Coaching Staff
Head Coach
Nicholas DeMarsh, sixth year
demarsna@buffalostate.edu
Assistant Coaches
Lew Potter, Steve Malaney, Kenneth Voght, Dave Matthews
Nicholas DeMarsh is in his sixth year as the head coach of Buffalo State’s women’s soccer program that has begun to turn the corner, posting back-to-back winning seasons for the first time since 1984 and 1985. DeMarsh has an overall record of 38-46-8 in five years at the helm.
DeMarsh took the head job with the women’s team after spending three years as an assistant with the men’s program. He first started as an assistant with the men’s program in 1997 and was a part of the last Bengals team to qualify for the postseason in 1998. After a two-year hiatus, he returned to the program under Coach Rudy Pompert last season. His additional coaching experience includes 13 years tutoring boys and girls at Joe Macknick No. 1 Striker Camps, and has also served as a coach of under-16 and under-17 girls club teams. He led the Buffalo-Niagara Soccer Club U17 girls to an appearance in the 2004 US Club Soccer National Championship. In 2006, his Buffalo United Soccer Club U16 Girls Elite team won the New York State West State Cup Championship and qualified for the USYSA Region One Championships. He is also a member of the Olympic Development Staff - New York State West.
During his playing days, DeMarsh competed on the men’s soccer team at Buffalo State for four seasons in the early 1990’s, earning All-SUNYAC honors for three consecutive years and team MVP honors as a junior. Following his successful collegiate career, he spent one season with the Capital City District Alleycats of the United Soccer League.
DeMarsh, who earned his bachelor’s degree from Buffalo State in 1996, also has his NYS Provisional Certification in Art Education as well as his USSF B Coaching License. He is the the ninth head coach in the program’s 25-year history, and will look to lead the Bengals to their second SUNYAC postseason appearance under his direction.
DeMarsh also serves as the school’s fitness center coordinator. A native of Middletown, NY, he is single and currently resides in Buffalo.
Assistant Coach Lew Potter
Lew Potter is in his second year as assistant coach at Buffalo State. His 18 years of coaching experience includes success at various levels: Club, Premier, High School, College, and ODP teams. He has worked with various camps in the WNY area, including the Buffalo Blizzard Camps in the late 90’s and is currently the Director of Coaching and Tournament Director for Hamburg Soccer Club and Head Coach of the Buffalo United U15 Girls team. Potter won individual and team accolades during his collegiate career at Baldwin-Wallace College in Ohio where he earned his bachelor’s degree, before returning to the Buffalo area to begin his coaching career. He served as one of the first coaches in the history of Medaille College where as Coaching Director of Men’s and Women’s soccer led both teams to their conference championships in only his third season at the helm. Lew holds a NSCAA National Diploma, National Youth Diploma, and NSCAA Director of Coaching Diploma.
Assistant Coach Steve Malaney
Steven joins the Bengals staff this season with a wealth of coaching experience. The Director of Coaching with Niagara PAL Summer Soccer, he has coaached several local youth boys and girls teams, and was also the head girls varsity coach at Niagara Catholic for two years. In addition, he has worked with Joe Macknik’s No. 1 Camps as a goalkeeping instructor, and has served as the technical director of goalkeeping at the "Top Level Soccer" Training Center in N. Tonawanda. A native of Niagara Falls, NY, he played collegiate soccer at Hiram College in Ohio, and was named the NPALSL Sportsman of the Year in 2002.
Assistant Coach Ken Voght
Ken Voght enters his fifth season as an assistant for the Bengals, following a five-year tenure as a coach for Kenmore East High School. He possesses USSF D Coaching License, and has 22 years of coaching experience, eight of which were at the premier level. Voght also serves as the director of the Upstate Women’s League, and coaches the KenTon Ambush, three-time league champions. He and his wife Patti reside in Tonawanda. They have two children, Karen and Steve.
Assistant Coach Dave Matthews
Dave Matthews is in his first year as a member of the Bengal’s staff. A former high school All-American, he is responsible for providing video analysis of the Bengal’s matches to the staff and players. He has 15 years of coaching experience at all levels of youth soccer and holds a USSF C license and an NSCAA Level 2 National Goalkeeper’s diploma. In addition to his responsibilities at Buffalo State, he runs the Olympic Development program in Western New York and is a member of the Region 1 Girls ODP staff. A native of Boston, MA, Matthews graduated from Cortland State with a bachelor’s in psychology and currently lives in Rochester with his wife and three children.
