Player Recruiting Contact email:
wsocrec@binghamton.edu
Having positioned Binghamton among the elite programs in the America East, Neel Bhattacharjee (pronounced BAT-uh-CHARGE-ee) enters his 10th year at the helm of Bearcats women's soccer in 2025.
Under Bhattacharjee's watch, the Bearcats have won two regular season titles in the last three years and have lost just three conference games since 2022 (15-3-6, 75%). The program has advanced to the tournament semifinals three consecutive years (and four of last five) and has a six-year string of playing postseason.
Lifted by a late-season seven-game unbeaten streak, the 2024 Bearcats hosted a playoff game and reached the America East semifinals. The team closed strong with shutouts in three of its last five games to record its third straight top-3 conference finish. Four players earned postseason honors, including two first team selections. Central midfielder Anna Buckwalter was named America East Rookie of the Year, giving the Bearcats back-to-back top rookie laurels.
In 2023, the Bearcats went 5-0-3 in America East conference play and 6-5-6 overall. The program won their second consecutive regular season title. The undefeated conference season was the first in program history, and was the first time an America East women's soccer program went without a defeat since the 2012 season (Hartford and Boston University were the only other programs in America East history to have undefeated seasons). Binghjamton had six all-conference selections, including Rookie of the Year (Paige Luke) and Midfielder of the Year (Olivia McKnight)
Bhattacharjee's 2022 squad churned out a 9-5-5 season that featured an America East regular season title and runnerup tournament finish. The team ended the season with an 8-1-4 clip to reach and host the title match, where it lost in penalties after rallying from a 4-1 second-half deficit. The Bearcats produced five all-conference selections, two all-region honors, two conference All-Rookie selections and three America East major award winners. The team's 44 goals scored were the most in 21 years (2.3/game) and with a 6-1-1 league mark (best in program history), BU returned to the top of the standings alone for the first time in 18 years.
In a shortened 2021 spring season (COVID), Binghamton went 6-2-0 overall. During the regular season the program finished in a first place tie in their division. In the postseason the Bearcats defeated host UMass-Lowell in the semifinal and then ended their run in the championship game final. This was the first championship game appearance for the team since 2009.
In 2019, the Bearcats went 10-6-2 (6-2 at home) and showed an impressive team depth when a conference-record eight different players earned America East weekly awards during the season. Off the field, the squad extended its elite academic achievement with a 3.56 team GPA in a challenging school year.
Bhattacharjee's 2017 squad provided a breakthrough season for the program as the team went 11-4-4 and captured a share of the America East Conference regular season championship. Bhattacharjee and his staff were named America East Co-Coaching Staff of the Year. Four players received conference recognition and the program hosted a conference postseason game for the first time in eight years. Additionally it was the most wins since 2004, which also was the only other time Binghamton has won a regular season conference title.
Prior to his arrival at Binghamton, Bhattacharjee handled the recruiting for a pair of prominent ACC programs at Syracuse (four years) and Boston College (three). Before that, he served three years with Atlantic 10 member George Washington.
At Boston College, Bhattacharjee played a key role with an Eagles program that reached the College Cup national semifinals in 2010, NCAA Elite Eight in 2009 and Sweet Sixteen in 2011. At BC, he served as recruiting coordinator and goalkeepers coach, helping steer the Eagles to the program's first-ever College Cup appearance in 2010. One year earlier, BC was ACC co-champion.
During his tenure at SU, the Orange made the transition from the BIG EAST to the ACC. His 2014 recruiting class was ranked No. 18 in the country (Top Drawer Soccer). He was also directly involved with on-field team training, opponent scouting, scheduling, budget planning and compliance.
While he was associate head coach at GW (2006-08), the Colonials rose in ranks within the A-10 each season.
He graduated from University of Maryland in 1998 with two degrees - in geography and secondary education-social studies. Bhattacharjee then earned his master's degree in applied geography at Texas State University in 2000. He has also completed coursework toward a PhD in geography from Arizona State University.
Bhattacharjee played goalkeeper for club soccer teams at both Maryland and ASU. In 2006, Bhattacharjee was the goalkeeper coach for the Under-21 Women's National Team working alongside former USA Women’s National Team coach Jill Ellis. He has also coached with the Region I and Region IV Olympic Development Programs (ODP).
A native of Randolph, N.J., Bhattacharjee holds an "A" License from the United States Soccer Federation (highest license in the U.S.) and also holds an NSCAA Premier Diploma. Bhattacharjee is also one of the founding members of the United Soccer Coaches Asian-American and Pacific Islanders affinity group.
In summer 2024 he earned a Credential of Coaching Excellence from the TLC Institute for Coaching Excellence after a rigorous, six-month educational training and evaluation process. The program was designed to elevate the standards of coaching professionalism, equipping coaches with the necessary skills and experience to excel as collegiate team leaders. Participants had to demonstrate a deep understanding of ethical coaching practices endorsed by The Knight Commission on Intercollegiate Athletics, US Center for SafeSport, and the NCAA.
Neel and his wife, Merry, have two daughters, Naiya (15) and Norah (13).
