Cornell men’s soccer adds Brad Cole to coaching staff

ITHACA, N.Y. – After spending five years on the men’s soccer staff at Vermont, Brad Cole has joined the Cornell men’s soccer program as an assistant coach, as announced by head coach John Smith this week.

“I’m excited to learn from John Smith and Drew Hutchins, meet the team, and continue building upon the progress this program has made over the past four years,” said Cole. “I am looking forward to bringing new perspectives and ideas to a program that has lofty goals. It is an exciting time to be a part of Cornell men’s soccer and I can’t wait to get started!”

A player for the Catamounts from 2010-2015, Cole played right back and defensive midfield at Vermont prior to joining the coaching staff as a graduate assistant. In addition to being named team captain as a senior, Cole was the recipient of the Russell O. Sunderland Memorial Trophy, an award presented to a University of Vermont student-athlete who overcomes obstacles and maintains a high quality of play and academic prowess.

“We are extremely excited to be adding Brad Cole to our staff as a full time assistant,” said Smith. “He has been part of a very successful University of Vermont soccer program, both as a player and a coach. Aside from Brad’s obvious talents as a coach, the hiring process gave us a great insight into his personality and his character. He is a perfect fit for our program and his arrival will undoubtedly make us better.”

After his time as a graduate assistant, Cole was hired as the Director of Operations at Vermont for three seasons before moving into a full-time assistant coaching position last season. While on the staff, Cole helped lead the Catamounts to an America East Conference Tournament championship in 2015 alongside a pair of regular season championships in 2017 and 2019. In addition to his work at Vermont, Cole has served as a head coach for the Far Post Soccer Club (U13-U19) in Vermont since 2013.

“The Cornell University men’s soccer program was immediately attractive to me when I learned of this position,” said Cole. “My mother is a Cornell alumna and my father attended Ithaca College. This is where they met and over the years they’ve told me many great things about Ithaca, the Cornell athletic programs and the top-notch academics the university has to offer. I relish the opportunity to contribute to such a great environment.”

A native of Burlington, Vt., Cole is certified with a USSF C license and holds degrees from Vermont (B.S. – Community Entrepreneurship) and Missouri (M. Ed. – Positive Coaching Psychology).