The first coach in the history of the New Haven women's soccer program, and a New Haven Athletic Hall of Famer, Joe Machnik served as the head coach for the program's first four seasons from 1993-96, during which he compiled a 39-26-3 record. His .596 winning percentage was still the best in program history as of the start of the 2019 season. Prior to joining the Chargers, he coached men's soccer on the collegiate, professional, and international levels.
He made his return to the New Haven campus after spending an earlier stint as the Director of Athletics and head coach for men's soccer and men's ice hockey. As men's soccer coach, Machnik posted an impressive 110-55-21 record from 1969-80, which represents the most wins by any UNH soccer coach as of the start of the 2019 season. He led the Chargers to the 1976 NCAA championship game before losing to Loyola 1-0, and led the Chargers to a third place finish in the 1977 NCAA Tournament. He also spent three seasons as the varsity men's soccer coach at Long Island University, leading the 1966 team to the NCAA championship game and the 1967 squad to a semifinal appearance in the NCAA Tournament.
Nationally, Machnik served as the commissioner of the American Indoor Soccer Association from 1986-88 after holding the Director of Operations and Referee in Chief positions for the AISA in 1985 and 1986. The Branford resident also spent time in the Major Indoor Soccer League as the head coach and vice president of player personnel for the New York Arrows in 1983-84. He also held administrative positions in the MISL as Director of Operations (1980-83).
Machnik was very active in the U.S. Soccer Federation, serving as an assistant coach for the U.S. Five-A-Side Team which won the bronze medal in 1989. From there, he stayed with the USSF as an assistant coach for the 1990 U.S. World Cup Team, working primarily with the goalkeepers. Machnik oversees his No. 1 Goalkeeper and Striker Camp which held sessions at over 25 sites throughout the nation each summer. His camps were cited as the top camp in America by Sports Illustrated for Kids. He also kept busy as a writer, writing two books - "So You Want To Be A Goalkeeper" and "So Now You Are A Goalkeeper" and producing three instructional video tapes.
Dr. Machnik joined the faculty as an associate professor in the department of sports management at the University of New Haven. He is a member of the New Haven Athletics Hall of Fame Class of 1987.
