Assistant Coach Neil Harries is back for his second season after joining the team for the 2016 season.
"I am honored and excited for the opportunity to join the brotherhood and tradition at Hampden-Sydney College," stated Coach Harries. "I look forward to giving the players, the coaching staff, and the college everything I have in helping the program grow and push the program to be very successful in the future."
Harries, a native of Burnley, England, is a 2012 graduate of the University of Rio Grande with a degree in Sports and Exercise Science with a Marketing minor. He was a four-year starter and a two-time NAIA All-American as a center back. The Red Storm had extensive post season success during his four-year career, reaching the National Championship game in 2008, the Final Four in 2009, the Sweet 16 in 2010, and the Elite Eight in 2011.
Harries most recently served as a men's and women's soccer assistant coach for NCAA Division III Mount Aloysius College (MAC) since 2014. He took over training for goalkeepers this past fall.
The Mounties men's team went 8-11-1 in his first season but the squad had a historic season in his second year. MAC went 12-7-2 while winning the Alleghany Mountain Collegiate Conference (AMCC) for the first time in program history. They earned an automatic berth to the NCAA Tournament, their first-ever NCAA appearance, before narrowly dropping a 1-0 contest in the first round. Seven players earned all-conference honors in 2015, including the AMCC Defensive Player of the Year and AMCC Newcomer of the Year.
While at Mount Aloysius, he has been attending graduate school and will earn a masters degree in Business Administration this spring.
Prior to his stint at Mt. Aloysius, he was an assistant coach for Division III Bates College for the 2012 and 2013 seasons. He primarily coached the defense and the Bobcats improved tremendously under his watch. In the season prior to his arrival, the defense boasted a 1.82 goals against average and zero shutouts. By his second year, the GAA dropped to 1.25 and the Bobcats had seven clean sheets.
Additionally, he has obtained a USSF D License and well as NSCAA Level I and II Goalkeeping Diploma.
During his playing career, Harries has also represented Lancashire FA at the regional level, and he was also selected for the Lancashire College select team. He moved to the United States in 2008 and enjoyed great success both at the college level and in the Professional Premier Development League (PDL), which is the highest level of amateur soccer in the United States.
During the summer months, Harries has played in the PDL for the Michigan Bucks, West Virginia Chaos, New Orleans Jesters, and most recently the Portland Phoenix. He has also competed in the US Open Cup, a single elimination tournament that involves all pro teams in the United States, including those from MLS.
Harries has also worked as a coach for Colne FC in England and several PDL youth academies including his most recent position with the MPS Portland Phoenix in Maine.
