Josh Hess has been named head women’s and men’s soccer coach at Pearl River Community College.

Hess, a native of Cincinnati, Ohio, served this past season as assistant coach under three-year head coach Patrick Hayes who recently resigned to accept the head men’s coaching position at Gulfport High School.

Hess’ hiring was unanimously approved by the PRCC Board of Trustees at June 12’s meeting.

“We’re excited about Josh being promoted to head coach,” PRCC athletic director Richard Mathis said. “He did an excellent job for us last year and I’m confident he’ll take up where we left off and keep our women’s and men’s programs as competitive as they always have been.

“The players like him and relate to him and, above all, he has a excellent background in soccer as a player and a coach.”

Hess holds a bachelor’s degree in sports medicine from Mt. Vernon Nazarene University and a master’s in accounting from the University of Cincinnati.

He played collegiately at SUNY Fredonia in Fredonia, N.Y., and at Mt. Vernon Nazarene. In the five years prior to his arrival at Pearl River, Hess coached club soccer with the Lakota and North Kentucky soccer clubs and also coached for both the Kentucky and Ohio South Olympic Development Programs.

In addition, Hess holds the National Youth License, the NSCAA Advanced National Diploma, and the USSF National “B” Coaching License.

Hayes’ women’s and men’s teams at PRCC qualified for the MACJC State Tournament in all three years under his leadership, while the Lady Wildcat squad won the MACJC championship in 2005. He compiled a 65-19-6 record in his three years at Pearl River.