BOSTON – The Northeastern women's soccer program and head coach Ashley Phillips announced the hiring of Ron Celestin as an associate head coach on Friday, June 24. Celestin brings a wealth of collegiate coaching experience to Northeastern, having most recently served as an assistant coach at Princeton University since 1995.

"I couldn't be more pleased to welcome Ron Celestin to the Northeastern family," Phillips said. "Ron brings a great deal of experience and knowledge to our program. He will be a tremendous asset to our staff and to our player development, both on and off the field. I am extremely fortunate to have found someone of Ron's caliber to join Northeastern women's soccer." 

During his 21-year tenure with the Tigers, Celestin was heavily involved in all aspects of the program, including on-field training, recruiting, scouting, and mentoring student-athletes. Celestin helped Princeton to seven Ivy League championships and nine NCAA tournament appearances, including a run to the Women's College Cup in 2004.

In February 2005, Celestin was honored by the Princeton Public Library as one of its "Unsung Heroes," an award recognizing members of the University's African-American community "who in their own way have contributed vastly to the overall development and fiber of Princeton and the surrounding area through their profession, community service activities, and talent of their everyday lives."

Celestin has also garnered additional honors as an AFLAC Assistant Coach of the Year in 2003, an inductee of the Princeton High School Athletic Hall of Fame in 2007, and an inductee of the Mercer County Soccer Hall of Fame in 2013.

While coaching at Princeton, Celestin also managed the New Jersey Wildcats women's soccer club (W-League) from 1996-98 and served as an assistant with the team in 2008-09. Celestin was a co-founder and technical director of the FC Magic United Soccer Club, and served as the head coach of the boys' soccer team at Princeton High School from 1986-96, during which time he led the squad to a New Jersey state championship. Celestin was also involved with the New Jersey ODP program at numerous levels. 

Celestin played collegiately for West Virginia Wesleyan College–culminating his career with an NAIA national championship in 1985–before playing semi-professionally within the New York/New Jersey region.

Celestin graduated from West Virginia Wesleyan in 1985 with a Bachelor of Science in Health and Physical Education.

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