NORTH DARTMOUTH, Mass.- The top assistant coach on the University of Massachusetts Dartmouth men's soccer staff is the Corsairs' new head coach.

Henry Almeida, who served as an assistant coach under former head coach Ray Cabral in each of the past two seasons, has been named head coach. Cabral resigned in June to accept positions as the production manager for Yard Boss, a landscape design company, and as the director of coaching and player development for Cape Cod Reunited, which a member of the Massachusetts Premier League.

Almeida's tenure included serving as an assistant when UMass Dartmouth went 12-4-1 last season, the most successful season in Cabral's seven-year tenure as head coach. Prior to joining the Corsairs, Almeida was the head boys' soccer coach at Old Rochester Regional High School for two years. He was the head coach of the freshmen at Dartmouth High School between 1996 and 2002, and the head junior varsity coach and assistant varsity coach for the Indians for the following two seasons.

In addition, Almeida was head coach of the Storm soccer club in the MAPLE (Massachusetts Premier League) Division I in 2005, head coach of the Nor'easter soccer club in the same division between 2003 and 2005, and coached the St. Michael's soccer club to under-16 boys' South Coast League championships in 2001 and 2002.

A native of Dartmouth, Almeida was a four-year starter at Dartmouth High School as a central defender (sweeper), serving as a team captain before his graduation in 1991. He was named Eastern Athletic Conference Player of the Year as a senior, was named to the Eastern Massachusetts All-Star Team, and also earned All-State accolades from the Boston Globe and was named All-Region by the New Bedford Standard-Times and the Providence Journal.

Almeida played a year of collegiate soccer at Merrimack College, and transferred to UMass Dartmouth and played another year under Head Coach Jim Cook before opening up his own business. He continued his playing career until an injury sustained while playing in a men's soccer league opened the door to coaching.

At Old Rochester Regional, Almeida took a team that was 2-16 his first season and guided them to a 9-9 mark in his second year, and ORR advanced to the state finals and lost in a penalty kick shootout the next year. By that time, he had begun his collegiate coaching career.

"I was approached by Ray (Cabral), and coaching at the next level had always been a goal of mine," said Almeida. "Ray asked me to join the staff, and it worked out well."

Almeida is pleased with his promotion. "I would like to thank (Director of Athletics) Ian (Day) and the search committee for having faith in me," said Almeida. "I'm very excited about the opportunity to be the head coach. The level of players we have been able to attract has risen steadily, and with our great academics and great facilities, I'm looking forward to seeing us continue to improve. The facts that our school is very affordable and the academics are good are reflects in the caliber of players we are able to attract."

"I am very pleased that Henry Almeida is our new head coach," said Day. "Our student-athletes will enjoy playing for Henry. He also played a major role in the success of our team last year, and I felt that it was important to have someone who could continue to build upon that success."

Almeida also serves as a business development representative for Polar Beverage of Avon, MA. He is married (Danielle) and he and his wife are the proud parents of a two-month old girl, Sydney Ann.

                                                  UMASS DARTMOUTH SOCCER