Jim Cook

Favorite destination(s): Aruba, Danube River, Germany

Jim Cook graduated from the University of Rhode Island. He played soccer for four years and was the team captain in his senior year. He was also on the varsity baseball team for four years. Upon graduating, he taught at Tiverton High School (RI), where he established the soccer program. His teams won two state championships, numerous league and county titles, and two "Coach of the Year" awards. In 1989, he was inducted into the Rhode Island Soccer Coaches Association Hall of Fame, and in 1995, he was inducted into the New England Hall of Fame.

He earned an Advanced National Coaching Diploma from the United Soccer Coaches Association of America, where he also served as an associate staff coach. He holds a license from the United States Soccer. He is a former coach with the Rhode Island Olympic Development Program. In 1990, he was appointed head men's soccer coach at Roger Williams University. In 1993, he joined the UMass Dartmouth program, where he remained for three years, earning Coach of the Year honors in 1994.

He returned to RWU in 1997 and was appointed as the Director of Intramurals and Recreation and head soccer coach again. Over the next 12 years, the team won six conference championships, in addition to two ECAC New England championships. In those eight consecutive championship years, the Hawks won six conference and two ECAC championships with an overall record of 131-38-15. He was awarded Coach of the Year by the conference five times.

His 1999 RWU squad became the first team in school history to qualify for the Division III National tournament. In 2012, that team was inducted into the RWU Hall of Fame. His team advanced to the New England Regionals in 2000 and 2001. In 2004 and 2005, they advanced to the second round of the NCAA national tournament. They returned to the NCAA tournament in 2013 for the seventh time. Additionally, in 2013, they concluded the season ranked in the top 25 nationally.

Overall, his teams have produced 7 All-Americans, 37 All-New England selections, 18 Academic All-New England honorees, and 114 All-Conference selections—Coach Cook's overall career record of 477-267-112.