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Clark University

Worcester, MA 01610
Massachusetts Northeast
Private Small Developing team
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Brienne Smith

Smith will enter her 10th season at the helm for the Cougars in the fall of 2023-24, leading the program turnaround since coming back to her alma mater in 2014.


After winning just 4 games in her first two seasons, the Cougars have averaged 9.66 wins per season, and qualified for the NEWMAC Tournament in 2017, 2021, and 2022. This past fall of 2022, the Cougars advanced to the NEWMAC Championship Game for the first time in program history. They finished in second place with a conference record of 6-2-2 and an overall record of 12-6-2, and ended the season ranked 4th in NCAA Region 2. For the second straight season, the Cougars had 3 All-Conference players, including the NEWMAC Player of the Year, Jamie Joseph, and 2 United Soccer Coaches All-Region players in Joseph and Jayme Brown. Joseph also earned a spot on the United Soccer Coaches Scholar All-America team.


Prior to arriving at Clark, Smith spent four years as the head women's soccer coach at Moravian College in Bethlehem, PA. where she guided the Greyhounds to four straight Landmark Conference Tournament appearances, including a berth in the Landmark Championship Game in 2012. During that 2012 season, Smith was named Landmark Coach of the Year, while two of her student-athletes garnered the league's Offensive and Defensive Player of the Year awards, respectively. Her program saw eight student-athletes earn a combined 13 All-Conference citations during her tenure, including six First-Team selections.


Prior to Moravian, Smith spent nine years as an assistant coach at Tufts University. During her time with the Jumbos, Smith helped lead them to three NCAA Tournament berths, including a trip to the Final Four in 2005 and more than 80 victories.


Smith was a four-year letter winner with the Cougars appearing in 68 of 76 games from 1997-00. She was part of the 1998 team that won a school-record 17 games and garnered the school's lone NCAA Tournament bid. A 2001 Clark University graduate with a degree in psychology and a minor in education, Smith also holds a master's degree in physical education from Bridgewater State and an Advanced National Diploma from the United Soccer Coaches.

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Erin Thompson

Erin Thompson joins the Clark University women’s soccer staff in the fall of 2023 where she will serve as an assistant coach/recruiting coordinator.


Prior to Clark, Thompson graduated with a degree in Accounting and Business Administration from Graceland University, Iowa 2022 where she was a student-athlete for 3 years. In her senior year, she transitioned into coaching the JV women’s soccer team and during her time as a JV head coach, Thompson gained valuable experience and acquired a unique combination of abilities which led to her passion for coaching at the collegiate level.


Originally from the United Kingdom, Thompson brings a wealth of knowledge and experience to the Cougar’s program having played at the academy level in England from the age of 13-18,


Derby County FC (2013-2015), Sheffield United FC (2015-2016), and Nottingham Forest Ladies (2016-2018). Thompson also has experience at the international level with the Republic of Ireland.


Thompson will begin Clark’s Master of Business Administration (MBA) program in the fall of 2023. In addition to her academic degree, Thompson holds a USSF “D” License as well as a FA Level 1 coaching badge and FA level 7 referee badge.

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Sean Wilson

Assistant Coach | Goalkeeper Coach

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Matt O'Toole

Matt O’Toole, now entering his 12th season at Clark University in 2022-23, has methodically put together his plan that has the Cougars' on an ascension towards the top of the New England Women's and Men's Athletic Conference (NEWMAC) - widely considered one of the nation's elite Division III men's soccer conferences.


In addition to his role in leading the Scarlet and White on the field, O'Toole now serves as the department's liaison to the Admissions Office and as the United Soccer Coaches Association Scholar All-America Committee National Chair.


Over the last two seasons, O'Toole has brought the Cougars to back-to-back NEWMAC post-season appearances. In 2016 and 2017 the Cougars were semifinalists in post-season play and finished 2017 with a 9-6-4 overall record. Connor Maguire (2018) and Sean Munroe (2020) were both named to the NEWMAC All-Conference First Team and named to the New England Soccer Journal Best XI's Third Team in 2017.


