Women's Soccer Adds Vernon Croft to Coaching Staff
July 1, 2009
CORAL GABLES – University of Miami head soccer coach Tricia Taliaferro has announced the addition of Vernon Croft to the soccer coaching staff. For the past nine seasons, Croft was the head coach of the Indiana State women’s soccer team.
“The ability to attract a coach of Vernon’s caliber is a direct reflection of the program’s success on and off the field,” said Taliaferro.” We continue to improve in areas to help us achieve our goal of winning a national championship and to add another coach with an USSF `A’ license will only enhance the momentum of this program. Vernon is an ultimate professional with a contagious positive attitude, relentless work ethic and the desire to be great. He will be a great ambassador to the university, athletic department and the soccer program.”
Croft became Indiana State’s first head coach in their inaugural year of 2000 and led the team to 57 victories during his tenure. In 2004, Croft was named the Missouri Valley Conference Co-Coach of the Year after leading the Sycamores to a program record nine wins.
In 2008, Croft took his team to the MVC Tournament finals, advancing farther than any team in program history.
“I am very excited to join a staff of this caliber, a program of this caliber, and an athletics department with the history of success that Miami has and continues to experience,” said Croft.
Prior to Indiana State, Croft served at Missouri State, where he assisted in launching the Lady Bears soccer program. In his four seasons with MSU, the Lady Bears made appearances in the Missouri Valley Conference tournament and advanced to the semifinals every year including the championship game in 1999. While at the Springfield, MO, institution, Croft also served as the men’s goalkeeper coach from 1996-97 which finished its season ranked No. 12 in the nation.
Prior to MSU, Croft served as an assistant coach at NCAA Division III Widener University in Chester, PA, helping begin the women’s soccer program from 1995-96. He helped guide the Pioneers to a second-place finish in the Middle Atlantic Conference with a 15-2-1 record and a berth in the Eastern Collegiate Athletic Conference tournament and a No. 4 regional ranking.
Croft began his college coaching career at Lynchburg College in 1994 as the assistant men’s soccer coach.
Croft played collegiate soccer at Rider University for one year before a four-year stint at Lynchburg College where he was a two-year captain and goalkeeper who holds a Lynchburg College record for most saves in a career.
He earned his bachelor’s degree in health, movement science and recreation in 1994 from Lynchburg and his master’s in education from Widener in 1996.
The Fairfax, Virginia native played two seasons as goalkeeper in the United Systems Independent Soccer League, competing for the Roanoke (VA) Riverdawgs in 1994 and the Reading (PA) Rage in 1995.
Croft currently holds licenses from the National Soccer Coaches Association of America (NSCAA) and has his United States Soccer Federation A License.
In 2008, Croft moved into athletics administration as he was named the Assistant Athletics Director of Facilities and Event Management. While in that position, Croft oversaw the renovation and construction of the football locker room and helped make the development of the soccer and football field possible.
Croft has two children, twins Kelsey and Keegan, born in January 2006.
