By: UMass Dartmouth Athletics
DARTMOUTH, Mass. – Director of Athletics and Recreation Lori Hendricks announced the hiring of Andrew Schaefer as the next Head Coach of Men's Soccer at the University of Massachusetts Dartmouth. He becomes the first full-time head coach in program history as the Corsairs begin their 59th-year in 2024. Schaefer arrives from Wheaton College, where he served a number of roles for the Lyons, including assistant men's soccer coach and athletic communications coordinator.
"I am thrilled to welcome Andrew Schaefer to the Corsair family," said Hendricks. "He brings a very strong soccer pedigree that supports our goal to build a championship program within the LEC and the New England region."
"I am incredibly honored to lead the UMass Dartmouth Men's Soccer program. I would like to thank Director of Athletics Lori Hendricks, Deputy Director of Athletics Jack Holleran, and the rest of the search committee for the opportunity to become the first full-time head coach in program history," stated Schaefer. "I would not be where I am today without the incredible mentors I've had in my coaching journey. I am excited to get started this fall and look forward to leading the program in pursuit of competitive excellence on the field, in the classroom, and in the community."
During his five-year tenure at Wheaton, Schaefer helped aid in the growth and return to prominence at the regional and national level of the Lyons men's soccer program. The squad was among the top ranked in the NCAA Regional Rankings over the last three years, receiving Top-25 recognition in 2021.
Schaefer helped the squad produce 11 NEWMAC All-Conference and nine All-Region selections during his time, including the 2022 and 2023 NEWMAC Player of the Year. Wheaton boasted a 38-28-18 record during his time, which included a standout victory in 2021 over eventual National Champion, Connecticut College.
In addition to his role at Wheaton, Schaefer also served as the head coach for boys soccer at both Juventus Academy Boston and Global Premier Soccer. At Juventus, he helped construct a roster of 18-24 players for a new program within the club, while his time at Global Premier saw his squad place first in the nationally recognized NCFC Showcase.
A native of Allentown, Pennsylvania, Schaefer arrived in Norton following a two-year stint at his alma mater, Randolph-Macon College. There, he assisted with all aspects of the program, developing and executing training and game plans that helped the squad to a 14-3-1 record during the 2017 season and a top-10 ranking in the South Atlantic Region. Additionally, the squad saw six ODAC All-Conference honorees and three All-Region selections.
Prior to Randolph-Macon, Schaefer spent the 2016 season as an Assistant Coach and Recruiting Coordinator at Cabrini University helping the Cavaliers to a CSAC Finals appearance.
Schaefer was a four-year member of the varsity soccer team at Randolph-Macon, serving as a Captain during his junior and senior years. In addition to garnering Old Dominion Athletic Conference Academic All-Conference honors in 2015 and 2016, he led the team in goals during his final season.
A 2016 graduate from Randolph-Macon with his Bachelor of Arts in Business and Economics, Schaefer earned his Master of Science in Leadership from Cabrini University in 2020.