Chase Brooks, who has been part of three NCAA Tournament teams in his coaching career, is in his 12th season as the head coach of the Duquesne University men’s soccer program. Over the last three seasons, Brooks has guided the Dukes to 29 wins, the best three-year total since 2004 to 2006. Overall, his 77 total wins rank second in program history and are five shy of the program record of 82 established by Wade Jean from 1998 to 2005.

Brooks came to the Bluff after guiding Niagara to a 13-2-4 record (.879) in 2012, helping the Purple Eagles earn the Metro Atlantic Athletic Association Conference (MAAC) championship and subsequent appearance in the NCAA Tournament. The only coach to lead Duquesne to wins in back-to-back Atlantic 10 Championships, Brooks guided the sixth-seeded Dukes to the 2021 A-10 title game, the program's first appearance since 2002, and followed that with a semifinal appearance in 2022. He has accounted for three of the program's five postseason wins, each of which have come in the past three years.

In 2023, DU finished with an overall record of 8-7-3 (.528), including a mark of 4-2-2 (.625) in the A-10. Sophomore Ask Ekeland was named the 2023 Atlantic 10 Midfielder of the Year and also earned a spot on the All-Atlantic 10 First Team, while forward Jayden Da garnered a spot on the 2023 All-Atlantic 10 Second Team. Both Ekeland and Da garnered United Soccer Coaches All-Southeast Region accolades, while Ekeland was also named to the College Sports Communicators (CSC) Academic All-America® Second Team.

Da capped off a stellar career for the Dukes under the watchful eye of Brooks by being selected in the first round of the 2024 Major League Soccer (MLS) Superdraft, presented by Adidas, being selected 29th overall by the Columbus Crew. He became the first student-athlete in program history to be selected in the first round of the MLS Superdraft.

The 2022 Dukes, who finished 11-4-4 (.684), were in contention for the regular season A-10 crown down to the final game of the season. The Dukes, who were tabbed tied for seventh in the A-10 Preseason Poll, finished alone in second with a 4-1-3 (.688) mark. The 11 wins in 2022 were the most by a Duquesne team since 2006, and it marked the first time DU posted back-to-back 10-win seasons since 2005 & 2006.

Along the way, the 2022 Dukes, who got off to the first 5-0 start in program history and set a record for most games without a loss to open a season (6-0-2), became the first Duquesne team since 2005 to earn a national ranking. DU appeared in the Untied Soccer Coaches Top 25 for three weeks, reaching a high rank of No. 24 on Sept. 27. Along the way, the Duke became a formidable foe on Rooney Field, going a school-record 16-straight games (13-0-3) without a home loss.

Brooks wasted no time putting his mark on the DU program, leading the Dukes to a 9-8-1 (.528) record, including a 6-1-1 (.813) mark at home, in his first season. The Dukes finished strong, going 2-0-1, including a home tie with George Mason and a 3-0 home win over VCU, in their final three regular-season games to qualify for a spot in the Atlantic 10 Championship. In the process, three players - Chris Alescio, Thomas de Villardi and Kadeem Pantophlet - were named to the A-10 All-Rookie Team.

In 2014, Brooks’ Dukes fashioned an 8-7-3 (.528) mark while leading the Atlantic 10 in both scoring offense (1.78) and points per game (5.06).

In 2015, DU closed the regular season with three wins in its final four matches to finish in a four-way tie for fourth in the Atlantic 10 and earn a return trip to the A-10 Championship. The 2015 Dukes, led by First Team All-Atlantic 10 pick Colin Phillips, went 4-4-2 (.500) on the road - including 2-1-1 (.625) in conference play. The four road wins were the most by a Duquesne team since 2006. Phillips not only finished as the first player in school history to rank among the Top 10 nationally in an NCAA statistical category, he accomplished the feat in four categories: total goals (T-7th), total points (T-7th), points per game (T-6th) and goals per game (T-5th). Phillips capped the season by being named to the College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA) Academic All-America® First Team.

In 2016, Duquesne set a school record with seven consecutive shutouts in going 8-5-5 (.583) and making the program’s third Atlantic 10 Championship appearance in four seasons. DU, which went 6-1-2 (.778) at home, produced an A-10 All-Rookie Team member (Ryan Landry) for the fourth consecutive year. Landry and fellow freshman Zach Hall both earned A-10 Rookie of the Week honors during the season, marking the first time since 2003 that DU had two different student-atheltes garner Atlantic 10 Rookie of the Week accolades in the same campaign.

In 2017, Duquesne saw midfielder Austin Stout named to the A-10 All-Academic Team as well as CoSida Academic All-District.

