The men’s soccer team will add another accomplished former player to its staff when Dan DeMasters joins the team as an assistant coach in for the 2010 season.
“Dan was an outstanding attacking player and has played at a very high level,” Head Coach Mark Wagner said. “We look forward to the insights we believe he will be able to share with our forwards and midfielders.”
DeMasters honed his skills in his native Lancaster before attending Villanova University. As a teenager, he won a national championship with his club team, FC Delco, and had the chance to play in Austria, France, Germany and Spain. DeMasters’ skills later earned him a position on a Regional All-Star team for a game against the U18 national squad, where he was named the game’s MVP.
More awards followed in high school, including three NSCAA All-America selections. In his senior year, DeMasters was named the 2004 Pennsylvania Gatorade Player of the Year.
At Villanova, DeMasters enjoyed a successful first year, during which he was selected to third team All-Big East. The rest of his time in college were marked by numerous injuries, but he still managed to serve as co-captain in his senior year alongside current Eastern assistant coach Joey Taylor.
“I’ve played overseas, and I think I have a nice understanding of the game, so I hope I can draw on those things to help the team out,” DeMasters said. “I love everything Eastern stands for. They’ve got a [soccer] program in the making. With the coaching staff that’s there, I know they can be successful.”