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Neil Roberts, who is entering his 23rd year as Boston University's men's soccer coach, has guided the Terriers to unparalleled success for the past two decades.
Since his first season in 1985 when BU rolled to a 14-4-1 record and a bid in the NCAA tournament, Roberts has established the BU men's soccer program as one of the elite in the nation.
The team had its finest start in 12 years (4-0-1) in 2006 and finished with a 10-4-5 record and a berth in the America East Tournament semifinals where BU fell in penalty kicks, 6-5, to Binghamton for the second straight year. The Terriers earned the program's first win over a Big 10 program with a 1-0 defeat of Ohio State, and Roberts picked up his 250th career win, 1-0, against N.J. Institute of Technology on Sept. 3.
Ranking 22nd in the nation among active coaches in winning percentage, Roberts has guided the Terriers to a 257-122-60 overall record, registering an unprecedented 21 winning seasons.
Under Roberts' direction, the Terriers have appeared in 11 NCAA tournaments, advancing past the first round six times. During the 1985 season, the Terriers reached the national quarterfinals. In 1988, 1990, 1993, 1994 and 2004, the Terriers won their first-round matches before being eliminated in the second round.
BU has enjoyed similar success in the America East Men's Soccer Championship during Roberts' tenure. The Terriers won five straight conference titles in the 1990s and, during that stretch, had a 10-game tournament winning streak. In the 17-year history of the postseason competition, BU has advanced to the finals eight times and boasts an overall record of 14-6-4 (.700).
Similarly, in 19 years of regular-season conference play, the Terriers have won the regular-season title six times and posted an overall record of 98-31-20 (.760). From September 1989 through October 1993, Roberts' clubs were undefeated in 29 consecutive conference games, compiling a mark of 28-0-1.
One of the highlights of Roberts' career came in 1994 when the Terriers posted a 16-0-1 regular-season record, making them the only undefeated team in the nation. The season opened with a stunning 3-2 upset win over No. 1 ranked and eventual national champion University of Virginia. The Terriers set seven team records and finished the regular-season ranked first in the nation. They ended the year with a 19-1-1 (.929) mark, including a first-round win in the NCAAs.
The all-time winningest soccer coach in program history, Roberts has coached 12 All-Americans and seven Academic All-Americans. In 1994, Nick Bone, who went on to become the Terriers' all-time leading scorer, was voted the National Freshman of the Year.
Roberts' association with Boston University soccer began in 1979, when he served as an assistant coach under Hank Steinbrecher, who is the former executive director of the United States Soccer Federation. In 1985, when Steinbrecher left the University, Roberts was named the head coach.
The Terrier coach has been recognized 12 times for his coaching excellence. He was the NSCAA New England Coach of the Year in 1985, 1986, 1988, 1994 and 2004. In 1986, 1990 and 1994, he was also the New England Soccer Coach of the Year as selected by the Eastern Massachusetts High School Soccer Coaches Association, and in 1991, 1994, 2001 and 2004, he was the America East Coach of the Year. Also, in 1995, he received the William French Award for coaching excellence from the Boston University Athletic Hall of Fame.
Roberts is equally proud of his players' accomplishments in the classroom. During the 2005 season, 13 players earned America East academic honors, while Steve Walker (1993) and Ola Olsen (1994) received the conference's Scholar-Athlete Award as the outstanding student-athlete in men's soccer.
The holder of a USSF license, Roberts has been actively involved with soccer at all levels. Most recently, he guided the Massachusetts Under-15 team to the 1999 regional title, while he has also coached the Mass Bay Strikers to the 1993 Under-17 State title. In 1984, he led the Cambridge Portuguese Sport Soccer Club to an undefeated season and the American Soccer Association title.
A native of Braintree, Mass., Roberts was an All-New England selection and captain of the 1976 Mitchell Junior College team that finished second at the junior college national championships. He then enrolled at Southern Connecticut State University, where he enjoyed two outstanding seasons. Roberts captained the team during his junior and senior seasons and led the Owls to back-to-back NCAA tournament appearances.
Currently residing in his hometown, Roberts and his wife, Sue, have a son, Dan, and a daughter, Deidre. |
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