Paton's rebuilding project came to fruition in 2007, as the Valiants earned the first NCAA Tournament berth in program history, capping a historic season that saw the team claim its first-ever conference regular-season and tournament championships. After beginning the season 0-11-2 against a very difficult non-conference slate, the Valiants the team went 5-0-1 in conference play and swept through the conference tournament, allowing a conference-low three goals in six Freedom matches. The team also placed a conference-best six players on the All-Conference team, including Freedom Conference Rookie of the Year Holly Nonis, while Paton was honored with the Conference Coach of the Year award.

After inheriting a team that went 2-15-1 in 2004 – one year before his arrival – Paton led the Valiants to a program-record 14 wins in 2006 and the ECAC Metro Tournament Championship, the first postseason tournament title in the history of the Valiant program. Manhattanville’s move from seven wins in 2005 to 14 in 2006 was the second largest improvement in the country.

Buoyed by a phenomenal freshman class, the 2006 Valiants burst out to a 5-2 start and went undefeated in their first five Skyline Conference matches. In the opening round of the Skyline Conference Tournament, the second-seeded Valiants toppled Saint Joseph’s (L.I.) 3-0 at GoValiants.com Field, breaking Manhattanville’s single-season wins record with their 12th victory of the year. Despite falling in the conference championship match, the Valiants earned the top seed in the ECAC Metro Tournament and claimed the title at home with a 2-0 win over Farmingdale State on November 12.

Among many individual and team achievements in 2006, Paton was named the Skyline Conference Coach of the Year for his work with the program and saw four of his players – including three freshmen – land on the All-Skyline Conference First Team. Along with the Manhattanville wins record, the 2006 Valiants also set program records for fewest losses (five), fewest goals allowed (11) and most shutouts (15).

Paton’s teams have also excelled off the field at Manhattanville. His 2007 squad was honored by the NSCAA with an Team Academic Award for having a team GPA above 3.00, a mark that the team easily passed with its 3.40 team GPA. In its final season in the Skyline Conference in 2008, eight players landed on the Skyline Academic Honor Roll. During his tenure, Paton’s players have achieved a cumulative grade point average of better than 3.30.

In three seasons with the Valiants, Paton has compiled a 28-30-7 (.485) record, including a stellar 14-3-2 mark in conference play. Including his six seasons as the head women’s soccer coach at Eastern Connecticut State, Paton has a 81-76-17 (.514) career coaching record.

After leaving Eastern Connecticut State, Paton served as an assistant coach at Division I Colorado (2000), Iowa (2001) and Nevada (2002-04). A 1991 graduate of Keene State, Paton spent three seasons as an assistant with both the men’s and women’s at Eastern Connecticut State before taking over the women’s head coaching job in 1994.

Paton is certified with a National Soccer Coaches Association Advanced National Diploma and a United States Soccer Federation “B” License. An active recruiter, Paton also coaches at several soccer camps during the offseason.

Paton and his wife, Heather, currently reside in Stratford, Connecticut.