Brooks’ 2018 team, which started at least six freshmen in all 16 matches, ranked fifth nationally in corner kicks per game (6.88) and 21st in shots per game (14.63). Of the nine freshmen who started at one point or another during the season, seven were internationals. Individually, Barcelona, Spain native Manel Busquets earned a spot on the A-10 All-Rookie Team and Stout earned academic all-district honors for a second consecutive season.

The 2019 Dukes, with a roster that included 11 first-year players, were ranked in Southeast Region of the United Soccer Coaches Poll four times during season in finishing 8-8-1 (.500). DU, which allowed two or fewer goals in 16 of 17 matches, came within one win of clinching a spot in the A-10 Championship.

Nate Dragisich earned a spot on the A-10 All-Rookie Team, giving the Dukes six All-Rookie picks in seven seasons.

In the abbreviated 2020-21 spring season, Brooks had the Dukes in the hunt for an at-large A-10 Championship berth in the final week of the six-game campaign, as freshman Maxi Hopfer made it seven All-Rookie picks in eight seasons. Along the way, the Dukes produced the program's first win over conference foe Saint Louis.

Brooks turned that group, which scored five goals in seven games, into one of the most dangerous sides in the Atlantic 10 by fall. DU ranked 15th nationally in shots (15.47) and fifth in shots on goal (7.26) per game in scoring the third-most goals in school history (35). The result was DU's first double-digit win team (10-7-2) since 2006.

The 2021 Dukes, who entered the Atlantic 10 Championship as a sixth seed with one player - grad student Ryan Landry - with postseason experience, scored twice in the final five minutes to stun #3 seed Saint Joseph's, 2-1, on its home field and advance to the semifinal. DU then made history as the first team in program history to win multiple games at the championship by defeating No. 2 seed Rhode Island, 2-1, in St. Louis.

In the program's third A-10 final game appearance - and first since 2002 - DU fell to top seed and No. 8 Saint Louis, 2-1, on the Billikens' home field.

The 2021 Dukes (7-0-1) were just the fourth team in program history to finish the home season without a loss.

Along with team success for the Dukes under Brooks, a number of student-athletes have earned individual honors, as Maxi Hopfer (Second Team) and Ryan Landry (Third Team) earned United Soccer Coaches All-Southeast Region honors. It was the first time since 2012 that Duquesne had multiple All-Region players. Hopfer was named First Team All-Atlantic 10, while Landry and Nate Dragisich earned second team mention. In addition, Dragisich and Ryan Goodhew were named to the Atlantic 10 All-Championship Team. Freshman Jack Emanuel, meanwhile, was selected to the A-10 All-Rookie Team.

In 2022, four Dukes - Domenic Nascimben (First Team), Ask Ekeland (First Team), Hopfer (Second Team) and Torge Witteborg (Second) earned All-Atlantic10 honors. The same foursome was also named to the United Soccer Coaches All-Southeast Region Team. DU's four All-A-10 picks were the program's most since 2006. In addition, Ekeland earned a spot on the A-10 All-Rookie Team. In his 11 seasons as head coach, a total of 11 Dukes have been named to the All-Atlantic 10 Rookie Team.

Brooks, the 2012 NSCAA North Atlantic Coach of the Year, went 22-6-9 (.716) in two seasons at Niagara, including a 9-4-5 (.639) record in 2011, his first season as a head coach.

Niagara also excelled in the classroom during Brooks’ tenure, producing 10 MAAC All-Academic honorees in 2012 and eight in 2011. Niagara was also recognized by the National Soccer Coaches Association of America (NSCAA) with the Team Academic Award both years.

Brooks has continued that trend at Duquesne, where 10 of his teams have earned NSCAA’s Team Academic Award.

Before Niagara, Brooks spent four seasons as the top assistant at Dayton, where his main focus was on recruiting, scheduling, travel and player development, as well as serving as co-director of the UD Soccer Academy. His stay at UD was highlighted by an Atlantic 10 Tournament title and NCAA Championship appearance - the school’s first - in 2008. The 2008 Flyers (15-4-3) finished the year ranked 19th nationally and No. 1 in the NSCAA/adidas® Middle Atlantic Regional Rankings.

The next season, the Flyers claimed the A-10 regular season title with a 14-5-1 (.725) record. The 2010 Flyers finished 7-8-3 (.472) and placed two players on NSCAA All-Region Teams.

In 2010, Brooks helped assemble a recruiting class that was ranked 20th in the nation by College Soccer News. The 2010 class included U.S. U-17 Captain and NSCAA All-American Midfielder Marlon Duran.

