Former University of Maine women’s soccer coach David Patterson is the new men’s soccer coach and sports information director at Maine Maritime Academy in Castine.

“I’m very excited about getting back into coaching,” said the 41-year-old Patterson, who compiled a 21-43-5 record in his four years at Maine before resigning in 1999 to spend more time with his family.

“The thing that attracted me [to MMA] is the Division III perspective on athletics. There’s a different mentality there. I like where athletics fits into the overall picture. The players desire to be successful, but there’s a very nice balance between academics, athletics, and just being a student,” added the Lurgan, Northern Ireland, native.

He replaced Mike Keller, who left to be the men’s soccer coach at the University of Southern Maine. Keller was 27-83-6 in seven years at MMA.

Patterson will be reunited with former UMaine associate athletic director and men’s soccer coach Jim Dyer, who is finishing his first year as the AD at Maine Maritime Academy.

“That was a huge factor in my interest in the position in the first place,” said the Bangor resident. “He’s an excellent leader and tremendous administrator and the bottom line is he’s a good man.”

Patterson had been working at the University of Maine in the distance-education project that connects 91 sites in high schools across the state so they can share their class and course work via high-speed video.

He stayed involved in soccer through his association with the Soccer Maine federation. Among his duties has been instructing youth coaches.

Patterson had a two-week spring season at MMA that he termed “very productive.”

MMA is in the North Atlantic Conference.