A New Era For Men's Soccer

Just ten days before the start of their fall 2023 season, the Cyclones men’s soccer team was still looking for the right person to lead their program. This is when Ashley Nesbit stepped up to take the challenge head on.

Being named head coach of the men’s soccer team “intrigued me because I knew it would be a project... to take it on and build something and really rebuild the program and get it back to where it should be,” Nesbit commented when asked why he took the position. 

Born and raised in England, some say Nesbit was meant to be in the game of soccer. As a child, he played in the youth academy for Premier League side Newcastle United Football Club. 

As he grew older, Nesbit moved on to play for several semi-professional clubs, and even had trials with the Los Angeles Galaxy and the San Jose Earthquakes of Major League Soccer. The highlight of his playing career was being called up to the Fijian under-20 national team.  

After his playing days, Nesbit decided to share his knowledge of the game and has been coaching for over 20 years at various levels. With all of his experience, he is certainly the right person to lead the program.

"He’s a great fit for what we need as a program. Coach Ash has really brought the team together and created a very positive environment,” said Jason Vella, a second-year defender for the Cyclones. 

“The long-term goal for the program is to make it sustainable... really put ourselves in a place that we can be challenging on all fronts. I want to change the culture and the way we go about things and make it more personal for the players to help them grow,” Nesbit said. 

“There’s already a big difference from previous years,” said Tom DeCristofano, a veteran on the team. “I’m excited to see where the new coaching staff takes the program.”

As the Cyclones continue to fight through the storm, there is one thing that the players know for certain: they have a coach dedicated to creating a positive culture and building for the future.