Niko Gkionis

Niko Gkionis

Niko Gkionis enters his fourth season as an assistant coach with the men’s soccer team at his alma mater.  Gkionis has helped lead the team to 18, 18, and 17 win seasons over the past three years, capturing Empire 8 Conference titles in each season and advancing in the NCAA Tournament. 

“Having Niko on board has been great not only for me but the players as well,” head coach Devin Rensing said.  “He is a great soccer mind, and having played professionally overseas he has many different experiences to share with the guys. We have the same philosophy on not only how soccer should be played but the approach you take to each practice and game. He has intimate knowledge of the New Jersey soccer scene and I look forward to Niko continuing to help me in all facets of the program.”

Since Gkionis joined the coaching staff, the Ducks have further solidified their status as a perennial Top 5 program in Division III, ranking as high as No. 4 in the nation in 2011 and No. 5 in 2012.  Gkionis has coached 32 All-Empire 8 honorees,11 NSCAA All-Region selections, three ECAC All-Stars and two All-Americans. 

Defense dominated on the 2013 team as Rensing's squad outscored their opponents 55-9 while allowing more than one goal just once. The Ducks went undefeated in the Empire 8 before reaching the second round of the NCAA Tournament, and housed the conferences player of the year in Carson Pryor. 

The 2012 squad reached the Round of 16 in the NCAA Championship behind a nine-game scoreless streak to end the season in which the Ducks did not give up a goal for over 1,000 minutes.  The team would finish the season with 14 total shutouts and rank third in the nation in goals-against average (.040), having allowed more than one goal only once all season, in a 7-2 victory over Wilkes University.

In Gkionis’ first year, the team reached the quarterfinals of the NCAA Championship for the first time since the program’s national final runner-up finish in 2008.  Stevens ended the season on an 18-game unbeaten streak over which the Ducks posted 16 straight wins and a +28 goal difference.

A 2007 graduate of Stevens, Gkionis was named First Team All-America while leading the team to an undefeated 17-0-3 record and Round of 16 appearance in the NCAA Championship, scoring nine goals and making eight assists despite playing primarily in defense to cap one of the most decorated careers in program history.

He went on to play professionally with MEAP Nisou of the Cyprian Second Division during the 2007-08 season, making 23 appearances and scoring three goals.  He also went on trial with Crew Alexandra F.C., Accrington Stanley F.C. and Barnsley F.C in England before moving on to R.R.F.C. Montegnée of the Belgian Promotion D in 2008-09, where he scored four goals over 26 matches.  Gkionis moved up two divisions to the EXQI League with R.F.C. de Liége for the 2009-10 season, with whom he scored once in 13 games before being traded to Excelsior Veldwezelt and going on to score five times in just 13 matches.  He has also trialed with St. Mirren F.C. of the Scottish Premier League.