STARKVILLE – New Mississippi State head soccer coach Nick Zimmerman has elevated Jonathan Garbar to associate head coach.
Garbar, who was named the Conference USA Coach of the Year in 2024, came to Starkville in January after serving as the head coach at FIU for three years. At FIU, he led one of the most impressive program turnarounds in recent memory, taking over a team that finished 2-15 when he arrived to a 13-5-2 record and C-USA Regular Season and Tournament Championships in 2024. In addition, he has served as an assistant coach with the Puerto Rican Women’s National Team and earned national coach of the year honors at the junior college level after guiding Monroe College to the 2014 NJCAA National Championship.
“Coach Jon has made an immediate impact since arriving (in) Starkville,” Zimmerman said. “His passion for the game, his relationships with the players and staff and his knowledge recruiting globally has already been felt. I am excited and proud to promote him to associate head coach.”
Garbar’s role at MSU is ensuring connected team play across position groups while handling the majority of international recruiting. He spent early May recruiting in Colombia at the CONMEBOL U17 World Cup Qualifiers, extending his deep recruiting ties in Central and South America.
He previously served as an assistant coach with the Puerto Rican Women’s National Team. His duties with the national squad included overseeing northeast identification and recruitment. While at Monroe College, he served as the institution’s Director for South American Recruitment from 2013-2015, and prior to that Garbar worked from 2010-2012 creating a program specifically targeted towards bringing international students to Monroe College.
FIU was Garbar’s third head coaching post. Previously, he led the programs at Division II Franklin Pierce and NJCAA Monroe College. He posted a 34-15-6 record at Franklin Pierce while winning a conference title and leading the team to the NCAA Division II Tournament. In five years at Monroe College, he rattled off a 72-7-4 record while winning the 2014 NJCAA national title.
Garbar has earned three separate coach of the year honors. He was selected as the NSCAA National Coach of the Year while at Monroe and won conference coach of the year honors at Franklin Pierce and FIU.
Philip Poe is sports editor.
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