Marywood University Pacers

Richard Owens was named the head women's soccer coach at Marywood University in May 2022. Owens also serves as the Pacers' Coordinator of Sports Performance. 

In Owens' first season at Marywood, he led the Pacers to an overall 9-7-2 record and an Atlantic East Conference Championship game. In his first season at the helm, the women's soccer program claimed two Atlantic East Conference major awards, Offensive Player of the Year and Elite 20, as well as notching four players to First Team All-Atlantic East.

Owens previously served as the head women's soccer coach at NCAA Division II's West Virginia Wesleyan College. In his five seasons, Owens amassed a 44-30-12 record. In 2018, he led WVW to a Mountain East Conference championship, taking the Bobcats to the Sweet 16 of the NCAA Tournament. 

"We are thrilled to welcome Rich to Marywood University as our next Head Women's Soccer Coach," Smith said. "He is a veteran coach with a proven track record of recruiting and success that the committee felt can take the program to the next level regionally and nationally. I could not be more excited about the future of the women's soccer program under Coach Owens' leadership. In addition, his background in Exercise Physiology will be beneficial to all teams and athletes at Marywood in his role as the Coordinator of Sports Performance." 

Owens was selected the MEC's Coach of the Year in 2018 after West Virginia Wesleyan went unbeaten in 19 consecutive games. His team led NCAA Division II in lowest goals-against average (.29), highest shutout percentage (.761) and highest save percentage (.944) by allowing just six goals in 21 games. 

"It is a great honor and opportunity to be part of the Pacer family at Marywood University" Owens said. "I truly enjoy the campus and fellow coaches in the athletic department - it felt like a great fit to attract top quality student athletes with its highly rated academic programs, athletic facilities, and surrounding amenities. I am really excited to get started working right away with the women's soccer program and assist each individual student-athlete to grow and help guide their success on and off the field. I am beyond thankful to Coach Smith for this opportunity for my family and I to continue to grow the foundation of success he has already built."

Prior to his stint at West Virginia Wesleyan, Owens served as an assistant women's soccer coach at Jefferson University for four seasons. He led the Rams to their first NCAA Division II Tournaments in program history after winning the Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference in 2014 and 2015. Owens also has been an assistant coach at the NCAA Division III level with Rosemont College and Northern Vermont University-Johnson (formerly Johnson State College).

Owens assumes the lead at one of the most successful programs at Marywood University. The Pacers won their second Atlantic East Conference championship (fourth conference title overall) and reached their third NCAA Division III tournament in 2022.

As Coordinator of Sports Performance at Marywood, Owens will be responsible for coordinating the areas of Strength & Conditioning, Nutrition and Mental Health of the Pacers' 22 NCAA programs. Owens has a decade-plus experience as a fitness specialist. He was the weight room supervisor at the Atlantic County Institute of Technology and an exercise physiologist at AtlantiCare Life Center in Egg Harbor Twp., N.J. Owens was also a health and physical education teacher at Atlantic County Institute of Technology from 2011-14. 

In addition to coaching at Jefferson, Owens was a full-time Coach with the South Jersey Elite Barons/Rush Soccer Academy, as well as the Director of the Speed and Agility Program for all 67 teams. He has coached girl's teams in various age groups with his teams being invited to some of the nation's highest rated tournaments. His teams have won championships at Jefferson Cup, Bethesda, CASL, MSSL College Showcases, NJ State Cups and Regional EDP Open Cups, with his 2000 SJEB/Rush Academy team finishing the 2018 campaign ranked fifth in the nation.

He has an NSCAA Goalkeeping License Levels 1 and 2, as well as 10 NFHS certifications. 

As a student-athlete, Owens won an NCAA Division III National Championship as a goalkeeper at Kean College of New Jersey in 1992. He was inducted into Kean University Athletic Hall fo Fame in 2002. 

 

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 THE RICH OWENS FILE

COACHING EXPERIENCE

2023-Present: Marywood, Head Coach
2018-22: West Virginia Wesleyan, Head Coach
2014-17: Jefferson, Assistant Coach
2014: Rosemont, Assistant Coach
1995-98: Vermont State-Lyndon, Assistant Volunteer Men's Soccer Coach

EDUCATION

B.S., Lyndon State '96, Physical Education

MARYWOOD HIGHLIGHTS

• Atlantic East Conference Runner-Up (2023)
• Two Atlantic East Major Award Winners
• NCAA Division III Statistical Champion (Josie Sorce, Assists Per Game, 2023)
• 4 Atlantic East All-Conference Honorees (4 First Team)
• Set program record for most consecutive scoreless minutes (593) without giving up a goal
• NSCAA Team Academic Award (2023-24)

WEST VIRGINIA WESLEYAN HIGHLIGHTS

• Mountain East Conference Coach of the Year (2018)
• Mountain East Conference Champions (2018)
• #1 Ranked defense in NCAA Division II (Lowest Goals Against Average, Highest Save Percentage, and Highest Shutout Percentage)
• Two Individual NCAA Statistical Champions
• Five All-Atlantic Region Players
• Two USCA Academic All-Americans
• MEC Offensive Rookie of the Year
• 19 All-MEC Honorees

YEAR-BY-YEAR

Year	School	Overall Record	AEC Record	Postseason
2023	Marywood	9-7-2	4-1-1	AEC Runner-Up
2022	West Virginia Wesleyan	6-11-1
2021	West Virginia Wesleyan	8-7-3
2020	West Virginia Wesleyan	4-3-2		MEC First Round
2019	West Virginia Wesleyan	13-7		MEC Semifinals
2018	West Virginia Wesleyan	13-2-6		NCAA Division II Sweet Sixteen MEC Champions MEC Regular Season Champions
6 Seasons		53-37-14 (.577)
1 Season at Marywood		9-7-2 (.556)	4-1-1 (.750)