Courtesy Vermont Sports Information
BURLINGTON – University of Vermont head men’s soccer coach Jesse Cormier ’95 has accepted the head coaching position at Florida Gulf Coast University in Fort Myers, Florida and will depart after 13 seasons leading the UVM program.
Cormier finished his tenure in a tie with Ron McEachen as the program’s all-time leader in coaching wins with 114 victories. He led the Catamounts to three NCAA Tournaments, including an at-large bid this past season during a 14-win campaign, which was the second-most in program history.
“It is with a heavy heart that I announce my resignation as the head men’s soccer coach at UVM,” said Cormier. “My 17-year journey here as a student-athlete and coach has been nothing short of amazing and is a big part of who I have become as a father, husband, and as a professional. I have had the honor and privilege of working with an amazing group of young men over the past 13 seasons. The great young men I’ve connected and built relationships with mean so much to me. It’s amazing the talent, character, and quality that I was able to interact with on a daily basis.”
Cormier’s most recent 2016 squad scored a school-record 42 goals and had the program’s best scoring tandem of classmates in Bernard Yeboah and All-American Brian Wright, who tallied a combined 25 goals and 15 assists. UVM also achieved its highest RPI and national ranking (16th) since 1989 and was ranked No. 1 for several weeks in the NSCAA East Region.
“On behalf of the Athletic Department and the entire UVM community, I want to thank Jesse for his exceptional leadership of our men’s soccer program for the past 13 years,” said Director of Athletics Jeff Schulman. “Jesse has helped establish Vermont Soccer as one of the top programs in the region while always making the academic and personal well-being of our student-athletes his top priority. While we are obviously sorry to see him go, we understand and respect this decision and wish Jesse, Amy and their family all the best as they embark on this new phase of their lives. They will always be part of the Catamount athletic family.”
Cormier led the Catamounts to America East championships in 2007 and 2015 along with a conference regular season title in 2012. That year, he and his assistants were recognized as the America East Coaching Staff of the Year. Cormier enjoyed a standout four-year career at Vermont from 1991-95 and still ranks top-10 in school history in goals (24) and points (59).
“This decision has not been taken lightly and is centered on what I feel is in the best interest of my family at this time,” added Cormier. “I want to say a special thank you to associate head coach Rob Dow and all my assistants, staff, and the student-athletes that I have worked with throughout the years. I will always be indebted to Dr. Bob Corran who gave me the opportunity to have my dream job as the UVM head soccer coach and will be forever grateful to current athletic director Jeff Schulman for his visionary leadership, strong personal belief in me and providing amazing support for our program, the players, and staff over the years.”
Associate head coach Rob Dow will serve as interim head coach of the men’s soccer program. Full details on plans for a search process will be released in the coming days.