NEWARK – Former Rutgers University Director of Women’s Soccer Operations and veteran PDA clinician/coach Bill Bustamante has been named the head women’s soccer at Rutgers-Newark by Director of Athletics Mark Griffin.
“I’m very excited about this great opportunity, and having the opportunity to bring my passion and knowledge to the Scarlet Raider program,” Bustamante said.
“Rutgers-Newark is a great school with a tremendous environment for student-athletes. I want to continue to build on the foundation to bring an exciting, winning brand of soccer to the campus.”
The New Jersey resident has deep roots in soccer as a player and instructor in the region, having played from prep school through college in the state before starting a six-year playing career here. He played with the New Jersey Dragons of the USISL Professional League (1992-94) before competing with Olmedo in the first division of the Ecuadorian Professional League (1996-98).
The native of Ecuador, who just finished his second season as director of operations for the Scarlet Knights’ women’s program, takes the reins of a Scarlet Raider program which will be entering its 11th varsity season.
The founder of B’Elite Player Development, he has extensive coaching experience in the state. He has served as an ODP staff coach for Under 15 Girls for the past year. He helped the PDA Clash Under 13 Girls to a 2007 state title and the PDA Power Under 18 Girls to the state championship in 2008. A program staff member of the Id2 national Identification Development program in 2007, he served as the director of coaching for the Kearny Thistle Football Club from 207 to 2009.
From 2004 to 2006, he served as technical director of the Parsippany Soccer Club – running competition for 16 boys and girls teams while directing training camps for boys and girls from Under 9 to Under 17 age groups.
He helped coach the highly-success Parsippany Storm Under 15 to Under 17 Girls to a string of regional championships from 2005 through 2006, including SYL National Finalist appearances in both years. He also coached the Parsippany Jaguars Under 13 and Under 14 Girls.
A freshman All-American at Montclair State, Bustamante transferred to NCAA Division I Monmouth University where he was a two-time All-Northeast Conference selection. He played scholastic soccer a nearby St. Benedict’s Prep, making the all-state squad twice for the nationally recognized program.