The 2008 New Jersey Athletic Conference (NJAC) Coach of the Year,
Brian Woods is in his 30th season as William Paterson’s men’s soccer head coach in 2021. Woods also served as the head coach of the WP men's golf program from 2010-2021.
Under Woods’ tutelage, Julian Valerio was a 2010 first-team National Soccer Coaches Association of America (NSCAA) all-American and the NJAC Pat Baldiserra Midfielder of the Year, while Chris Belan earned NJAC Defensive Player of the Year honors. During six of the last nine seasons, at least five of Woods’ charges have earned all-conference laurels, including 2009 NJAC Co-Defensive Player of the Year Joe Strawman, 2011 NJAC Midfielder of the Year Anthony Ferrer, and 2013 and 2014 ECAC Metro Region and NJAC Defensive Player of the Year Marcus Hackett.
Prior to advancing to the 2013 ECAC Men’s Soccer Metro Region Tournament final, WP tied the school record for victories in 2011 (14-4-4), reaching the championship match of the ECAC Metro Region Tournament. The Pioneers earned their second NCAA Tournament bid in program history, advancing to the second round of the 2010 tourney, while matching the school record with 14 victories (14-4-3).
In 2008, Woods directed the Pioneers to the semifinals of the NJAC Tournament as well as the ECAC Metro Tournament championship, securing William Paterson’s first postseason title since 1975. The Pioneers were ranked in the 2008 NSCAA Top 25 Poll for eight weeks.
In addition to coaching the men’s program, Woods also founded the William Paterson women’s soccer program as a club sport in 1993 and guided it through its first three varsity seasons (1994-96).
On the links, Woods has led the fledgling WP golf program to an impressive 22-6-1 dual-match mark in seven seasons of NCAA competition since fielding a club team during the spring of 2010. In the spring of 2014, senior Frank Herudek finished among the top five individuals at the championship tournament to secure a spot on the All-Capital Athletic Conference (CAC) First Team.
Woods was a four-time all-NJAC selection at Trenton State, where he also played football, before graduating with a bachelor’s degree in corporate fitness. He coached at his alma mater until 1992, when he took over the program at William Paterson.
Besides his work with the Pioneers, he is the head coach of Monmouth FC in the National Premier Soccer League (NPSL), and is a USSF Academy staff coach for Match Fit Academy, leading the boys’ club teams to seven State Cup titles, three appearances in the U.S. Club Soccer National Finals (2000-07) and five USSF Academy playoff appearances (2009-13). Woods previously served as the president of the College Soccer Association of New Jersey, coached New Jersey’s boys and girls Olympic Development Programs as well as the New Jersey Lady Stallions, and was an evaluator for the U.S. Region I boys and girls soccer teams.