WEST LONG BRANCH, N.J. – Julio Vacacela has been added to the Monmouth University women’s soccer coaching staff, head coach Krissy Turner announced Wednesday.

“Julio’s addition to our staff will be great for our team and our goalkeepers,” Turner said. “His experience, along with being a Monmouth University graduate, will improve our program and we are fortunate to have him.”

A 1991 graduate of Monmouth, Vacacela was a goalkeeper for the men’s soccer team and a member of the Hawks’ 1990 Northeast Conference regular season and tournament championship team. Vacacela played semi-professional soccer in New York and New Jersey following his graduation and has coached several men’s and women’s soccer players in various coaching roles.

From 2001 through 2011, Vacacela coached at Match Fit Academy Football Club and served as an assistant coach working with goalkeepers for the Princeton University women’s soccer team from 2003-2014. Vacacela has also worked as a staff coach with New Jersey Rush Soccer club since 2014 and as the Director of Coaching at Howell United Soccer Club since 2016. He has also assisted as a Boys Staff Coach for the New Jersey Olympic Development Program since 2001.

Monmouth kicks off its season when it hosts Hofstra University Friday at 6 p.m.

Front Row Soccer editor Michael Lewis has covered 13 World Cups (eight men, five women), seven Olympics and 25 MLS Cups. He has written about New York City FC, New York Cosmos, the New York Red Bulls and both U.S. national teams for Newsday and has penned a soccer history column for the Guardian.com. Lewis, who has been honored by the Press Club of Long Island and National Soccer Coaches Association of America, is the former editor of BigAppleSoccer.com. He has written seven books about the beautiful game and has published ALIVE AND KICKING The incredible but true story of the Rochester Lancers. It is available at Amazon.com.