Assistant Coach Joe Banks (2nd season)High School: Edgewood/Winslow Township
College: Drexel University (2007)
Major: Civil Engineering
Joe Banks returns for his second season with the Rutgers-Camden coaching staff this fall, adding another chapter to an impressive soccer resume that includes a four-year career at Drexel University, six years with the Ocean City Barons and extensive coaching experience.
Over the years, Banks has competed with and against players who have moved on to play in the English Premier League, the French Ligue 1, the United States Men’s National Team and Major League Soccer.
During his four seasons at Drexel (2002-05), Banks was a three-year starter and collected six goals and two assists from his center back position. He served as the Dragons’ captain during his senior season, when he was honored as a Philadelphia Soccer Seven All-Star.
Banks went on to a fine PDL career with the Ocean City Barons (now called the Nor’easters) from 2004-09, where he ranks second on the program’s career list for games played (71) and minutes (6,097). He led the team in minutes during both the 2006 and 2008 seasons, captained the squad from 2007-09 and was a member of Ocean City’s undefeated 2004 team. A multiple-time member of the PDL Team of the Week, he also was a member of the Barons’ historic Open Cup run that ended against D.C. United in 2009.
During his scholastic days at Edgewood/Winslow Township High School (the school changed names during his career), Banks earned All-Conference, All-Group 3 and 4, and All-South Jersey honors. He was named to the Philadelphia Inquirer All-South Jersey First Team as a senior, when he also served as his team captain.
A soccer player from a young age, Banks played club soccer as a youth on the first South Jersey Barons team. He eventually branched into coaching, gaining his first experience with the South Jersey Elite Barons in 2007. He holds his National USSF “D” license and is a National Soccer Coaches Association of America and US Club Soccer member. He has coached many players who have gone on to play at all levels of collegiate soccer, coached state ODP players and has led teams to National Y-League finals, US Club National Finals and State Cup semifinals and finals.
Banks received his degree in Civil Engineering from Drexel in 2007. He currently works as a Project Manager for the Delaware Valley Regional Planning Commission (DVRPC) in Philadelphia, managing non-traditional projects such as trails and streetscapes for PennDOT.
