Assistant Coach: Rob Kelly (1st Year)
Kelly joins first-year head coach Joe Ruesgen behind the bench for the 2014 fall season. He was added to the staff in March for the spring non-traditional campaign and is eager to get rolling at Purchase.
“I am very excited to have the opportunity to join a program that is dedicated to winning,” he said. “To have the opportunity to coach at the collegiate level is a challenge I cannot wait to start. I had the opportunity to play with Joe for three years in college and to now have the opportunity to coach alongside him is very exciting, and a journey I cannot wait to take.
“The women's soccer program has unlimited potential and I cannot wait to help them achieve great things,” Kelly added.
The new assistant coach comes to Purchase with a wealth of playing experience. He was three-year varsity goalie at Kearny High School in Kearny, NJ, where he helped his team win the 2002 state championship, and was an all conference, all county and all state selection.
Following a sterling high school career, Kelly was a three-year starting goalie at Dominican College (2004-07), where he played with Ruesgen from 2005-07.
During his college tenure, Kelly continued his success and was named to the all-conference team three times. In addition, he was a two-time all region pick.
When he wrapped his college playing career, Kelly focused his attention on coaching, working various camps and doing private training. He was named the goalkeeper coach for Kearny H.S. in 2009 and 2010 before enjoying a stint as an assistant coach at the Trinity School in Manhattan from 2011-13.
He graduated from Dominican College with a B.S. in Mathematics and earned a Masters in Curriculum and Instruction from Nova Southeastern University in Fort Lauderdale, Florida.
Kelly is currently a Math teacher at Kearny H.S., and is working on obtaining his national goalkeeping license and national diploma.
Today, Kelly lives in Kearny with his wife, Tatiana.
