Susan Bassett, the director of intercollegiate athletics & recreational sports at the college, announced April 15 that Patrick Ouckama ’05 has been hired as the head coach of the men’s soccer program.

Ouckama, who served as a full-time assistant coach for the Bombers last season, graduated from the college in 2005 with a degree in journalism. A four-year starter for former head coach Andy Byrne, who retired earlier in the year after 31 years at the helm of the program, Ouckama was named to the Empire 8 All-Conference teams each of his four years on the team.

Upon graduation, Ouckama played at the professional level for the Baltimore Blast, a team in the Major Indoor Soccer League. He then coached at the Westchester Soccer Academy and the Castleford Youth Soccer Club before returning to his alma mater as Byrne’s assistant.

Last season, the Bombers struggled, posting a 6–8–3 record, but made a run to the Empire 8 championship game before falling to Stevens Institute of Technology 3–0 to end their season. Byrne announced his retirement in February after accumulating a lifetime record of 301–174–58 and becoming the first men’s soccer coach at the college to reach 300 wins, which he accomplished in 2014.