The Appleby File

Personal

Hometown

Columbia, SC

Education

UNC Charlotte, 1994 (Bachelor's)

Wife

Kelli

Children

Luke, Sullivan

Professional

2008-Present

Johns Hopkins University

Head Coach

2002-2007

Emory & Henry College

Head Coach

2000-2001

Wofford College

Assistant Coach

1996-1997

Washington & Lee University

Assistant Coach

Accolades

2017 Centennial Conference Coach of the Year

2011 Centennial Conference Coach of the Year

Updated: February 2024

First Day at Johns Hopkins: July 1, 2008

2022 Season Preview with Simple Coach

Simple Coach Interview with Coach Appleby (February 2022)

Craig Appleby became the 19th head coach in the 74-year history of the men's soccer program in July 2008 and promptly turned in one of the most successful seasons by a first-year head coach in program history.

Appleby guided the Blue Jays to a 13-5-5 record, the Centennial Conference title game and the NCAA Sweet 16 in his first campaign. His 13 wins are the second most by a first-year head coach in school history. Only John Haus, who guided Hopkins to a 14-3-1 record in 1987, won more games as a first-year head coach. Appleby is the only coach in Johns Hopkins and Centennial Conference men's soccer history to guide his team to the NCAA Tournament in his first season.

In 15 seasons at Hopkins, Appleby has compiled a record of 187-69-49 (.693), the second most wins in program history. The Blue Jays have made nine NCAA Tournament appearances and won three Centennial Conference titles. He has coached 83 All-Centennial Conference selections, four Players of the Year, two Rookies of the Year, four Scholar-Athletes of the Year, 17 CoSIDA Academic All-Americans and eight United Soccer Coaches All-Americans.

Appleby has led Hopkins to six straight NCAA Tournament appearances from 2017 to 2023 (no season in 2020) while turning in an impressive 86-20-21 record. Last season, the Blue Jays went 13-5-4 and won the program's 10th Centennial Conference Championship. In 2022, the Blue Jays went 15-1-8 and rode one of the stingiest defenses in the nation to the NCAA Quarterfinals. Returning to the pitch in 2021 after COVID, Hopkins made the NCAA Second Round. The 2019 season saw Hopkins go 17-3-1, win the Centennial Conference title and climbed as high as third in the national rankings. 

Appleby guided the Blue Jays to a 12-3-3 record and a berth in the Centennial Conference semifinals in 2016. It was Hopkins' 16th straight CC Tournament appearance; JHU is the only school in the conference to make every CC Tournament. Senior Samy Ramadane was named the conference's Player of the Year while junior Mike Swiercz was named the conference's Scholar Athlete of the Year. Both went on to earn CoSIDA Academic All-America honors. 

In 2015, Appleby led Hopkins to an 11-5-3 record and a berth in the Centennial Conference semifinals. Senior Eric Buck led a contingent of four Blue Jays on the All-CC team with First Team honors. Senior Andrew Park became just the eighth player in program history to earn All-CC honors for a fourth time. Appleby guided JHU to a 9-7-2 record and the conference tournament in 2014. Four Blue Jays earned All-CC honors led by senior Rob Heuler, who grabbed First Team accolades for the second time in his career. He went on to earn Second Team NSCAA All-Mid-Atlantic honors as well.

In 2013, the Blue Jays turned in a 7-8-3 record and a trip to the CC Tournament. Sophomore defender Andrew Park earned First Team All-Centennial Conference honors, while Rob Heuler and sophomore forward Kenny DeStefano were named to the second team. In 2012, Hopkins went 8-8-1 mark and advanced to the Centennial Conference semifinals. Heuler was named a First Team All-Centennial Conference pick, while classmate Nick Cerrone was tabbed for the second team and Park was named to the honorable mention team. 

In 2011, Appleby led Johns Hopkins to a 10-5-3 record and the Centennial Conference regular season crown and was named the Centennial Conference Coach of the Year. Senior Corey Adams was named the Centennial Conference Player of the Year, the first defender to earn the earn the honor since 2005 and is just the fourth in the 19-year history of the conference. In addition, seniors Sean Coleman and Drew Holland were named Academic All-Americans.

In Appleby's second season, the Blue Jays went 16-4-3, won their record eighth Centennial Conference title and advanced to the NCAA Sweet 16. Hopkins lost to the eventual national champion, Messiah, in double overtime on the road. In 2010, he guided the Blue Jays to the NCAA Sweet 16 for the third straight time and a final record of 15-4-4 with a pair of wins over top 10 teams. The three consecutive Sweet 16 appearances are a program first. Hopkins made its 10th straight trip to the Centennial Conference Tournament, one of just two teams to make all 10 tournaments, falling in the semifinals.

Appleby came to Johns Hopkins after six years as the head coach at Emory & Henry (VA). Prior to his tenure with the Wasps, he was an assistant coach at both Wofford and Washington & Lee.

A 1994 graduate of UNC-Charlotte, Appleby played for the 49ers from 1990 to 1992. He earned Second Team All-Metro Conference honors in 1992 and helped lead UNC-Charlotte to back-to-back NCAA Tournament appearances in 1991 and 1992. Appleby began his collegiate career at Wofford College, where he set a school freshman record with 16 goals and earned NSCAA First Team All-South honors.

Appleby continued his playing career in the German Third Division with Tus Celle. After a season in Germany, he returned to the United States to play in the USISL with the Raleigh Flyers (1995) and the National Champion Charleston Battery (1996). He then went on to play for the Richmond Kickers of the A-League (1997). Named the South Carolina Player of the Year after leading the state in scoring in 1989, Appleby led Irmo High School to three consecutive state championships from 1987 to 1989.

Appleby and his wife, Kelli, reside in nearby Mt. Washington with their son, Luke, and daughter, Sullivan.