From Case Western Reserve University Athletics
Case Western Reserve University Director of Athletics and Chair of Physical Education Amy Backus has announced the hiring of Carter Poe as the head coach of the Spartans' men's soccer program.
"I would like to thank Amy Backus and Lou Stark for this incredible opportunity, as well as the CWRU athletic department, staff, and team members who took the time to meet with me during the interview process," said Poe. "Their character, kindness, and passion convinced me that Case Western Reserve was the perfect fit for me. In addition, I'd like to thank my wife, Rachel, who has always been and continues to be my best friend and biggest supporter."
Poe comes to CWRU after an outstanding five-year stint as the Head Coach of the University of Mount Union. He took the program over in 2015 after two seasons as the team's assistant, guiding the squad to a 46-32-12 record, good for a .578 winning percentage. Included in that mark is a 23-8-6 record over his final two seasons at the team's helm. He led the team to the semifinals of the Ohio Athletic Conference Championships in back-to-back seasons, while setting a school record for wins (13) and achieving the highest national ranking in program history (13th) in 2018. The team qualified for the OAC Championship Tournament three-straight years for the first time ever, and he led 19 players to All-OAC honors and five to All-Region selections during his time with the team.
"Carter Poe brings the experience and success we were looking for to continue the strong tradition and culture of our men's soccer program," said Backus. "He impressed us with his preparation, organization and vision for the program. We are thrilled to have him as the next leader of CWRU men's soccer."
Poe is no stranger to the Cleveland area. A native of Chesterland, Ohio, he is a graduate of West Geauga High School where he was an all-state player, serving as a team captain for two years and was a four-year letter winner. He went on to a standout collegiate career at Duquesne University, and his 79 career games played for the Division I team are the most in the program's history. He was a two-year team captain, and secured Atlantic-10 Academic All-Conference honors in both 2011 and 2012. Poe was also an NSCAA Scholar All-East Region Honorable Mention as a senior.
Following his collegiate career, Poe went on to play for AFC Cleveland of the National Premier Soccer League from 2012-13, securing team Most Valuable Player honors in 2013. He took over as the team's head coach in 2015 and 2016, guiding the squad to the 2016 National Championship, while piloting a roster which included former CWRU All-Americans Chris Cvecko and Vinny Bell.
"From his collegiate career at Duquesne, his time as a professional player and coach, and his years as a head coach, Carter has been a winner and an exceptional leader for his teams," said Backus.
Poe will be taking over a program that is just a year removed from a berth into the NCAA quarterfinals, and has notched three winning seasons in the last six years, despite routinely playing one of the toughest schedules in Division III.
"I am absolutely buzzing to get started," said Poe. "The rich history, academic prestige, and campus location of Case Western Reserve make it one of the premier universities in the entire country. What's more, [former Head Coach] Brandon Bianco has laid a tremendous foundation with the team, and I am looking forward to working with this ambitious group of student-athletes to continue the program's winning tradition."
Poe graduated from Duquesne in 2013 with his undergraduate degree in Middle Level Education, and received his Masters in Educational Leadership from Mount Union in 2016. He has earned his United Soccer Coaches Premier Diploma, Advanced National Diploma and National Diploma.