During his first three seasons at the helm of the Cougars, he replenished the roster with newcomers all the while developing a pair of first-team all-conference performers (Will Van Noppen, 2012 and Oscar Zapata, 2013, 2014).


In 2013, Clark captured the Worcester City Tournament title and won the program's first league contest since 2010. O'Toole's squad posted three shutouts but were also snake-bitten, dropping four matches by a goal. In his first campaign in 2012, O'Toole led Clark to an 8-10 overall record, including a pair of dramatic double-overtime wins along the way, deftly integrating several newcomers with a strong veteran core.


In 2016, O'Toole led the Cougars to an impressive 14-5 campaign and 4-3 (3rd place) finish in the NEWMAC. The Cougars were ranked consistently in the top 10 in New England and O'Toole was named NEWMAC Coach of the Year.


A former assistant at one of the most successful programs in the country with extensive ties to New England, he was named to his current position on February 21, 2012.


O’Toole brought with him an impressive resume of accomplishments and accolades and was most recently an assistant coach at Amherst College, the nation’s tenth ranked Division III program in 2011. While with Lord Jeffs, O’Toole helped guide them to both the NESCAC regular season and tournament championships and the third round of the NCAA Tournament. Thanks in part to his tutelage, the 2011 Lord Jeffs led the NESCAC in 14 different statistical categories, including all 8 offensive rankings – news that should bode well for future Clark soccer teams.


Prior to Amherst, O’Toole was the head coach at Bridgewater College in Virginia for two seasons (2009 and 2010), where he recruited a trio of all-conference performers, as well as battled with 2010 NCAA Finalist, Lynchburg College, and traditional Mid-Atlantic powers Virginia Wesleyan, Roanoke and North Carolina Wesleyan.


O’Toole has spent time at the Division I ranks, serving as an assistant coach at the University of Richmond for five seasons (2004-08). While on the Spider sidelines, he helped lead Richmond to the Atlantic-10 semifinals in 2006 and in competition against some of the strongest Division I programs in the country.


No stranger to the NEWMAC, O’Toole actually got his start at league rival Wheaton where he helped guide the Lyons to a NEWMAC regular season (2002) and conference tournament title (2003) in his two seasons. Wheaton compiled a 34-8-2 overall record during his stay and advanced to the NCAA Final Four in 2003 – a season in which they won 19 games.


O’Toole also brings with him an NSCAA Advanced National Diploma and USSF “B” coaching license and a lengthy pedigree of club and camp coaching experience.


Following a stellar four-year career Providence College that saw him start 64 of 65 games and earn All-New England honors, O’Toole was invited to train with three different Major League Soccer clubs, as well as with Bohemians FC of the Eircom Premier League of Ireland.


A native of Norwell, Mass. and 2001 graduate of Providence College with a degree in marketing. O’Toole completed his master’s degree in Sports Leadership at Northeastern University in the summer of 2013.

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Bryant Nardizzi

Clark University head men's soccer coach Matt O'Toole announced the addition of Bryant Nardizzi as an assistant coach to his staff.


"We are excited to add Bryant to the men's soccer staff for this Fall," said O'Toole. "I've known Bryant and his family for a while, he was a tremendous college player and will add both experience and energy to our team."


Nardizzi arrives in Worcester after spending this past year as an assistant coach at Framingham State. The Rams went unbeaten in conference play, reached the MASCAC Tournament Semifinal, and posted an 11-5-3 overall record. At Framingham State, Nardizzi was responsible for running training sessions, recruiting, creating the offseason training program, and other duties as assigned.


Nardizzi is currently the head coach of New England Futbol Club (NEFC) MetroWest Region out of Northborough. In his role, he coaches four youth teams and runs training sessions that align with the club ideas for player development.


Prior to entering coaching, Nardizzi was a professional soccer player for the Michigan Stars of the National Independent Soccer Association for a season during the 2021 campaign. Nardizzi graduated from Framingham State in 2020 and helped the Rams earn a MASCAC Championship in 2019.


Outside of coaching, Nardizzi has also worked for the Constable's Office in Framingham as a process server and was a substitute teacher in the Framingham Public School System.

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Tony Abdulky

Assistant Coach

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