The Ocean City Nor'easters are excited to welcome a familiar face back to the Beach House for the 2022 USL League Two (USL2) season. Kevin Nuss, who has spent seven seasons with the Nor'easters in a variety of roles, including head coach and sporting director in 2019, will return to Ocean City as the team's head coach.

Nuss, a Logan Township, N.J. native, is currently in his first season as head coach of the Indian Hills Community College men’s soccer program, having accepted the position in July of 2021.

"Ocean City has always been a big part of my life, so returning to the club feels like coming home," said Nuss. "I have a lot of respect for the history of this club and for everyone who has sacrificed to build its success, so it’s very special to me to be leading the club into its 25th season.”

Nuss will replace Alan McCann who is stepping down after a very successful 2021 season that saw the club win 10 games, and qualify for the playoffs for the first time since 2016. McCann continues to work as an assistant coach at Palm Beach Atlantic, and is a member of the technical staff for the Colorado Switchbacks FC (USL Championship) in addition to being the Eastern Conference director for the United Soccer League's Scouting Network.

Kevin Nuss, as head coach of the Ocean City Nor'easters in 2019, coaches from the bench in a game against the Long Island Rough Riders at Carey Stadium in Ocean City, N.J. Photo: Dave O'Sullivan | Glory Days Magazine

"As a staff, we are proud of our time spent in Ocean City with the players and thank them again for their consistent hard work," said McCann. "We are excited to see the future at the next level for many of our lads and to the next challenge and steps in our coaching careers. I wish Kevin and his staff the best of luck for the future."

“We wish Alan, [and assistant coaches] Shane [Keely] and Matt [Iles] the very best as they move on to the next phase and chapter of their coaching careers,” said Nor’easters sporting director Tim Oswald. “We appreciate the energy, effort and commitment they put in last summer.”

Nuss arrived on campus at Indian Hills Community College in Ottumwa, Iowa (about 85 miles southeast of Des Moines) two weeks before the team’s preseason camp and is charged with building the Warriors’ program into a national power at the NJCAA Division I level.

“I have a big job at Indian Hills but there is no doubt in my mind that my efforts in Ocean City will push the program forward,” said Nuss.

Prior to being hired at Indian Hills, Nuss built Camden College into a national championship contender. During his three seasons in charge of the Cougars, he boasted an incredible 41-5-2 record, won three straight regional championships and qualified for the national tournament all three years. In 2019, he led the Cougars to the NJCAA final four, and in 2020, the team reached the national championship game, where they fell short, 1-0 to Richland College.

Nuss originally joined the Nor’easters in 2011, starting out as an assistant coach before being named associate head coach in January of 2014 under head coach Tim Oswald. In addition to his role as associate head coach, Nuss was named general manager a few months later.

In his time with Ocean City from 2011-16, the club won two division titles (2012, 2013) and reached the national final four twice (2013, 2016). Nuss also recruited a number of talented players who moved on to play the game at the next level. In total, 55 players during that span moved on to sign professional contracts. Some of the players include two players that won the league's most valuable player award. 2016 USL2 MVP Chevaughn "Chevy" Walsh, who later signed with the Pittsburgh Riverhounds (USL Championship), now plays professionally in Vietnam. 2019 USL2 MVP Deri Corfe re-wrote the Nor'easters record book before moving on to play for the New York Red Bulls 2 (USL Championship) and is now one of the top scorers for FC Tucson of USL League One. As a former goalkeeper himself, Nuss also helped continue the club's tradition of recruiting excellent goalkeepers, including Logan Ketterer (El Paso Locomotive FC), one of the top netminders in the USL Championship and current MLS players John McCarthy (Inter Miami CF) and Tyler Miller (Minnesota United FC).

Kevin Nuss coaches from the sidelines as head coach of Indian Hills Community College during the fall of 2021 season. Photo: IHCC Athletics

“Kevin is the perfect match for our franchise,” said Oswald. “He has been part of some fantastic teams here in the past in a number of roles. Someone that has invested that much time in their career in one spot in an array of roles has the same passion for the club that we share. He understands the quality we need from a player standpoint to be successful in USL League Two. He has proven that he can recruit and win at this level. He has an outstanding relationship with our management and technical team and recognizes just how important our relationship is with the city. He will do an exceptional job leading the squad moving forward.”

Nuss left the Nor’easters after the 2016 season to take a job as the general manager of the Cedar Stars Academy where he was able to work with U.S. National Team legend, and current Houston Dynamo (MLS) head coach Tab Ramos.

After working with the Cedar Stars Academy, Nuss returned home to Camden County College, the school where he was a standout goalkeeper during his playing days. While accepting the head coaching job with the Cougars during the college season, Nuss also returned to the Nor'easters during the summer where he took the job as Sporting Director.

After helping put together the roster for the 2019 Ocean City team as sporting director, head coach Tim Oswald announced that he would be suddenly stepping down due to a medical condition. Nuss stepped right in and led the Nor'easters to a winning season (6-3-5), an unbeaten home record (5-0-2)  and a second place finish in the very competitive Mid-Atlantic Division. Nuss also coached the team in a competitive postseason friendly with European powerhouse SL Benfica (Portugal).

“Kevin was an easy choice to lead the team for the 2022 season,” said Nor’easters general manager Giancarlo Granese Jr. “He is very familiar with USL League Two and knows what it takes to put a winning team together. With a familiar face back at the coaching helm we are looking for a smooth transition and can't wait to get the ball rolling.”

Nuss will join an experienced front office staff that features two former Ocean City head coaches who both have tremendous recruiting records and also know what it takes to win in the highly competitive USL League Two.

"We are very happy to have Kevin back as the head coach for our 25th season," said Nor'easters president Giancarlo Granese Sr. "Kevin is absolutely the right fit along with sporting director Tim Oswald and technical director John Thompson. We are thrilled to have them leading us in 2022 and we will provide the coaching staff with all the tools available to have a winning season.

The 2022 campaign will mark the Nor'easters' 25th season as a franchise (the last 19 in USL League Two). The season will begin in May with the club playing their home games at Carey Stadium (“The Beach House”) in Ocean City, N.J., America’s Greatest Family Resort.