Stetson University hired Cristian Neagu as its new men's soccer coach, deputy athletics director Alicia Queally announced on Thursday afternoon.
Neagu spent the previous two seasons as an assistant and recruiting coordinator at North Carolina, helping the Tar Heels reach the NCAA College Cup twice. In his tenure in Chapel Hill, North Carolina posted a 31-7-5 record.
Neagu inherits the job from Kyle Gookins, who resigned on Nov. 15 due to personal reasons. Gookins was named the ASUN Conference Coach of the Year as Stetson went 7-7-2 and won its first regular-season conference title since 2006.
"We were looking for an individual that could continue to capitalize on the recent team success, yet was also committed to and excited about the team and Stetson," said Queally, a University of North Carolina graduate. "Cristian was near the top of our list throughout the hiring process. I believe he is the most prepared and passionate candidate to have both immediate and long-term success."
As recruiting coordinator, Neagu played a key role in bringing in the nation's No. 2 signing class in 2017, according to Top Drawer Soccer and College Soccer News.
The Romanian-born Neagu was a part of back-to-back Colonial Athletic Association championship teams at Virginia Commonwealth, graduating in 2006. He's also made one previous head coaching stop in Florida, spending two years (2014-15) at Eckerd College, a Division II program in St. Petersburg.