WORCESTER, Mass. – Holy Cross Associate Vice President for Intercollegiate Athletics Kit Hughes has named Matt Brown as the Crusaders' new head men's soccer coach. Brown becomes the 12th head coach in the history of the program and brings a wealth of collegiate and international experience to Mount St. James.

"We are thrilled to introduce Matt Brown as the next head coach of Holy Cross men's soccer," Hughes said. "Throughout our search process Matt stood out not only for his experience as both an elite player and coach, but also for his deep, genuine desire for the position. He has demonstrated a strong ability to help build successful teams both on and off the field throughout his career, and is committed to supporting our student-athletes as they pursue excellence in the classroom, on the field, and in the community. He is the ideal candidate to lead our program in the years ahead!"

Brown has coached on the collegiate level for the past eight years, including four seasons as a head coach. He previously spent time as both a coach and a player in the United Kingdom.

"It's an incredible honor to be named the head men's soccer coach at Holy Cross," Brown said. "Throughout the interview process it was very clear that this is a special place with great people and strong traditions. I am specifically grateful to Kit Hughes, Rose Shea and the hiring committee for entrusting me to lead the program. I am truly passionate about the student-athlete experience and I look forward to connecting with all that are associated with the program, whilst developing positive relationships within the Worcester community."

Brown most recently served as the head coach at Union College for two years in 2022 and 2023. During the 2023 campaign, he guided the Garnet Chargers to an overall record of 8-6-5 and a 5-2-2 mark in the Liberty League, good for their most wins in conference play in over a decade. Four of Brown's players earned All-Liberty League honors, while the team earned the No. 2 seed in the conference tournament, advancing to the postseason for the first time since 2015 and earning a home game for the first time since 2010.

Prior to his time at Union, Brown spent three years at Bucknell University from 2019-2021, including one season as the interim head coach. During the 2019 campaign, he helped lead the Bison to an appearance in the Patriot League semifinals.

Brown previously served one season as head coach of the men's and women's soccer teams at Shaw University in 2018. In just their second year as varsity programs, Brown guided the Bears to a 12-4-0 record in women's action and a 7-8-1 mark in men's play.

Before his time at Shaw, Brown was an assistant coach at Elon University in 2017, helping the Phoenix set program single-season records for goals against average (0.57) and shutouts (10). He was previously an assistant coach at the University at Buffalo in 2016, with the Bulls recording a program-record 10 shutouts that year.

A native of Southampton, England, Brown was a youth team product of Southampton FC, playing at the academy alongside players such as Gareth Bale, Theo Walcott and Adam Lallana. He played nine years at the semi-pro level in his native England, representing five teams and participating in more than 300 matches. In addition, Brown served as the head coach at Bournemouth College from 2012-2015.

Brown earned a bachelor's degree in children's physical education from the University of St. Mark and St. John in the United Kingdom in 2011. He holds a C License from both the United States Soccer Federation and the Union of European Football Associations, while receiving a Premier Diploma, an Advanced National Diploma and a Goalkeeping Level 3 Diploma from the United Soccer Coaches.

ABOUT HOLY CROSS
The College of the Holy Cross, in Worcester, Mass., is among the nation's leading liberal arts institutions. A highly selective, four-year, exclusively undergraduate college of 3,200 students, Holy Cross is renowned for offering a rigorous, personalized education in the Jesuit, Catholic tradition. Since its founding in 1843, Holy Cross has made a positive impact in society by graduating students who distinguish themselves as thoughtful leaders in business, professional and civic life. 

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