Socrates Nicolaidis coached the women's soccer team from 2019-22. He stepped down from his position 10 games into the 2022 campaign.
Nicolaidis's first year at the helm was one to remember as he led the Rams to a 15-6 record and their fourth CACC Championship in program history. He was selected the CACC Coach of the Year for his work. Erin Tinneny and Laural Erick were chosen the CACC Goalkeeper and Rookie of the Year respectively. Tinneny earned All-Region honors along with MaryKate Ulmer and Payton Cole. The Rams cracked the program's all-time top ten in points, goals, assists, goals against average, wins, and shutouts in a single season. Jefferson posted a school-record 11-game win streak during the campaign.
Jefferson ran it back during the abbreviated 2020 campaign, which was played in the spring of 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, capturing its second straight CACC title and finishing with a 7-1 record. The Rams' .875 winning percentage was a single-season program record. Jefferson would have qualified for the NCAA Tournament for the second year in a row but the national playoffs were cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The Rams did, however, end the year ranked eighth in the nation according to the United Soccer Coaches, their highest national ranking since they were slotted sixth on September 8, 2003.
In 2021, Jefferson completed the three-peat, claiming its third consecutive CACC Championship with a 2-0 shutout of Wilmington. With the return of the NCAA Tournament, the Rams showed they belonged among the elite of the East Region. In the opening round, Jefferson had a hard-fought battle with Saint Anselm, resulting in a scoreless draw. However, the Rams advanced via a thrilling penalty kick shootout, moving on to the second round for just the second time in program history. Next was the top seed in the region, Saint Rose. Jefferson hung tough with the Golden Knights and Laural Erick potted the tying goal in the 86th minute to even the score at one and send it to overtime. Again, the Rams headed to penalty kicks but it was not meant to be as Saint Rose advanced and the Golden Knights would go on to lose in overtime in the national championship game. The all-out effort by Jefferson capped a 12-5-3 campaign.
Nicolaidis joined the Rams' staff as an assistant coach for the 2018 campaign, in which Jefferson finished 7-10-1 and reached the CACC quarterfinals. He took over for George Dunbar, who retired after posting a 225-140-42 record (.604) in 20 seasons. It is Nicolaidis' second stint with the school after serving on the staff in 2009-10 as a specialist coach.
Nicolaidis's coaching experience spans over three decades and two continents. He is especially proud of the work he has done in raising the technical and tactical standards of play for amateur youth players and professional soccer organizations in the United States and Australia. Socrates has coached and guided over 150+ female student-athletes during his time in the United States, having moved here in 1999.
Nicolaidis was the founder and head coach of the Youth Soccer Alliance. In operation from 2002-2013, Youth Soccer Alliance was a company that trained and coached numerous clubs throughout Central and Southern New Jersey, providing these clubs and their players professional age-appropriate training to which they might not otherwise have access.
He also was the founder and director of the South Jersey United FC. SJUFC was created to fill a void in South Jersey (considered a hotbed of youth soccer in the USA) for an organization that focused exclusively on the development of the area's top female soccer players. The club comprised of U13, U14, U20 and senior teams that competed in the WPSL.
As a player himself, in 1977, Nicolaidis became the youngest player (15 years, 360 days) to play a professional game for South Melbourne FC, a record which still stands today. He was also a five-year starter for Victorian Youth State Teams in the national championships from 1974-79, captain of South Melbourne FC Youth Teams from 1974-79, a member of the Australian National U20 Team in 1979, all before receiving a scholarship to attend the Australian Institute of Sport Football Program in 1981.
A native of Melbourne, Australia, Nicolaidis and his wife, Donna, have lived in New Jersey since 1999 and they have five children and five grandchildren.
Coaching Licenses
FFA A License Part A (2016)
FFA B License (2015)
FFA C License (2013)
US Club Soccer Director of Coaching License (2010)
USSF National Youth License (2004)
USSF B License (2000)
Australian Soccer Federation Level 3 Coaching License (1996)
Australian Soccer Federation Level 2 Coaching License (1994)Â
| Socrates Nicolaidis Coaching Record |
| Year |
School |
Record |
Pct. |
Postseason |
| 2019 |
Jefferson |
15-6 |
.714 |
CACC Champions/NCAA First Round |
| 2020 |
Jefferson |
7-1 |
.875 |
CACC Champions* |
| 2021 |
Jefferson |
12-5-3 |
.675 |
CACC Champions/NCAA Second Round |
| 2022 |
Jefferson |
6-3-1# |
.650 |
|
| 3-plus seasons with the Rams |
40-15-4 |
.712 |
|
| Career Record |
40-15-4 |
.712 |
|
* The 2020 season was played in the spring of 2021 and the NCAA Tournament was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic
# Nicolaidis coached the first 10 games of the 2022 season before resigning
