Northeastern University hires Rich Weinrebe as men’s soccer head coach

BOSTON – Director of Athletics and Recreation Jim Madigan announced Monday the hiring of Rich Weinrebe as the next men’s soccer head coach at Northeastern University.

Weinrebe is the seventh head coach in program history and joins the Huskies following eight seasons as the associate head coach and recruiting coordinator at New Hampshire.

“We are incredibly excited to have Rich joining our Northeastern University family,” Madigan said. “Throughout the search process, Rich’s passion, energy, and drive were qualities that immediately stood out, in addition to his focus on the complete student-athlete experience. His personality is one that people gravitate towards, and we are confident that he will serve as a positive influence, coach, and mentor to our student-athletes to help them find success in all aspects of their lives.”

At New Hampshire, Weinrebe played a critical role in recruiting and developing some of the top players in program history, including nine All-American selections and four MAC Hermann Trophy semifinalists. During Weinrebe’s time on the coaching staff, the Wildcats made five straight NCAA Tournament appearances (2017, 2018, 2019, 2020 and 2021) and won the program’s first three America East Tournament championships (2018, 2019 and 2020). UNH also advanced to the Round of 16 in 2017 and 2021.

“I want to thank Jim Madigan, Marshall Foley and the rest of the search committee for entrusting me to lead the Northeastern men’s soccer program,” Weinrebe said. “I am humbled by the opportunity to work with these young men and build on the success they had this past Fall. Northeastern is a top tier university in one of the best cities in the world. Building a program to match that caliber and makes our alumni proud will be at the core of our mission every day. I cannot wait to put our best foot forward, both on the soccer field and in the greater Boston community, as we build the Huskies brand, pursue CAA Championships, and get Northeastern soccer back onto the national stage.”

Weinrebe has been a member of a coaching staff that has been named the Northeast Region Staff of the Year (2019 & 2021), the Eastern Region Staff of the Year (2017) and the America East Staff of the Year (2017, 2019, 2020 & 2021).

“I also want to thank Marc Hubbard and the University of New Hampshire for giving me the opportunity to learn and grow, which has prepared me for this next step in my career,” Weinrebe said. “I wouldn’t be here without that time in Durham and those lessons will certainly carry over as the Northeastern program takes the next step here in Boston.”

Most recently in 2021, UNH concluded its historic season with a record of 17-2-2 (7-0-1 America East). The Wildcats set program records for wins (17) and winning percentage (.857).

In 2021, the Wildcats advanced to the Round of 16 of the NCAA Tournament for the second time in program history, falling at No. 1 seed Oregon State, 1-0. UNH earned the No. 16 seed and received a first-round bye in the NCAA Tournament for the second consecutive season and defeated North Carolina, 4-1, in the second round at Wildcat Stadium.

UNH earned its highest national ranking in the United Soccer Coaches Poll at No. 4 on Oct. 12, 2021. The Wildcats outscored their opposition, 47-10, as their plus 37 goal differential was second in the country. UNH led the nation with a .466 team goals against average. The Wildcats’ .857 winning percentage was fifth in the country, while their 47 goals were ranked 10th.
Weinrebe returned to his alma mater in 2014 after spending two seasons at Southern New Hampshire University. While with the Penmen, he helped the team to a 2013 NCAA Division II National Championship title after they posted a record of 22-1-1 overall and a perfect NE-10 conference mark of 13-0-0. It was the first time SNHU won the national championship since 1989. After falling in the season opener to Post, the Penmen won their next 20 games en route to the NCAA Title.

Weinrebe graduated from UNH after a stellar four-year career with the Wildcats where he was a two-year captain of the squad. As a defenseman, he helped the Wildcats achieve a No. 1 overall ranking in New England for just the second time in program history and a No. 23 spot in the national polls.

Weinrebe takes over a Northeastern program that took major strides in 2021, finishing the season 11-6-2 and 5-2-1 in CAA play. The Huskies finished second in the conference standings, its highest finish since the 2012 season and advanced to the CAA semifinals for the first time since 2014.

“We believe that our men’s soccer program is poised to compete for CAA championships and be in the discussion for an NCAA tournament berth every year,” Madigan said. “Rich is someone who has experienced a lot of success as an associate head coach, and he is ready to take the next step as the leader of a program. We are very pleased that it will be at Northeastern.”