Yvonna Press, who has served for the past three seasons as an assistant coach on the Massachusetts Maritime staff, has been promoted to the position of Head Women’s Soccer Coach at the Academy.  Press’s appointment, which is effective immediately, was announced today by Buccaneer Director of Athletics Garin Veris.  She takes over for Ray Cabral, who retired from the position at the end of the 2016 season after cementing himself as the winningest coach in program history.

A native of Los Angeles and a current resident of Plymouth, Mass., Press oversaw goalkeeper training and assisted Cabral in all aspects of the program’s day-to-day operations in her role as an assistant, including student-athlete recruitment and contest preparation.  She becomes the third coach in the program’s young 10-year history, as Massachusetts Maritime fielded its first varsity intercollegiate team in 2008.

“It is with great pleasure that I welcome Yvonna Press to her new role as our head women’s soccer coach at the Academy,” Veris said of Press.  “She has played a large part in the continued growth and development of our program over the last three years, and I look forward to working with her as we chart a course for greater success in the future.”

Before joining the Buccaneer staff, Press served for four years as the head girls’ soccer coach at Bourne High School, where she led the Canalmen to the MIAA Division III South championship match in her first campaign in 2008 and a second round tournament appearance in 2009.  Bourne also capped an undefeated run through the South Coast Conference in claiming the league crown during her second season on the bench.

Prior to arriving on Cape Cod, Press served as an assistant coach at the University of New Hampshire during the 2007 campaign, as she helped the Wildcats earn a spot in the America East championship and was part of a group that earned the conference’s Coaching Staff of the Year award that season.  Since Yvonna’s arrival on Taylor’s Point in 2014, Massachusetts Maritime has increased its overall victory total each season and last fall established the program’s single-season high water mark for wins.  Press also played a major role in the development of four-time all-conference and all-regional honoree Katie Levesque, who holds every school goalkeeping record.

A 2002 graduate of Jacksonville University, Press served as a two-year captain for the Division I Dolphins and went on to play at the semi-professional level in Tampa Bay.  She earned a master’s degree from New Hampshire in 2008 while serving on the Wildcats’ coaching staff.

“I’m honored to be taking on my new role as the head women’s soccer coach at the Academy,” Press said of her appointment.  “I’ve witnessed firsthand the growth and development of the program over the last three years as an assistant, and I look forward to building upon our successes and competing at a higher level.” 

The Buccaneers are scheduled to begin the Yvonna Press era on Saturday, September 2^nd when Massachusetts Maritime hosts Becker in a non-league match at Clean Harbors Stadium at 1:00 p.m. EDT.