Matt Cushing
Head Coach
Phone: 508-286-3996
Entering his 16th season at the helm of the Wheaton men's soccer
program, head coach Matt Cushing has compiled one of the highest
winning percentages among active NCAA Division III coaches in the
country at .755 (224-63-29).
Under Cushing's leadership, Wheaton has qualified for postseason
play in all 15 of his seasons, including an NCAA Tournament
national semifinal finish in 2003, a national quarterfinal
placement in 2001 and an additional six NCAA bids. The Lyons also
captured the Eastern College Athletic Conference (ECAC) title in
1998 and New England Women's and Men's Athletic Conference (NEWMAC)
Tournament championships seven times.
Cushing was named regional coach of the year by the National
Soccer Coaches Association of America (NSCAA) in 2001, and coach of
the year by the Eastern Massachusetts Soccer Coaches Association
(EMSCA) in 2000, NEWMAC in 1998 and 2001, and New England
Intercollegiate Soccer League (NEISL) in 1997 and 2001. He is the
coaching director at the Crusaders United Soccer Club in Plymouth
and has also coached the U17 Olympic Development team in
Massachusetts.
A scout for the New York Red Bulls of Major League Soccer (MLS),
Cushing has groomed five professional players at Wheaton. James
Greenslit '06 played for the reserve squad of the MLS's New England
Revolution and in the United Soccer Leagues (USL), and Dan Antoniuk
'03 is with the Charleston Battery of the USL First Division. Oscar
Medina '97 and Jim Manganello '99 spent time with the Cape Cod
Crusaders of the United States Interregional Soccer League (USISL),
while Jeremy Long '99 played for the A-League's Boston Bulldogs.
Cushing's players have also earned 10 All-America honors, 33
All-New England selections and seven NEWMAC Player-of-the-Year
accolades.
In addition to coaching, Cushing is the national chair for the
NSCAA Division III rankings committee. He has served as the
regional chair of the rankings committee and as the vice president
of the NEISL, an organization that recognized him with the NEISL
Service Award in 2002. Cushing also handled regional chair duties
for the Division III ratings board for three years while serving on
the NCAA Tournament selection committee for four years.
In 1994, Cushing earned a United States Soccer Federation (USSF)
national "B" license. He received a national diploma from the NSCAA
in 1992, followed by an advanced national diploma in 1993.
Prior to coming to Wheaton, Cushing was the assistant coach at
Division I power Rutgers University, which advanced to the 1993
NCAA Tournament after capturing the Atlantic 10 Conference title.
He also spent the previous two years on the coaching staff at
Lafayette College.
A 1988 University of Massachusetts-Amherst graduate with a
bachelor's degree in sport management, Cushing was a captain on the
1986 and 1987 Minutemen teams.
This former Parade Magazine high school All-America
honoree and 2008 Duxbury (Mass.) High School Hall of Fame inductee
led his team to four consecutive state championships.
| The
Cushing File
|
| Year
| Overall
| League
|
Highlight(s)
|
| 1994
| 14-4-3
| n/a
| ECAC Tournament
|
| 1995
| 13-4-2
| n/a
| ECAC Tournament
|
| 1996
| 15-3-3
| n/a
| ECAC Tournament
|
| 1997
| 14-4-1
| n/a
| NCAA Tournament
|
| 1998
| 18-4-1
| 5-0-1
| ECAC Champs, NEWMAC
Champs
|
| 1999
| 12-6-1
| 4-2-0
| ECAC Tournament
|
| 2000
| 17-3-1
| 4-2-0
| NCAA Tournament, NEWMAC
Champs
|
| 2001
| 21-2-0
| 6-0-0
| NCAA Tournament, NEWMAC
Champs
|
| 2002
| 15-5-0
| 5-1-0
| NEWMAC Tournament
|
| 2003
| 19-3-2
| 5-1-0
| NCAA Tournament, NEWMAC
Champs
|
| 2004
| 17-4-2
| 5-1-0
| NCAA Tournament
|
| 2005
| 13-5-2
| 5-0-1
| NCAA Tournament, NEWMAC
Champs
|
| 2006
| 12-5-4
| 5-1-0
| NCAA Tournament, NEWMAC
Champs
|
| 2007
| 14-6-3
| 4-1-1
| NCAA Tournament, NEWMAC
Champs
|
| 2008
| 10-5-4
| 1-3-2
| NEWMAC Tournament
|
| Totals
|
224-63-29
| 49-12-5
| 15
Seasons
|