Men's Soccer
Maira, Sam
Sam Maira
- Title:
- Assistant Coach
- Email:
- smaira@princeton.edu
Sam Maira enters his fifth season as the goalkeeper coach at Princeton after joining the Tigers in 2021. Since then, he has helped the Tigers to an Ivy Championship (2021) and an Ivy League Tournament win (2024). He has also helped the Tigers to two NCAA tournament bids in 2021 and 2024.Â
“We are fortunate to have a coach of Sam's experience and talent in our program," said Head Coach Jim Barlow. "He is passionate about the sport and developing exceptional young men into quality soccer players. As a coach, educator and counselor, he has everything we look for from a coach at Princeton, and he is a tremendous presence for not only our goalkeepers but everyone involved with Princeton Men's Soccer."
Prior to Princeton, Maira spent the last 19 seasons as head coach at Seneca High School in New Jersey.
Since taking over at Seneca in 2002, Maira guided the Golden Eagles to four Olympic Conference championships and the 2018 South Jersey title. Maira was head girls soccer coach at Shawnee High School, where he won a South Jersey Soccer Coaches Tournament. He was also the head boys soccer coach at Riverside High School where he won four league titles to go with two South Jersey championships, and a South-Central New Jersey title. A member of the South Jersey Soccer Coaches Association Hall of Fame and the Mercer County Soccer Hall of Fame, Maira has been named Coach of The Year previously by the Burlington County Times, Philadelphia Inquirer, Courier Post and NJ.com.Â
Maira has previous collegiate coaching experiences with stints as goalkeepers coach at Rider and William & Mary. He was also the goalkeeper coach for the South Jersey Barons in the USL Pro League.
A 1980 graduate of Rutgers, Maira was a four-year letterwinner as a goalkeeper for the Scarlet Knights and captained the 1978 team. He was named to Rutgers' All-Time All-Star team which honored the top players from the 20th century in team history. As a high school keeper for Steinert High School, he was an All-State and All-County selection while helping Steinert win the 1975 state championship.
“We are fortunate to have a coach of Sam's experience and talent in our program," said Head Coach Jim Barlow. "He is passionate about the sport and developing exceptional young men into quality soccer players. As a coach, educator and counselor, he has everything we look for from a coach at Princeton, and he is a tremendous presence for not only our goalkeepers but everyone involved with Princeton Men's Soccer."
Prior to Princeton, Maira spent the last 19 seasons as head coach at Seneca High School in New Jersey.
Since taking over at Seneca in 2002, Maira guided the Golden Eagles to four Olympic Conference championships and the 2018 South Jersey title. Maira was head girls soccer coach at Shawnee High School, where he won a South Jersey Soccer Coaches Tournament. He was also the head boys soccer coach at Riverside High School where he won four league titles to go with two South Jersey championships, and a South-Central New Jersey title. A member of the South Jersey Soccer Coaches Association Hall of Fame and the Mercer County Soccer Hall of Fame, Maira has been named Coach of The Year previously by the Burlington County Times, Philadelphia Inquirer, Courier Post and NJ.com.Â
Maira has previous collegiate coaching experiences with stints as goalkeepers coach at Rider and William & Mary. He was also the goalkeeper coach for the South Jersey Barons in the USL Pro League.
A 1980 graduate of Rutgers, Maira was a four-year letterwinner as a goalkeeper for the Scarlet Knights and captained the 1978 team. He was named to Rutgers' All-Time All-Star team which honored the top players from the 20th century in team history. As a high school keeper for Steinert High School, he was an All-State and All-County selection while helping Steinert win the 1975 state championship.
2024 Princeton Men's Soccer Highlight Video
Tuesday, May 06
Princeton Athletics 2023-24 Highlights
Tuesday, June 04
2023 Princeton Men's Soccer Highlight Video
Wednesday, April 24
Men's Soccer Recap vs. Rutgers (9/1/23)
Saturday, September 02
