Lyndonville, VT - Northern Vermont University-Lyndon men's soccer coach Rob Carey has stepped down after eight years leading the Hornet program. Carey, a 2008 Lyndon State College graduate and a member of the Lyndon Athletic Hall of Fame, also served as an assistant coach for eight years prior to being elevated to the head coaching position in 2015.
Carey produced 3 All-North Atlantic Conference players during his tenure, Nik Fahey (Middleboro, MA) in 2016, Abukar Hassan (South Burlington, VT) in 2018, and Brett Roy (Newport, VT) in 2021. Roy also led all of NCAA men's soccer in saves per game last season. In addition, Carey produced eight NAC Men's Soccer Sportsmanship Team selections and numerous NAC All-Academic Team selections.
Carey reflected on his tenure at Lyndon. "I valued my time at NVU as both a player and a coach. I want to thank the University for providing me an opportunity to grow, both personally and professionally. I have very fond memories of NVU, and especially the people that make up NVU. I think it was my time to step down, and allow for someone else to come in and mix things up and add value to the program. I will miss the University, the program and the team very much. I hope I helped to impact those around me in a positive way. A special thanks to the Athletic department including those who have helped me along the way: Skip Pound, Megan Barnes, Pete Kellaway, Chantal Derbyshire, Jason Marks, Sonny Carey, Bob Thatcher, Dave Pasiak, Tara Nelson, Ben Arsenault and Chris Gilmore and Chris Ummer. I wish the team and the University the very best going forward. I will be their number one fan! Thank you, all!"
NVU-Lyndon Director of Athletics Chris Gilmore added "Rob has spent the better part of two decades being a part of Lyndon athletics and our soccer program. He has been the consummate leader in every sense. We will miss him on a daily basis and wish him well in all his future endeavors."
Prior to becoming the head coach Carey served eight seasons as an assistant under another Lyndon Hall of Famer, Pete Kellaway '94. As an assistant, Carey helped guide the Hornets to their most successful season as a member of the North Atlantic Conference in 2010. That year Lyndon finished with a 12-5-3 overall record, the best in the modern Division III era, and advanced to the NAC Championship Game for the only time in program history.
Carey played three varsity seasons for the Hornets after transferring to Lyndon from Johnson State College. He was integral in bringing the men's soccer program to the Sunrise Conference championship in 2005. Carey started all three years, first as a striker, and later as a central midfielder. Rob was named co-MVP his junior year and MVP his senior year. Rob also made All-Conference his junior and senior years. In 2005, as a senior and captain, he was named Sunrise Conference Player-of-the-Year and scored the game winning goal in the conference championship game, earning Lyndon its first and only Sunrise Conference Championship.
Carey attended high school at nearby Concord High School, where he was a five-time All-Conference and four-time All-State selection (including one year at Turners Falls High School in Turners Falls, MA). In his senior year, Carey was named to the All-New England Team. He was also selected as an Adidas and National Soccer Coaches Association of America High School All-American. In addition, he was chosen as the Vermont State Gatorade Player-of-the-Year, the first Division IV player in Vermont to to ever earn those accolades.
Carey was inducted into the Lyndon Athletic Hall of Fame in 2021. In addition to playing and coaching men's soccer, he also served as an assistant coach with the women's soccer team from 2006 to 2010 and again in 2018 and 2022. He has also coached with Lyndon Area Youth Soccer and has mentored area youth through the CATCH after school program at St. Johnsbury School.
A search for the next Head Men's Soccer Coach is currently underway.
