The Eastfield women’s soccer program hired new coach Paul Tate earlier this month. Tate’s arrival comes after previous head soccer coach Dustin Stein resigned to take a job an assistant coach at the University of Pittsburgh.

Tate said he liked the opportunity to return to his home state and challenge himself with a strong women’s team at a Division III college.

“I want to build on the program but have my own niche,” he said.

Tate previously worked at Eastern New Mexico University as the men’s head soccer coach for three seasons. During his time there, he accumulated a 17-28-7 record during his time with the Greyhounds.

Prior to his stint at ENMU, he coached five seasons at McMurry University in Abilene with a 24-65-0 record. With the War Eagles, he won the 2012 National Christian College Athletic Association Central Region title.

“We liked the fact that he had four-year experience,” said Anthony Fletcher, director of Eastfield’s athletics program. “He was in some tough situations at McMurry and Eastern New Mexico. Not a lot of kids that want to go to Eastern New Mexico, so he had to battle that.”

Fletcher said that Tate was selected despite his losing record because he has experience coaching a higher-level team and that, unlike when he was at ENMU, the DCCCD teams have an even playing field.

“I think at the end of the day people will see this was a good hire,” Fletcher said.

Hannah Poenisch, who served as interim head coach for the spring offseason, is expected to stay on board as assistant coach.

— Compiled by Julio Vega and James Hartley