appearances in the NCAA Tournament, including a pair of national championships in 2005 and 2008. Maryland totaled 83 victories with Payne on the coaching staff, which is the best five-year mark in school history and ranks the third-highest total in the country since 2005.
"Russell's experience and background made him the perfect choice to turn our program around," said Anderson. "He is a proven winner everywhere he has been and with everything he has accomplished. My expectation is that he will bring that same winning touch to West Point as we strive to win a Patriot League Championship. Even more so than that, he possesses the aptitude to challenge our young men to achieve all they can not only on the field, but in all of the other aspects that go into making them cadets at the Unites States Military Academy."
During his stay in College Park, Payne mentored eight National Soccer Coaches Association of America (NSCAA) All-Americans, 15 All- Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) selections, a NSCAA Player of the Year, a pair of Academic All-Americans, an NCAA Scholar-Athlete of the Year and 12 Major League Soccer (MLS) draft picks. The Terrapins also achieved the highest graduation success rate in the ACC.
"It is a tremendous honor to be selected the head men's soccer coach at Army," said Payne. "West Point is our nation's top institution and the traditions here run as deep as they come. Army has the ability to attract the highest caliber student athletes and I am extremely excited to have the opportunity to reestablish the men's soccer program's presence on the national scene and to develop a culture that is reflective of the prestige and rich tradition represented by all who have called West Point home. My wife and I got a great feeling from all the people here and we are looking forward to becoming part of the West Point family."
This past season, the Terps advanced to the quarterfinals of the NCAA Tournament, finishing with a 15-6-2 record. In 2008, Payne was part of a school-record setting squad that compiled a 23-3 record on its way to its second national championship in four years. A 1-0 win over arch-rival North Carolina in the College Cup final capped a program-best 16-match winning streak that also marked the team's 15th shutout of the season - also a record. The team's ACC Tournament championship made Payne the first former Maryland player to win the title as a coach and a player. Five members of the squad were taken in the first 25 picks of the MLS draft, including two of the first six selections.
Maryland played its way to the NCAA quarterfinals in 2007 with a 10-6-5 record as well as in 2006 with a 16-5-1 mark. Two Maryland players were taken among the top-four picks of the 2006 MLS draft. After Toronto FC selected Maurice Edu with the top pick, Chris Seitz, who was coming off a sophomore campaign that included being named the ACC Player of the Year, was taken fourth overall by Real Salt Lake.
In Payne's first year on the sidelines in 2005, Maryland rolled to its first National Championship since 1968 with a 19-4-2 record that included an ACC regular-season title and a school-record 66 goals scored during the year. Herman Trophy winner and ACC Player of the Year Jason Garey, who finished his career as the Terrapins' all-time leader in goals and points, was the third player selected in the MLS draft.
Payne, a B-license US Soccer Federation coach, came to Maryland after a decorated professional career throughout Europe and in the United States. The highlight came in 2002 when he was named the Premier League of Ireland Goalkeeper of the Year during his second season with Derry City. His career also included stays with SV Elversberg (Germany), Shamrock Rovers (Ireland) and AZ Alkmaar (Netherlands), as well as stints in the MLS with Metrostars, the Colorado Rapids and DC United.
The Columbia, Md., native has an extensive international coaching record to his credit. Payne most recently finished his second cycle as a U.S. National Team U-20 assistant coach/goalkeeper coach, traveling with the team for tournaments in Northern Ireland, Mexico and the United Kingdom. Currently a U.S. Soccer Development Academy staff member, he serves as a scout for the U-17 through U-23 national team programs. Payne's experience also includes serving as the head coach of the Potomac Cougars U-18 club team for four years, the DC United Academy Goalkeeping coach and most recently the Potomac Soccer Club Director of Goalkeeping.
Payne's collegiate experience started at George Washington University in 1997-98 as a volunteer goalkeeper coach under Shannon Higgins-Cirovski after a season as the graduate assistant goalkeeper coach with the Maryland men in 1997.
One of renowned head coach Sasho Cirovski's first blue-chip recruits at Maryland, Payne started in goal for four years and anchored the squad to three-straight NCAA Tournament appearances. He shined brightest as a senior, leading the ACC with an .835 save percentage and 0.88 goals against average while leading Maryland to its first-ever ACC Tournament Championship and garnering All-Tournament honors. Also a second-team All-ACC pick as a sophomore, Payne totaled 22.5 shutouts and 340 saves during his career in Red and White. His 10-save performance opposite Duke on Sept. 29, 1996 still stands as a single-game record in Terrapin annals.
"I have such mixed emotions at the moment. I am very sad to see him go but I am truly delighted that he is embarking on a terrific new opportunity to be the head coach at Army," said Cirovski. "Russell Payne embodies Maryland soccer. He was one of my first recruits that took on the challenge of helping me build our program. In his senior year, as one of the captains, he hoisted our first ACC Championship trophy and played in three Sweet Sixteens. As a coach, he won two national titles so needless to say, he will be missed. Both personally and on behalf of the entire Maryland Soccer family, I want to thank Russell for all of his years of service and wish him the best at West Point. The soccer players at Army are getting a great person and a great coach."
Graduating with a Bachelor of Science degree in Biology, Payne was the recipient of the Benjamin Banneker Fellowship for Math and Science.
Payne and his wife, Vanessa, will reside in West Point, N.Y. and are expecting their first child in January. He will assume his duties as head coach immediately.
