Hooks Reaches 200 Upstate Wins
10/10/2011 12:00:00 AM | Men's Soccer
Spartanburg, S.C. – In his 17th year as head coach of the USC Upstate men's soccer team, Greg Hooks not only has a wealth of experience, but a long list of accomplishments. He added to that list on Sunday when he won his 200th game on the sidelines at Upstate.
Hooks, who is in his 24th year as a head coach on the college level, has amassed a tremendous record. He has an overall record of 287-128-31 for a .678 winning percentage. Prior to coming to Upstate, he served as the head coach at the University of Charleston (W.Va.), Lees-McRae and Spartanburg Methodist. But, it is his time at Upstate where he has truly left his mark and legacy as a college coach. He owns a 200-98-25 (.658) record as the head coach of the Spartans.
"It's probably more of a reflection of the amount of time that I have been here," said Hooks. "It's also a testament to the players who have played here. I have been on the sideline watching these guys win games. Give credit where it is due. The credit goes to the players who scored the goals and won the games for us."
Inducted into the USC Upstate Athletics Hall of Fame in 2006, Hooks has coached the Spartans to unprecedented success in NCAA Division II and has navigated the program through the ranks of NCAA Division I and the Atlantic Sun Conference. In 17 years at the helm of the program, he has won more matches than any other coach in the history of the program. He coached the Spartans to two appearances in the NCAA Division II National Championship match in 1995 and 1998, six overall appearances in the NCAA Division II Tournament, four regular season Peach Belt Conference championships and six Peach Belt Conference Tournament titles. The 23-1-0 record established by the 1998 team is the best record in the history of the program and is tied with perennial Division I power Indiana for the best record in the history of the NCAA with teams with one loss.
Hooks has recruited and coached some of the greatest players in the history of the program. He has coached 12 All-Americans, 33 All-Region selections, 44 All-Conference picks and 41 All-Tournament team selections. Seven of his players have been named a conference Player of the Year and five have earned league All-Tournament MVP honors. Twelve players have signed professional contracts.
Although the transition to Division I has been a challenge at times, Hooks has seen glimpses that the team is on the right track to reestablishing the program among the conference's top teams. Two years ago, his teams won five games and tied three others. This season, Upstate has already matched the five wins from 2009. At 5-5-1 overall and 2-1-1 in the A-Sun, the Spartans not only have a legitimate shot at earning a spot in the six-team A-Sun Tournament, but also battle at the top of the conference. Upstate enters play this weekend in second place in the league with seven points.
Hooks' success is not limited to just Upstate. Hooks has built a career record of 287-128-31 (.678) having headed up the programs at Spartanburg Methodist College, Lees-McRae and the University of Charleston (W.Va.) prior to taking over at Upstate. He finished with a 12-2-1 record in one season at SMC, a 21-9-2 mark at Lees-McRae where he started the soccer program, and a 54-19-3 record at the University of Charleston. When he left the ranks of Division II, he was the second-winningest head coach of all-time. He currently ranks third all-time with a 238-62-20 (.775) record at the D-II level, having coached 16 years on the D-II level at Charleston and Upstate. He has earned conference Coach of the Year honors three times and has earned Southeast Region Coach of the Year (Division II) on three occasions.
