OUR CULTURE
North Carolina Wesleyan University’s Men’s Soccer Program is dedicated to creating and developing young men who succeed in the classroom and on the soccer field through our 3 trademark behaviors: Hard Work, Discipline and Commitment.
We are dedicated to Hard Work in the classroom, training field, and in matches. We are Disciplined in being professional in every aspect of life. We are Committed to improving ourselves, as a team and individuals on a daily basis in every aspect of life.
In the 2023 season, we followed up our 2022 Semi-Final appearance with a USA South Conference Championship Appearance and had 6 players receive All-Conference awards, as well as 1 All-Region award. We also finished with a cumulative 3.36 Cumulative GPA, once again being awarded the United Soccer Coaches' Team Academic Award.
2022 brought us our 5th trophy in 6 seasons, as we were crowned 2022 USA South Regular Season Champions. 2022 also saw 6 of our players names to the USA South All-Conference Teams as 2 players were voted to the First Team All-Conference, and 4 were voted to the Second Team All-Conference. Our Head Coach was also voted as 2022 USA South Coach of the Year. NCWU Men's Soccer also succeeded in the classroom where we finished as the highest Academic achieving Athletic team on campus, finishing with a cumulative 3.54/4.00 GPA, on our way to earning another United Soccer Coaches Team Academic Award.
OUR FACILITIES
SCALF FIELD
TRAINING FACILITY
VERNON T. BRADLEY JR. FIELDHOUSE
Adjacent to Scalf Field stands the Vernon T. Bradley Jr. Fieldhouse which houses locker rooms for our Men's Soccer, Women's Soccer, Women's Lacrosse, Football, and Softball teams, as well as our athletic training room, athletic team weight room, and coaches offices.
WEIGHT ROOM
ATHLETIC TRAINING ROOM
LOCKER ROOM
We are excited for our updated men's soccer locker room for our players. Renovated before the 2023 season, the locker room includes individualized lockers, a boot rack, seating for players, a 75" TV for team meetings and film breakdown, laundry bin for training and game kits, and equipment storage.
This locker room gives our players a nice space to call their own that they can be proud of. We have designed it to be a locker room that rivals some NCAA D1 and D2 locker room spaces. It will also set a standard of professionalism and expectations for the players as they prepare for practice and games.
PROGRAM LEGACY AND HISTORY
OUR COACHING STAFF
Head Coach
Mark Bowman
Mark Bowman was named NC Wesleyan's Head Men's Soccer Coach in April of 2022 following a brief stint as Interim Head Coach after the departure of head coach Meir Lewin. Coach Bowman was hired under Meir Lewin in August of 2021 to be the Assistant Men's Soccer Coach and Development Team Head Coach.
In his first year in charge of the NC Wesleyan Men's Soccer Program, Bowman led the team to a 9-7-1 overall record, including 6-1 conference record on the way to winning the 2022 USA South Regular Season Championship and culminating with Bowman being awarded the 2022 USA South Coach of the Year. Bowman followed that up with a USA South Championship appearance and 9-6-4 record (5-1-1 in conference) in 2023.
In 2024, Bowman led the Battling Bishops to a 9-4-4 record that included an 11-game unbeaten run, 6-game win streak and perfect 7-0-0 regular season Conference Record, culminating in the program's second Regular Season Championship in 3 years, and Bowman's second USA South Coach of the Year award in his 3 years in charge of the program as well. NC Wesleyan Men's Soccer been awarded the United Soccer Coaches Academic Team Award each of his 3 years in charge with team averaging above a 3.34 GPA each of those years.
Bowman came to NC Wesleyan from Div. III Randolph College (Va.) where he was the Recruiting Coordinator and Goalkeepers Coach. Mark spent 3 seasons with Randolph College over two stints (2018-2019, Spring 2021). During that time he helped the Wildcats improve in win percentage, retention rates, and team average GPA.
Bowman also worked as the Men’s Assistant Coach at NCAA D2 University of Mount Olive in 2020, while also serving a short time as the Men’s Soccer Interim Head Coach there as well. Prior to his time at Mount Olive, Mark was the head coach of Appomattox County High School from 2018 to 2020. During his time on staff at Appomattox, Bowman helped the program to a VA 2A State Semi-Final.
