Hempstead, N.Y. – Hofstra assistant men's soccer coach Gary Book was named the Glenn “Mooch” Myernick National Assistant Coach of the Year for the South Atlantic region by the National Soccer Coaches Association of America.

Book was one of eight regional winners for the award. In working with Hofstra head coach Richard Nuttall and fellow assistant coach Graham Radcliffe, the Pride went 11-6-4 and advanced to the championship round of the Colonial Athletic Association Tournament in 2012.

“I'm very proud of Gary and I'm happy to see his hard work and dedication to our program was rewarded with this prestigious honor,” Nuttall said. “Gary's been an integral part of our success and it's great to see his efforts recognized on a national level.”

Book has served as an assistant at Hofstra for the last eight seasons after joining the Pride before the 2005 season after spending the previous 13 seasons as an assistant for St. John's.

In 2012, Book helped Hofstra record its first 10-win season since 2006. Book helped the Pride to the No. 13 national ranking, a second consecutive Colonial Athletic Association championship and NCAA Tournament appearance in his first season. In 2006 he helped the squad to another CAA title and NCAA berth, including a trip to the second round. In 2010 the Pride advanced to the CAA championship game. During his Hofstra tenure, the Pride has won 55 games.

At St. John's Book was an assistant coach on the 1996 squad that captured the first national championship in Red Storm history in any sport. His teams also qualified for the NCAA Tournament in all 13 seasons of his tenure, while reaching the Sweet 16 nine times and the Final Four three times. In addition, St. John's captured five Big East regular season championships and six Big East Tournament titles.