Photo: Alex Weiss
By Sean McGuffin – @SeanMCG704
As school programs get set for the start of the Spring season, school athletic departments remain busy looking for coaches to prepare for 2026. The men’s power four conferences have not seen many head coaches moving, but the moves that have been made are sure to send shockwaves across the men’s college soccer landscape.
Penn State: Out – Jeff Cook, In – Rob Dow (pictured above)
On November 21, 2025, Penn State head coach Jeff Cook resigned from his position after a difficult 1-6-3 season, the worst in the conference. Cook would leave the Nittany Lions with a 66-49-23 record over his six years with the university. Penn State was looking for a coach to make them a competitive presence in the Big 10 after two consecutive seasons at the bottom of the table.
With championship aspirations, the university found a coach who has already proven he could win a championship with much less. 2024 National Champion Rob Dow has jumped from the University of Vermont to become the 13th men’s soccer coach in Penn State history. Dow comes to State College after nine years with the Catamounts. At Vermont, Dow would lead the school to 109 wins and a National championship in 2024. A proven coach at the mid-major level, Dow’s arrival at Penn State could bring the Nittany Lions back to being a threat for the College Cup.
Coastal Carolina: Out – Chris Fidler, In – Adam Perron
When Shaun Docking announced his retirement just before the 2025 season, Coastal Carolina would have no other option but to promote assistant coach Chris Fidler to the position of head coach. Fidler was an impressive goalkeeper for the Chanticleers in his playing days and had success at the assistant coach level, but after a 3-9-2 season, the Chanticleers opted to find a new permanent solution to their head coaching situation.
It is hard to find a coach with the experience of the departed Shaun Docking, but Coastal Carolina believes it has found a worthy successor in Adam Perron. An associate coach with the Virginia Cavaliers since 2020, Perron has been noted for developing and recruiting MLS-level talent during his tenure. The head coach is no stranger to the Sun Belt conference, as he acted as assistant coach as well as recruiting coordinator for the James Madison Dukes over the 2018 and 2019 seasons. With his proficiency for bringing in talent and bringing out the best of their ability, the hiring of Adam Perron looks as if it could be a turning point in Conway.
Butler: Out – Paul Snape, In – Ian Sarachan
After 15 seasons with the Butler Bulldogs, head coach Paul Snape would announce his resignation after the conclusion of the 2025 season. Snape leaves the Bulldogs with the most wins for a coach in program history, with a 113-112-45 overall record. Butler would begin the search to replace the former Big East coach of the year, but instead of looking around the NCAA, they decided to go with the pros.
The Bulldogs found their man in Colorado Rapids assistant coach Ian Sarachan. The seventh head coach in program history, Sarachan brings experience from all across the American soccer landscape. A five-year tenure at Creighton as an assistant coach, as well as coaching for Santa Clara, Wisconsin, and the LA Galaxy academy. With the Rapids, he helped lead the team to the 2024 MLS Cup Playoffs. A proven winner at the mid-major, power four, and professional level, Ian Sarachan is the man to get Butler out of the under .500 doghouse.
