Coaches
Rob Ferguson
Head Coach
CornellSoccer@cornell.edu
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Coaching Experience
• Head Coach, Cornell women's soccer (2020-present)
• Assistant Coach, Cornell women's soccer (2019-2020)
• Director of Coaching, WNY Flash Academy (2016-2019)
• Head Coach, Huston-Tillotson men's soccer (2014-16)
• Head Coach, Huston-Tillotson women's soccer (2015-16)
• Director of Business, Lonestar Soccer Club (2008-15)
• Head Coach, Albion Hurricanes FC
• Head Coach, FC Arsenal
• Regional Manager, Brittania Soccer/ProExcel
Coaching Credentials
• USSF ‘A’ Coaching License
• USSF National Youth License
• NSCAA GK Diploma
Education
• B.A., Sports Studies and Business Management, University of Manchester (England).
At Cornell
Ferguson, who enters his fourth season as the head coach of the Cornell women's soccer team, was hired as the sixth head coach in program history in February 2020. Prior to his appointment as head coach, Ferguson served as an assistant coach for the Big Red for the 2019 campaign under previous head coach Dwight Hornibrook.
His most recent season featured Cornell going 4-7-5 overall and 2-3-2 in Ivy League play. Both of Cornell's conference victories came in its final two matches of the season, marking the first time the Big Red won consecutive Ivy League matches since the last match in 2014 and the first fixture in 2015. Cornell also had an impressive 3-1-3 home record at Berman Field, which included going unbeaten in its final six matches (3-0-3). The Big Red also had a trio of All-Ivy award winners, including Second Team All-Ivy selections Reagan Pauwels and Cecily Pokigo. It was the most All-Ivy players for Cornell women's soccer since having four players — including a pair of First Team All-Ivy players — in 2015.
Ferguson's first year as head coach was canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Ferguson guided Cornell to a 3-11-2 mark in 2021, including a 1-6-0 Ivy League record — which featured the Big Red posting its first conference win since 2016.
In his first overall season on East Hill in 2019, Ferguson guided the Big Red to four consecutive victories to start the season – including three straight clean sheets over Siena, Bucknell, and St. Bonaventure. Cornell ultimately finished the season with a 4-10-1 record after the rigors of one some of the strongest Ivy League competition seen in recent years. Ferguson helped get the Big Red’s impact freshman class acclimated to collegiate competition, a group that included 2019 All-Ivy League honorable mention selection Ashley Durik.
Prior to Cornell
Ferguson first joined the Big Red after a very successful stint as the Director of Coaching with the WNY Flash Academy. He helped turn the program into a player development leader in Western New York, expanding the program's footprint from 15 teams to 34 teams and moving them into national recognition in Elite Clubs National League (ECNL). Under Ferguson’s leadership at the Flash their 03G ECNL and Flash 02G ECNL advanced into the Elite 8 in June 2018, and the club had their first US Youth National Team Camp call-up.
Before joining the WNY Flash Academy, Ferguson was the head coach of both the men's and women's soccer programs at NAIA Huston-Tillotson University in Austin, Texas. Prior to that, he served as the Executive Director of Business for Lonestar Soccer Club from 2008 until 2015. One of the largest and most successful youth soccer clubs in the country, Ferguson coached the Lonestar 96B Red, 93G Red, 94G Red and 95G Red, and he helped advance the 95G Red to the USYSNC Region III Championships in June 2013 and 2014.
Previous stops for Ferguson included a stint as the head coach with Albion Hurricanes FC in Houston, where he guided the AHFC 94G Blue to the USYSNC Regionals for the first time in their history. Before that, he was the Director of Coaching for FC Arsenal for three years in Bastrop, Texas, and he was a Regional Manager for Brittania Soccer/ProExcel, based in Seattle.
Personal
Ferguson lives with his wife, Kelsey, their two children, Maxwell and Mirann, and their two dogs, Bonsai and Charlie.
* Updated 6/26/23
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