In his first season at Dayton, Brooks helped the Flyers (10-4-5) to an appearance in the 2007 Atlantic 10 Championship. UD had two players selected to the All-Atlantic 10 and NSCAA/adidas® Middle Atlantic Region teams and finished No. 8 in the regional rankings that year.

Prior to his stint at Dayton, Brooks served as an assistant coach at Northern Illinois for two years. Brooks helped guide the 2006 Huskies, who set a school record with 15 wins, to a No. 19 national ranking and NCAA Championship appearance. Brooks assisted in training a defensive and goalkeeping unit that ranked No. 1 nationally in team shutouts and goals against average for the 2006 Huskies, who swept both the Mid-American Conference’s regular season as postseason tournament championships.

Brooks began his coaching career at his alma mater, Eckerd College located in Saint Petersburg, Fla. Following a four-year letter winning career, he moved from the field to the sidelines at EC as an assistant coach while completing his BA in management in May 2003. By December 2003, he was pressed into duty as the interim head coach, a position he held until May of 2004.

The Fort Myers, Fla. native, served as Eckerd's captain as a junior and senior year. He earned first-team All-Sunshine Conference honors as a senior and capped his career as the recipient of the James R. Harley Award, which is presented to the student-athlete who best represents Eckerd College.

A three-time Sunshine State Conference Honor Roll athlete, Brooks received academic scholarships from Eckerd as well as the Florida Bright Futures Scholarship program.

A former Florida Youth Soccer Association referee, Brooks also worked Eckerd summer soccer camps and coached the Southside Youth Soccer program in St. Petersburg. His resume also includes serving as an Operations Assistant for the USBL Florida SeaDragons Basketball Team based in Fort Myers.

Brooks, who added master’s degree in sports management from NIU, earned an Advanced National License from the NSCAA in 2005 after earning an NSCAA National License Distinguished Pass in 2004. He also holds a USSF “B” License.

Brooks and his wife, Sarah, have a daughter, Kennedy, and a son, Xander.

THE CHASE BROOKS FILE

PERSONAL

Hometown: Fort Myers, Fla.

College: Eckerd `03

Degree: management

Graduate Degree: sports management from Northern Illinois

Wife: Sarah

Children: daughter, Kennedy, and son, Xander

COACHING EXPERIENCE

2003-04 -- Assistant Coach (1 yr.) - Eckerd

2005-06 -- Assistant Coach (2 yrs.) - Northern Illinois

2007-10 -- Assistant Coach (4 yrs.) - Dayton

2011-12 -- Head Coach (2 yrs.) - Niagara

2013-current -- Head Coach (12th year) - Duquesne

AS A HEAD COACH

2011-12 -- Niagara (2 yrs.) - 22-6-9 (.716)

2013-current -- Duquesne (11th yr.) - 77-83-25 (.484) entering 2024

NCAA EXPERIENCE

2006 -- Northern Illinois - Assistant Coach

2008 -- Dayton - Assistant Coach

2012 -- Niagara - Head Coach

• Brooks also served as interim head coach at Eckerd

BROOKS YEAR-BY-YEAR

Season

Team

Overall

Conf.

Finish

Postseason

2011

Niagara

9-4-5

4-2-3

4th

2012

Niagara

13-2-4

5-1-1

3rd

MAAC Champions, NCAA First Round

Totals

Niagara (2 seasons)

22-6-9

MAAC: 9-3-4

2013

Duquesne

9-8-1

4-3-1

6th

2014

Duquesne

8-7-3

3-4-1

9th

2015

Duquesne

6-10-2

4-3-1

T-4th

2016

Duquesne

8-5-5

3-2-3

T-6th

2017

Duquesne

3-13-1

1-7-0

12th

2018

Duquesne

4-9-3

2-4-2

11th

2019

Duquesne

8-8-1

3-5-0

T-7th

2020

Duquesne*

2-5-0

2-4-0

3rd West

2021

Duquesne

10-7-2

3-3-2

T-6th

A-10 Championship Finalist

2022

Duquesne

11-4-4

4-1-3

2nd

2023    

Duquesne

8-7-3

4-2-2

5th

Totals

Duquesne (11 seasons)

77-83-25

Atlantic 10: 33-38-15

Totals

Career (13 seasons)

99-89-34

* - the 2020 season was played in the spring of 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic; the A-10 played an abbreviated schedule consisting of three Divisions (Central, North and West); DU competed in the West with Dayton, St. Bonaventure and Saint Louis