NCAA Soccer Tournaments

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The upside to recruiting the best roster, local or abroad:

Coach keeps his job

Coach can leverage his success into better tier/conference HC job (Marshell coach was successful D2 coach. Will probably get recruited to a “better” school using his same strategy and earn more $$

School gets a national championship to increase their brand.

Impact players get even more exposure for pro aspirations or to transfer into a top tier college

Doesn't always work out that way but should in general. The coach's phone will be ringing off the hook.

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100 is stretching it, but 40+ is really large. Don’t know why that is, but you can tell the ones on TS who follow women’s college soccer from the ones who follow men’s. Men’s doesn’t get the interest because it has half the scholarships and there is a ready pool of great internationals looking for an American education (and maybe a longer stay) plus exposure to maybe break into pro soccer somewhere. In general D2, D3, and NAIA teams are packed with internationals with it being a little less common at D1. The Marshall coach came from D2 and it would take him forever to reach the upper ranks in D1 trying to recruit top US-born and bred talent, in part just on academics alone. Gtown, Pitt, Indiana, etc. are all a cut above Marshall academically. None of this in the women’s game where internationals are still a relatively small % of D1 players (but growing).

How does a coach recruit 40+ players, many international, with the kind of athletic $ that men’s soccer is allowed. Marshall must have been very creative with need/academic $$$.

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How does a coach recruit 40+ players, many international, with the kind of athletic $ that men’s soccer is allowed. Marshall must have been very creative with need/academic $$$.

Great players seek great coaches regardless of $. Before he came to Marshall, he built the University of Charleston into a championship D2 program. Went 61-7-3 in 3 seasons. So what’s it worth to be part of D1 championship team?

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Univ Bridgeport women's team won D2 championships a few years ago with mostly foreign players, but it's a crap school. International is a much bigger factor on the men's side but yes the women's growing. However, there is a much bigger international player pool for men than women. While some countries are making an effort to build the women's game others aren't doing much

Half of the University of Memphis women’s team are internationals and they’ve been in the D1 tourney the last few years. 10+ Canadians plus some from Europe and Japan. Granted still not as big a pool as the men’s game, but it is changing fast. Wouldn’t be surprised to see 25% internationals in women’s D1 within 15 years.

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Men's soccer in the US isn't that good. Just look to the USMNT. A coach would be stupid not to recruit abroad. Even on the women's side, FSU loves international players. Personally, I think any US college-bound player would be stupid to try to make a team full of internationals. If a coach clearly favors international players, a US player would need to be noticeably more impactful to actually get on the pitch. I know a lot of female college players might be okay with not getting playing time if it meant being part of a team for social reasons. But on the men's side, it's not the same. I never understood how players on the bottom half of college rosters can invest so much time into a sport they never get to play competitive games. The time wasted on being on the practice time could be better spent on a team they can make the starting roster or pursuing networking social circles to help them post graduation. But, whatever.

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Great players seek great coaches regardless of $. Before he came to Marshall, he built the University of Charleston into a championship D2 program. Went 61-7-3 in 3 seasons. So what’s it worth to be part of D1 championship team?

Many of these international players want exposure to try and get into the MLS. It's kind of their last shot at going pro. About half the MLS draft each year is international. Playing on a winning team and studying in the US for awhile? Very appealing.

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Men's soccer in the US isn't that good. Just look to the USMNT. A coach would be stupid not to recruit abroad. Even on the women's side, FSU loves international players. Personally, I think any US college-bound player would be stupid to try to make a team full of internationals. If a coach clearly favors international players, a US player would need to be noticeably more impactful to actually get on the pitch. I know a lot of female college players might be okay with not getting playing time if it meant being part of a team for social reasons. But on the men's side, it's not the same. I never understood how players on the bottom half of college rosters can invest so much time into a sport they never get to play competitive games. The time wasted on being on the practice time could be better spent on a team they can make the starting roster or pursuing networking social circles to help them post graduation. But, whatever.

As said above you should always study the roster AND who gets the most PT. And it isn't just about who is international but what the backgrounds are of the top players. Arr you really the same caliber? Some players may be ok without playing much if it's a school they really want, but most will want to PLAY.

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Doesn't always work out that way but should in general. The coach's phone will be ringing off the hook.

A few years ago one of mine was being recruited to a top D3. Head coach got picked up as an assistant coach to a perennial top D1 program and top university. In a few years he'll parlay that into a HC job somewhere else. Most coaches want to move up the ladder and they move up with winning records

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A few years ago one of mine was being recruited to a top D3. Head coach got picked up as an assistant coach to a perennial top D1 program and top university. In a few years he'll parlay that into a HC job somewhere else. Most coaches want to move up the ladder and they move up with winning records

Always smart if you can plan out your career in a few moves. The Marshall coach, who is originally from the UK, went to school at Marshall where he volunteered on the coaching staff as a graduate assistant so he knew the program and made contacts there. Then he worked as an assistant at U of Michigan to gain experience with D1 in a conference that produces a lot of top teams. Then down to D2 to University of Charleston for head coaching experience in a program he could shape into a championship team. He worked those old Marshall contacts when they needed a new head coach and by then he had the resume to be a good candidate. When they faced Indiana in the Cup he could tap into his previous experience at Michigan, which competed against them. He zigged and zagged thru divisions, but he clearly had an end game for his career.

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Always smart if you can plan out your career in a few moves. The Marshall coach, who is originally from the UK, went to school at Marshall where he volunteered on the coaching staff as a graduate assistant so he knew the program and made contacts there. Then he worked as an assistant at U of Michigan to gain experience with D1 in a conference that produces a lot of top teams. Then down to D2 to University of Charleston for head coaching experience in a program he could shape into a championship team. He worked those old Marshall contacts when they needed a new head coach and by then he had the resume to be a good candidate. When they faced Indiana in the Cup he could tap into his previous experience at Michigan, which competed against them. He zigged and zagged thru divisions, but he clearly had an end game for his career.

Is head coach at Marshall the end game? I could picture at least 2-3 more steps in that movie.

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Is head coach at Marshall the end game? I could picture at least 2-3 more steps in that movie.

Not the poster but most likely will parlay this into a higher level program. A good example is the Loyola Chicago basketball coach landed at U OK (or Nebraska?) Anyway a really big program after he took lowly Loyola far in playoffs twice

All of this is a good reminder that coaches may leave before you arrive on campus or while you're there. Poor performers can get fired, quality coaches get picked up for other jobs.

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Is head coach at Marshall the end game? I could picture at least 2-3 more steps in that movie.

Agreed. He currently has a lot of freshmen and sophomores on the roster at Marshall, including a lot of starters that were critical to the championship. Very few seniors and he probably has his pick of recruits at this point. If he can keep the team together and maybe even improve it, he can make a 2nd run for another title. I’d think he’d stay a while for that before moving on. Since he was an assistant at Michigan years ago, that would be a good next step. That program is decent, but hasn’t really reached its potential.

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Agreed. He currently has a lot of freshmen and sophomores on the roster at Marshall, including a lot of starters that were critical to the championship. Very few seniors and he probably has his pick of recruits at this point. If he can keep the team together and maybe even improve it, he can make a 2nd run for another title. I’d think he’d stay a while for that before moving on. Since he was an assistant at Michigan years ago, that would be a good next step. That program is decent, but hasn’t really reached its potential.

Muscle out Chaka!? Would be surprised if he could pull that offf.