NEW ROCHELLE, NY – Iona College Director of Athletics Rick Cole Jr. named James Hamilton the seventh men’s soccer head coach in program history. Hamilton was promoted after serving as an assistant coach during the 2015 campaign. He was also the interim head coach following the departure of 13-year veteran Fernando Barboto.

"We are excited to have James remain at Iona College," said Cole. "James was an integral part in the program’s success last season and we look forward to its growth under his leadership. His success as both a player and a coach bodes well for the future of the program."

"I'm grateful to Rick Cole and the Iona College community for the opportunity to lead its men's soccer program," said Hamilton. "I hope to inspire great things from our student-athletes in the classroom, on the pitch and beyond. Iona has had some great success and I am looking forward to continuously pushing the high ceiling this program holds."

This past fall, Iona finished with a 10-7-3 overall record and tied for third in the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference standings with a 5-3-2 league mark. Hamilton’s experience both as a player and a coach were integral in the development of rising junior Marcos Nunez and rising sophomore Daniel Huertas, the 2015 MAAC Offensive Player and Rookie of the Year, respectively.

In addition to his role at Iona, Hamilton served as the U16 Elite and Premier Head Coach for World Class Football Club. His teams competed in the New York Eastern Development Program National Premier Leagues (EDP NPL), and several college showcases. He also lends his leadership skills as the leader of the U13 Premier team.

From 2010-2015, Hamilton mentored his alma mater, Dominican College, in both an assistant and associate head coaching role. The Chargers won the Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference tournament in 2010 and 2012 and never finished lower than third in the regular season standings during his tenure.

Hamilton also served as the Director of Coaching at the Speed Soccer Academy during the time frame. He was instrumental in the implementation of a highly competitive winter and summer program, developing full team and individual training and growth curriculums. In 2012, he oversaw the opening of a soccer specific indoor training facility to help perpetuate the growth of his coaching programs.

As a student-athlete at Dominican, Hamilton was a four-year starter and two-year captain for the Orangeburg, NY school in Rockland County. Hamilton helped to lead his team to a CACC Championship and two NCAA Division II Championship berths. In his final season, he was the recipient of the Charger Award, earned by one student-athlete a year whose character exemplifies the value of sportsmanship, teamwork, and commitment.

Hamilton’s amateur career in his native Scotland took him to three national finals including a championship with the Glasgow Amateurs FC on his third attempt. He was selected to the U18 West of Scotland Regional Team, and was awarded the Castlehead High School Club Award for Outstanding Performance in Football.

In 2004, Hamilton earned a higher national diploma in Sports Coaching with Sports Development at James Watt College in The National School of Sport in Inverclyde, Scotland. He earned his bachelor’s degree from Dominican College in 2010 in marketing management.

Hamilton has also attained his United States Soccer Federation National 'A' License in 2014 as well as several Scottish Football Association youth certifications.

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