The former men’s assistant soccer coach became head coach this summer.
Drew Belcher replaced Nick Cosentino, who coached the team for 18 seasons.
Belcher said Cosentino “gave me a lot of leeway to do a lot of work that maybe a lot of head coaches might have not allowed or wanted. He gave me that freedom.”
Belcher has 15 years of coaching experience. He previously coached Chesapeake High School’s varsity boys’ soccer team from 2017 to 2021 and he is on the coaching staff of the semi-professional Christos Football Club.
Belcher said he helped lead Christos to the U.S. Open Cup qualification this spring, losing to the Richmond Kickers, 1-0 in the first round.
Belcher said he’s “super excited” to coach the Riverhawks soccer team.
“I mean, this is what I do,” Belcher said. “I coach on the outside as well … so for me to get this and land this … is a tremendous honor.”
Belcher said he hopes he can help the players become better overall and possibly take a step closer to a role in professional soccer.
“So for me, ‘How can I arm them, you know, to get to that next step and next level?’” Belcher said. “That’s my job and my expectation of that.”
Belcher is “really spoke[n] highly of,” Athletic Director Duane Herr said. “Being connected to the players, helping the players, supporting them to their goals and their next steps and focusing on academics.”