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Ruben Resendes Named First Peoria City Manager

Rising coaching star boasts a 74-8-3 record as a collegiate head coach

PEORIA, IL (Feb. 25, 2022) – Franklin Pierce men’s soccer head coach Ruben Resendes has been named the first manager in Peoria City franchise history, according to an announcement from the USL League Two expansion team Friday.

Resendes is a rising star in the college soccer coaching community, having built an impressive, 74-8-3 (.888) record in his first five seasons as a head coach. Resendes’ staff has been named the United Soccer Coaches East Region Coaching Staff of the Year each of the last two seasons and he has coached the Ravens deep into the NCAA Division II Men’s Soccer Championship during each of his first three seasons at the New Hampshire university.

““Peoria City is extremely excited to welcome Ruben to the club,” said Peoria City managing partner John Dorn. “He is a rising star in American coaching and his passion for the game is a perfect fit for our first year of competition. Ruben’s background and network make for an ideal combination as the club embarks upon the first season in a challenging division and league.”

This past season, Resendes led Franklin Pierce to a 20-1-1 record, a sweep of the Northeast-10 Conference regular-season and tournament championships and a Sweet 16 appearance in the NCAA Division II Men’s Soccer Championship. While Franklin Pierce earned the United Soccer Coaches East Region Coaching Staff of the Year for the second consecutive season in 2021, Resendes also was named the Northeast-10 Conference Coach of the Year.

During the abbreviated and delayed 2020-21 COVID season, Franklin Pierce finished 6-0-0, including a sweep of its three NCAA Division I opponents Providence, Rhode Island and Albany, and earned a No. 2 NCAA Division II national ranking. In his first season at FPU in 2019, Resendes led the Ravens to a 15-4-2 record and turned an at-large selection to the NCAA Tournament into a run to the national championship quarterfinals.

Resendes began his head coaching career at Dean College, where he amassed a 33-3-0 record from 2015-16 while helping the program transition from NJCAA Division I to NCAA Division III. While simultaneously serving as MLS New England Revolution U23 and Academy Team Head Coach and professional team scout, Resendes was named the 2016 Massachusetts Coaches Association College Coach of the Year after leading Dean to a 17-2-0 record during the NCAA Division III exploratory season. The transitional success came a year after Resendes was named the 2015 NJCAA East Region Coach of the Year after guiding Dean to a 16-1-0 record and the New England Conference regular-season championship in its final year of junior college play.

In between his head-coaching positions, Resendes served several roles for the New England Revolution Major League Soccer and Academy programs, as well as Director of Coaching & Player Development for the Vermont-based Black Watch Premier Soccer Club. He returned to collegiate coaching as the top assistant at the University of Vermont from 2017-18, helping the Catamounts to the 2017 America East Conference regular-season championship.

Resendes also is the founder and director of Resendes Soccer Academy, conducting more than 50 camps, clinics and soccer programs annually in Massachusetts, New Hampshire and Rhode Island.

In addition to his college coaching success, Resendes brings USL League Two playing experience to Peoria City. An All-American player at Southern New Hampshire University, where he also was a four-time all-conference selection, Resendes played three summers in USL League Two: 2011 for Seacoast United, 2012 for Boston Victory and 2014 for Boston Rams. Immediately following his graduation, Resendes played professionally in 2013 for Tindastoll FC in Iceland’s first division.

Announced as a USL League Two expansion franchise in 2020, Peoria City delayed its entry into the nation’s top pre-professional soccer league until 2022 due to the on-going COVID-19 pandemic. Peoria City is set to make its debut May 14 with a home matchup against fellow expansion franchise Minneapolis FC at Bradley University’s Shea Stadium. Peoria City ticket and promotions information will be announced later this spring.

WHAT OTHERS ARE SAYING ABOUT RUBEN RESENDES

Throughout his career, Coach Ruben Resendes has demonstrated his ability to inspire players and personnel to be at their best, both on and off the pitch. That, in addition to his eye for talent and knowledge of the game, make him a great choice for Peoria City. I am excited to see what the club accomplishes under his leadership.
—Patrick Ouckama, D.C. United Academy Director

Coach Resendes is one of the hardest-working and most-passionate coaches I have worked with. In every team Ruben has coached, he has attracted top talent and prioritizes an exciting style of play. The city of Peoria has a lot to look forward to this summer.
—Rob Dow, University of Vermont Men’s Soccer Head Coach

Peoria is very lucky to be getting Ruben and his family for this endeavor. He will work relentlessly to bring a winning culture and philosophy to this city. He is an amazing recruiter, resourceful and will get the best out of any team he puts on the field. I look forward to watching this project grow.
—Marc Hubbard, University of New Hampshire Men’s Soccer Head Coach

I have known Ruben for a very long time and he has one of the brightest soccer minds around. Ruben cares deeply for his players and will set up a competitive environment for his players to really develop. Peoria City is getting a confident, passionate and extremely hard-working coach. Ruben has been successful whereever he has been and I have no doubt he will continue the trend with Peoria City.
—Joshua Taylor, University of Southern New Hampshire Men’s Soccer Head Coach

ABOUT USL LEAGUE TWO

A part of United Soccer Leagues, LLC, which also operates the USL Championship, USL League One, Super Y League and the new USL Academy, USL League Two is the top pre-professional soccer league in North America, offering a summer platform for aspiring professionals across the United States and Canada. League Two is the defined and proven pathway for players to progress to the ranks of professional soccer, while its clubs become fixtures in the communities where they operate. More than 70 percent of all MLS SuperDraft selections since 2010 have League Two experience, including 66 alumni chosen in 2018 and 61 in 2019. Werder Bremen’s Josh Sargent, Newcastle United’s DeAndre Yedlin, and Atlanta United’s Brad Guzan are among the many U.S. National Team players to have competed in USL League Two before making their professional debuts.

“Peoria will play home to future stars of American soccer.”
- Jim DeRose, Bradley University Head Soccer Coach

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