When the USL League Two season is completed, Long Island Rough Riders men’s head coach Chris Chris Megaloudis will jump into another challenge.
That’s because Megaloudis has been named the Molloy University men’s soccer head coach.
“I would like to thank Susan Cassidy-Lyke and the entire athletic department at Molloy for the immense honor of being named the new head men’s soccer coach,” Megaloudis said. “I feel incredibly lucky for the opportunity to become a Lion and continue the mission of instilling passion, dedication, and hard work into student-athletes.
“Having been a student-athlete, I know the importance of performing athletically while upholding high academic standards. Being a fellow Long Islander, I know how the success of our Molloy students affects the community at large. I look forward to bringing my passion and experience to the field and igniting a new sense of excitement and drive in our players.”
Megaloudis has directed the Rough Riders to first place in the USL League Two Metropolitan Division with a 7-1-1 record and 22 points with three matches remaining in the regular season.
At the college level, Megaloudis most recently spent two seasons as the top assistant for Adelphi University, helping the Panthers to 18 wins, two Northeast-10 Conference Tournament appearances, and one NCAA Division II Tournament appearance. He was involved in all facets of running a successful collegiate program at the NCAA level with experience in training, recruitment, scheduling, fundraising, social media, scouting, community service, and alumni relations.
“Coach Megaloudis is familiar with the East Coast Conference and East Region competition, which makes this coaching transition a perfect fit,” Molloy director of athletics Susan Cassidy-Lyke said. “Coach [Matthew] Sloan did an excellent job with the team this past year, and I look forward to coach Megaloudis building on this culture both academically and athletically. I am confident that his professional and collegiate playing and coaching experience will enable us to remain competitive and hungry for an East Coast Conference Championship.”
Prior to Adelphi, the Astoria, Queens native spent five years as the head coach of Nassau Community College’s women’s soccer squad. The Lions recorded 42 wins during his tenure, securing three NJCAA regional crowns, two district championships, and two trips to the national championship.
Megaloudis competed at the Division I level with St. Peter’s College, earning back-to-back All-Conference honors an All-Region recognition, and Stony Brook University, where he was the team’s leading goal-scorer and while securing another two All-Region distinctions.
After his collegiate career, Megaloudis competed with the Puerto Rico men’s national team, scoring nine goals and playing in several Concacaf World Cup qualifying matches. He was then signed by the New York Red Bulls in 2008, which sparked his interest in coaching.
He is the director of coaching at the Auburndale Soccer Club and has spent time on the youth level with the Massapequa Soccer Club and Eleftheria Pancyprians youth club.