Brian Doherty took over as Kean University head coach in 1999 and has now been at the helm of the program for 26 years and 217 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
84 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 |
*-Season Shortened and played in the Spring due to COVID-19 Pandemic
Updated 6 23-25
