DETROIT (3/6/23) – The University of Detroit Mercy men's soccer program has announced the hiring of
Nate Kopunek as the new Head Coach. Kopunek comes to the Titans after spending four seasons as an Assistant Coach at Bowling Green State University.
"We are beyond excited to welcome Nate as the next head coach of the Detroit Mercy men's soccer team," said Assistant Athletic Director for NCAA Compliance, Steve Corder. "He is a proven winner and brings experience from a number of high-level soccer programs throughout the country. His impact will be felt immediately as the Titan men's soccer program aspires to achieve great things in the years to come."
"I am thrilled to accept the position of head men's soccer coach at the University of Detroit Mercy. I felt this is a special place the moment I stepped on campus," said Kopunek. I want to thank Robert Vowels Jr., Teri Kromrei, and especially Steve Corder for their belief in me and my vision for the program. I am fully committed to building a program where our men's soccer student-athletes are competing for Horizon League championships and excelling in all aspects of life off the field as well."
The past four-plus seasons at Bowling Green have been an incredible experience," added Kopunek. "I am indebted to Eric Nichols for giving me the opportunity to coach and grow while on staff. I leave with so many great memories on the field and off. Lastly, I would like to thank all the players I have been lucky to coach so far in my career. All of you have made an impact on me and challenged me to be a better coach each day."
During Kopunek's four-year tenure at Bowling Green, the Falcons compiled an overall record of 37-23-10 with a 13-10-5 mark in Mid-American Conference (MAC) play. BGSU advanced to the championship match of the MAC Tournament in his first year on staff in 2019, captured the program's first outright MAC regular-season title in 2020-21 and earned a berth in back-to-back NCAA Championship Tournaments in 2020-21 and 2021.
Under Kopunek's guidance, BGSU had four student-athletes earn All-MAC honors including Brendan Graves who was named Mid-American Conference co-Goalkeeper of the Year along with Joey Akpunonu and Sergi Martinez who joined Graves on the All-MAC First Team season with Alberto Anaya earning All-MAC Second Team honors following the 2022 season.
Akpunonu also became the first MLS SuperDraft first-round pick in BGSU program history as he was selected by FC Cincinnati with the 22nd overall pick.
The 2021 Fall campaign saw the Falcons post an overall record of 11-6-3 earning an at-large bid to the NCAA Championships. 10 of BGSU's 20 matches were played against teams that advanced to the national tournament and were also against teams that finished in the top-50 of the final RPI rankings.
BGSU went to Louisville for the first round of the 2021 NCAA Championships and came away with a 1-0 victory over the Cardinals which marked the program's first national tournament victory since the 1997 season. Additionally, the Falcons also won six true road matches for just the third time since the 1997 campaign.
BG ended the 2021 season ranked 30th in the final College Soccer News poll for the second consecutive season and ranked 27th (second team listed among 'receiving votes') in the final United Soccer Coaches poll.
Zach Buescher and Jacob Erlandson were named to the All-MAC First Team, while Alberto Anaya and Joey Akpunonu earned all-league second-team accolades. Anaya was named the MAC Freshman of the Year. Erlandson went on to be named to the United Soccer Coaches All-North Region First Team, with Buescher earning second-team honors and Anaya third-team accolades. Erlandson was invited to the MLS College Showcase, and was drafted by the Columbus Crew in the second round of the MLS SuperDraft.
During the 2020-21 Spring campaign, Kopunek was named to the United Soccer Coaches North Region Staff of the Year after BGSU captured the program's first outright MAC regular-season title since 1996 and participated in the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 1997 with a school-record six players named to the All-MAC Team. The 2020-21 team ended the season ranked 30th in the final College Soccer News poll and finished third in the final United Soccer Coaches North Region poll.
Prior to Bowling Green, Kopunek served as an Assistant Coach at Georgia Southern. In his lone season with the Eagles, Kopunek helped the team advance to the championship match of the Sun Belt Conference Tournament. GSU went 7-7-3 overall and 2-1-1 in conference play, tying for second in the league standings.
The Eagles ended the season ranked 75th in the RPI after being ranked as high as 69th, the best ranking in program history, during the year. Senior Javier Carbonell was named the Sun Belt's Offensive Player of the Year while sharing overall league Player-of-the-Year honors.
Kopunek joined Georgia Southern after serving as the Director of Operations and Player Personnel at Yale University where he helped the Bulldogs to a third-place finish in the Ivy League in 2017, the program's best finish since the 2005 season. Yale saw four players named to the All-Ivy League Team, and the men's soccer Bulldogs also earned an NCAA APR Public Recognition award.
Kopunek also has extensive club experience, coaching on the AC Connecticut Juniors staff as well as Maryland United FC, the Baltimore Bays Chelsea USSF Development Academy and the Fewster FC club. He also assisted with DC United game-day operations beginning in 2007.
A native of Annapolis, Md., Kopunek is a 2014 graduate of Towson University, earning a Bachelor's Degree in Business Administration with a concentration in legal studies. He also holds a USSF National C License, United Soccer Coaches Sports Performance Diploma, and a United Soccer Coaches Goalkeeping Level 1 Diploma.
