Alma, Mich. - Alma College has hired John Greer to be its next head coach of the men's soccer program, as announced by Director of Athletics Steven Rackley on Friday (March 8). Greer will assume the position on Monday, March 25; a press conference announcing his hire will be held at 3:00 p.m. in the Hogan Center's Hubbard Lobby that day.
"I am thrilled to have John return to Alma College," said Rackley. "He has proven himself as a tremendous coach over the years and his coworkers consistently sing his praises. We look forward to seeing what he can do with our program!"
"I would like to thank Steven Rackley and the search committee for allowing me this opportunity to lead the Alma College Men's Soccer program," said Greer. "I am excited to return to Alma and begin working with the current student-athletes on the team. This program has a strong history of league titles, a couple of NCAA Tournament appearances, and more recently competing for MIAA Tournament Championships. We will strive to maintain that established success while building a championship culture to lead us forward that is built around servant leadership, a strong work ethic, positive attitudes, respect for all, and displaying integrity in all we do."
Greer has spent the last five years as the lead assistant of Transylvania University's men's soccer team. During his time in Lexington, the Pioneers amassed a record of 57-20-17, won the Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference (HCAC) postseason tournament twice (2017 & 2018) and made two appearances in the NCAA Tournament (2017 & 2018). Transy never finished the regular season worse than fourth in the HCAC during Greer's tenure.
Greer oversaw the development of 24 All-Conference honorees, three All-Region players and one All-American with the Pioneers. In the 2017 season, five players were named First-Team All-Conference and two more were named to the Second Team. Defender Tyler Joy-Brandon was a First-team All-American as well, as the team went 17-1 and posted 12 shutouts during the season.
Greer was previously an assistant coach at Alma for the 2012 and 2013 seasons. In his first year, he helped guide the Scots to its best record in nearly a decade and Alma followed that up with its first winning season in 13 years in his second year. Two Scots made the All-MIAA Second-Team during his tenure: midfielder Matt Sovis and midfielder/forward Julian Birge.
Greer has also spent time as the Lexington FC head coach since 2015, leading the girls U17 and boys U15 and U16 teams to four championships. In addition, he has been the head coach of the Commonwealth Soccer Club for six years and an assistant boys and girls coach on the middle and high school levels. Greer has also spent time as a substitute teacher at Lexington Christian Academy.
Greer graduated from Asbury College in 2010 with a bachelor's degree in physical education and health education. He was also a four-year starter, senior captain, and All-NCCAA (National Christian College Athletic Association) Mid-East Region player on an Eagle team that won three straight Kentucky Intercollegiate Athletic Conference championships, including its first in program history when he was a sophomore.
Story provided by Alma athletics
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