The 2021 season marks Aaron Faro's 13th season as top assistant within the Messiah men's soccer program. A former standout on the soccer pitch for the Falcons, Faro also serves as the Athletic Department's recruitment coordinator, functioning as a liaison between the admissions and intercollegiate athletics departments at Messiah. Additionally, Faro oversees Messiah College Athletics' AROMA missions program.

Faro has been a part of seven of the 11 national titles in the program's history as either a player or coach.

“I am very excited to have Aaron as a part of our coaching staff, a part of the program and a part of Messiah,” McCarty said. “He is a quality individual who has much to offer to the culture and environment here at the college.”

A pioneer of the current state of Messiah men’s soccer, Faro helped the Falcons to their first two national championships (2000, 2002) while capturing several outstanding individual honors, including NSCAA All-American and MAC Commonwealth Player of the Year as a junior. In his first season as an assistant coach, Faro helped guide the program to its NCAA Division III-record seventh national championship. That was a sign of things to come as the Falcons also won the National Championship in 2010, 2012, and 2013.

To go along with his influence on the pitch, Faro has provided leadership to AROMA, the sports ministry arm of Messiah Athletics. AROMA exists to disciple student-athletes and provide opportunities for students to use their passions and gifts to serve others and build God's Kingdom. Especially since 2010 Faro has administered hundreds of students and many coaches to serve both locally and internationally. His transformational work in all of his roles at Messiah supported his receiving of the Messiah College Pride in Peformance Award in the spring of 2015.

Prior to returning to his alma mater, Faro spent five years playing professional soccer while also working in sports ministry. He coached both club and varsity high school soccer, providing what McCarty calls, “a hand-picked, excellent fit for the soccer program, the athletics department and the college as a whole.”

Much of Faro’s experience stems from his work at Missionary Athletes International (MAI), one of the world leaders in sports ministry. Following graduation, Faro both played and worked for the United Soccer League’s Charlotte Eagles organization — a subsidiary of MAI. Faro’s playing career spanned five seasons with the Eagles, helping the club to the USL National Championship in 2005 while aiding to runner-up finishes in both 2004 and 2006.

Faro also spent the last four years of his playing career as the Charlotte Eagles camp director, overseeing all aspects of 20-plus camps each summer while managing over 60 staff members. Under Faro’s leadership, the Eagles’ sessions grew to include camps for high school and college teams as well as camps for underprivileged youth in the inner city and Hispanic communities of Charlotte.

When Faro hung up his competitive cleats, he took over as the Charlotte Eagles team camp director, ministering to Christian high school and college teams both on and off the field. In 2008, Faro began splitting his summers between Charlotte and Chicago where, in another MAI organization, Faro served as an assistant director at the Chicago Eagles Summer Academy. There, Faro was responsible for the recruitment of college participants, coaching the men’s team and camp curriculum writing.

Faro’s leadership has spanned well beyond United States, however, as the North Chili, N.Y. native has led sports ministry tours in Holland, Japan, Thailand, Laos, India, Sri Lanka, Rwanda, Uganda, Kenya, Nigeria, Brazil, Panama, and Colombia.

“Aaron demonstrated excellent leadership skills throughout his four years here at Messiah, and continued that development during his six years with MAI as a player, administrator and sports minister,” McCarty said. “I continue to look forward to Aaron’s influence on the guys’ lives through his personal experience, his passion for sports ministry and his gift of discipleship.”

In addition to his work with MAI organizations, Faro also served as a high school varsity boys’ soccer coach at Grace Academy (Charlotte) from 2003 to 2009, winning the National Association of Christian Athletes (NACA) Division I National Championships in 2004, 2005 and 2008. Faro was named the NACA Coach of the Year in 2004. He also served as the head coach of the U16-U18 Mecklenburg Union Futbol Club from 2003-2009.

A sport and exercise science major who graduated magna cum laude from Messiah in 2003, Faro was a three-time all-conference performer for the Falcons, serving as team co-captain in his senior season.

In his role as athletics recruitment coordinator, Faro works closely with the admissions department, serving as a point person for intercollegiate athletics at open houses and on-campus visits. Faro also contributes to Messiah's game management efforts.

Faro and his wife, Christine, reside in Grantham with their two daughters, Emma and Abby.