Bowman attended Liberty University where he graduated with his Bachelor's degree in Sport Management in 2015, while also serving as a student manager for their Men’s Soccer team, overseeing the development of their stats and analytics program and opponent scouting. After graduating in 2015, he remained on Liberty’s staff as a volunteer assistant through the 2015 and 2016 seasons.
Mark played soccer for the University of Valley Forge during the 2009 and 2010 seasons before joining the staff as the goalkeeper’s coach for the following two seasons.
He then spent the spring of 2012 in Guinea, West Africa as the head coach of the U-17 Boys team for F.C. Lion of Timbi Madina, while also coaching the Goalkeepers for the Men’s team.
Mark holds his USSF D-License, FA Wales C-Certificate, and United Soccer Coaches Goalkeeper 2 Diploma.
Mark and his wife, Rachel, live in Rocky Mount with their three daughters.
Assistant Coach
Cooper Hall
Cooper Hall was hired in the summer of 2022 to join Bowman's staff as Assistant Coach and Domestic Recruiting Coordinator for the Battling Bishop men’s soccer program. Hall has helped lead the program to a 18-13-4 record over his first two years as an assistant while also leading the Development team to a winning record in 2023.
Prior to his time at NC Wesleyan, Coach Hall spent the previous 3 seasons (2019-2021) as the Assistant/Goalkeeper Coach at NJCAA Louisburg College. During that time, he helped lead the team to 3 region titles, 2 district championships, and 2 national tournament appearances.
“I am very excited to be part of the NC Wesleyan coaching staff and I am looking forward to a great season,” said Hall.
“I’m really excited to have Cooper on our staff," commented Head Coach Mark Bowman. "His multiple years of experience coaching and playing at several different college levels, as well as his familiarity with the area were a huge benefit for us as we went through the hiring process. I think he will fit in very well with the NC Wesleyan community and will be a great asset to our program and the athletic department as a whole. I'm looking forward to working with him in continuing to build and develop this program to one of great national significance both on and off the field.”
A native of Heber City, UT, Hall played college soccer for Div. II Fort Lewis College (CO) in 2012 majoring in exercise science while he also played for nearby Louisburg College in NC, Daniel Webster College, and Southern New Hampshire University where he graduated with a degree in Sport Management in 2018.
Upon graduation he accepted a position at Rivier University as their Assistant/Goalkeeper Coach.
In addition to college soccer, Cooper also played for PDL team Carolina Dynamo (2014) and NPSL team Greater Lowel (2016-2017).
Coach Hall holds his USSF "D" level coaching license and enjoys biking and skiing.
Hall graduated from Wasatch High School in 2012 and was a two-year starting goalkeeper for the Wasps leading his team to a Utah state championship in 2011. He was also a two-time Utah 3A All-state member and set Utah state record with 25 career shutouts while playing club soccer for the Heber Valley Storm.
Assistant Coach
Matias Valenzuela Matic
Matias joins the NCWU Men' Soccer Staff this Spring 2025 as a Graduate Assistant Coach. Matias comes to NC Wesleyan from SUNY Courtland University, Palm Beach Atlantic, and Hobart Colelge. During his 2 seasons SUNY Courtland, Matias played in 35 games, starting 13, scoring 2 goals and assisting on 8 others. Prior to his time at SUNY Courtland, Matias played in 7 matches at NCAA D2 Palm Beach Atlantic during his junior season, and started all 17 at Hobart in 2021.
Matias brings with him NCAA Division 2 playing experience, as well as NCAA Division 3 National Tournament experience in his 2 years at SUNY Courtland, including a 2023 Third Round appearance.
Originally from Chile, Matias also brings a great worldview to help our staff continue to reach our international student-athletes for a high quality experience. He will also be getting his Masters' Degree in Strategic Leadership during his time here.
NCWU CAMPUS
North Carolina Wesleyan University, a private institution affiliated with The United Methodist Church, prepares students for professional advancement, life-long learning, and responsible participation in their communities. The University provides degree programs and other educational opportunities for residential, commuting and adult students.
The liberal arts are the foundation of Wesleyan’s curriculum for all undergraduate degree programs. Instruction emphasizes critical thinking, analytical reasoning, reading, writing, speaking, making informed ethical decisions and using new information technologies. Students choose from a variety of majors, all of which help prepare students for rewarding personal lives, good citizenship and productive careers.
NCWU provides opportunities that are personal, practical and purpose-driven to help you unlock your potential as a student athlete and accomplish your goals in life.
HISTORY
It all started with a group of approximately 100 Rocky Mount citizens. Their foresight, determination and financial backing convinced members of the North Carolina Annual Conference of The United Methodist Church to help Rocky Mount meet the area’s need for higher education.
On May 14, 1956, the North Carolina Annual Conference of The United Methodist Church met in Goldsboro and approved a petition from the people of Rocky Mount to locate a four-year, liberal arts college in their community. In early September, the first trustees established temporary headquarters in the Ricks Hotel. The first trustees were elected and one of the first actions of the Board was to name the institution North Carolina Wesleyan College, in the tradition of Methodist higher education that honors the founders of Methodism, John and Charles Wesley. The College was officially chartered by the State of North Carolina on October 25, 1956.
In 1960, 92 students enrolled in the first class at North Carolina Wesleyan College. The first yearbook, North Carolina Wesleyan, was published in 1962 with a very moving dedication to the city of Rocky Mount, North Carolina.
Capital investments totaling approximately $2 million made possible the construction of the main buildings on the 200- acre site donated by the M. C. Braswell heirs of Rocky Mount, and four years later, 92 students enrolled in the first class at North Carolina Wesleyan College. In 1964, 33 students received their degrees at the College’s first Commencement.
Since those early days, nearly 9,000 students have earned bachelor’s degrees in the arts and sciences. Alumni from Rocky Mount, neighboring communities, numerous states and many foreign countries affirm Wesleyan’s value as an important institution of higher education in Eastern North Carolina.
Becoming a University
In April 2022, the North Carolina Wesleyan College Board of Trustees announced plans for the College to become North Carolina Wesleyan University. Since 2015, the College has been moving in this direction with the addition of its first two master’s programs, a key component of being considered a university.
Some of the criteria that were considered when changing the name to “university” included: serving adult students, offering professional programs, offering graduate programs, serving a large percentage of international students and having multiple instructional locations. Despite this update to Wesleyan’s name, its values remain the same:
- To provide one-on-one mentoring opportunities for students with faculty and staff to align their passions with their future career and life aspirations.
- To provide career and research opportunities to all students to enhance their marketability and skills beyond college.
- To create world citizens with vast educational and hands-on experiences to be competent, intelligent, and competitive in a changing world.
- To provide adult students with applied learning assignments and flexible instructional formats to advance their career and life goals.
WHY WESLEYAN?
LIVE. EAT. PLAY
Hardee's Blue & Gold Cafeteria
We are proud to offer a dining program complete with signature brands and menu selections that include just about every item you can imagine. Featuring a wide variety of fresh food designed to satisfy everyone’s appetite with food choices to rival your favorite restaurants.
- Hot breakfast bar
- Fresh baked pastries
- Fresh fruit and salads
- Delicious, hot, home-style entrées
- Freshly baked pizza
- Ice cream and freshly baked desserts
- Homemade soups
- International entrees
- And you can enjoy “all you care to eat”
Food Lab
Located in the Hartness Student Center, FoodLab Dining Services brings a rotation of and variety of cuisines throughout the school year, including Mexican, barbecue, American, and plant-forward cuisines. Students have a voice to choose future menu rotations.
Bishop Bistro
Bishop Bistro (formerly Internet Café) menu includes grab-n-go food items for students on the run. Evening hours are offered during the week. Our menu includes breakfast pastries, grab-n-go sandwiches and salads, bottled drinks and snacks. We also feature a full line of Starbucks coffee and espresso drinks.
Hartness Student Center
Athletics
NC Wesleyan competes with 16 athletic programs and as a member of the USA South Athletic Conference and the NCAA Division III, we provide opportunities for active, sports-minded students to compete, grow, and excel, both athletically and academically.
With well-equipped training facilities, coaches that care, and a winning tradition that includes two college World Series championships, the Wesleyan athletic program is a force to be reckoned with in Division III.
As an institution, NC Wesleyan has won:
- 2 NCAA DIII National Championships (Baseball - '89, '99)
- 85 USA South Regular Season Championships
- 76 NCAA Tournament Appearances
- 51 USA South Tournament Championships
- 2 USA South Conference Championships in 2023-24