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Vermont State University Castleton

Castleton, VT 05735
Vermont Northeast
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Chris Chapdelaine

Chris Chapdelaine enters his 19th season as the head coach of the VTSU Castleton women's soccer team in 2023, leading the Spartans to a record of 198-130-26 (.604) over that span.


Most recently, Chapdelaine's Spartans went 8-11-1 (4-3-1 LEC) with a third consecutive trip to the Little East Conference semifinals.


Finding success on the field and in the classroom under Chapdelaine, the 2020-21 team was one of 18 nationwide to earn the United Soccer Coaches Team Pinnacle Award. It marked the first in program history for the Spartans and celebrates a combination of high winning percentage, team grade point average, and sportsmanship.


In Castleton's first two seasons in the Little East Conference, Chapdelaine has led the squad as far as conference semifinals, falling just one win shy of the LEC Championship in 2019. Chapdelaine has seen six players earn all-conference recognition since 2018.


In 2017, Castleton went 11-8-2 overall, including 8-1 within the North Atlantic Conference to finish in second place in the regular season standings. The Spartans defeated New England College (2-1) and Husson (1-0) to win the NAC Tournament and advance to the NCAA Tournament. Rylee Nichols was named NAC Rookie of the Year, and Kate Steller received the NAC Women's Soccer Senior Scholar-Athlete of the Year award. In addition, the team earned the Silver Team Ethics and Sportsmanship Award from United Soccer Coaches (USC), and five players received NAC All-Academic recognition.


During the 2016 season, the Spartans posted a 7-8-6 overall record, setting the program record for most ties in a single season. The team did advance to the NAC Tournament semifinals after winning its quarterfinal contest on penalty kicks. Castleton went 5-2-2 in NAC play during the regular season. Nicole Wershoven was named Senior Scholar-Athlete of the Year and received Academic All-America recognition, while Izzy Hutnak was named NAC Rookie of the Year.


In 2015, Castleton went 12-8 overall and a perfect 9-0 in the conference, winning the outright regular season North Atlantic Conference title. Mallory Costello was named the NAC Player of the Year for the third time in her career, while four other players also earned All-Conference recognition. Chapdelaine, meanwhile, was named the NAC Coach of the Year for the fourth time in his career and first time since 2011.


In 2014, the Spartans went 12-8-1, including 7-1-1 in the conference, as they played in North Atlantic Conference Championship for the sixth consecutive season. His team's defense allowed just three goals in conference play and he had a pair of players earne NEWISA All-New England Honors. The duo, Mallory Costello and Allison Vachon, also were named the NAC Player and Defensive Player of the Year.


Despite having 15 freshmen, Chapdelaine led his 2013 charges to the North Atlantic Conference Championship game for the sixth consecutive year. The Spartans failed to capture their fourth straight NAC Title, but in the ECAC Quarterfinals knocked off No. 2 seed Brandeis 2-2 (5-4) in penalty kicks for the program's first postseason victory. Castleton finished the year at 13-9-2 as Mallory Costello earned NSCAA All-Region honors for the second straight year. Chapdelaine also coached the NAC Rookie of the Year in Dominique Valancius and had five players earned all-conference honors.


In 2012 his squad went 15-5-1 and sported a 69-18 goal differential. Castleton lost its first conference game in three years but rebounded to capture its third straight NAC Title and trip to the NCAA National Tournament. Spartan freshman Mallory Costello took home both NAC Player and Rookie of the Year honors, while Kelsey Lenney was selected as the NAC Defensive Player of the Year. Costello then became just the second Castleton player to be named NSCAA All-Region.


In 2011, Chapdelaine's squad captured its second straight North Atlantic Conference Championship and trip to the NCAA Tournament. For his efforts he was named NAC Coach of the Year for the fourth time ('05, '07, '09, '11) as his team won a program-record 17 games. He had five players earn all-conference honors, including four-time Player of the Year Courtney Chadburn.


Castleton captured its second NAC title under Chapdelaine in 2010. The Spartans finished with 16 wins and had five players earn all-conference honors, including four on the first-team.


In his first season (2005) at the helm, Chapdelaine piloted the team to the NAC Title and first-ever appearance in the national tournament.


Academically, Chapdelaine's teams have also succeeded. In 2011, Courtney Chadburn was also named the CoSIDA Division III Academic All-American of the Year for her success both on and off the field.


Chapdelaine served as assistant coach of the 2003 and 2004 teams that set all time records for wins in a single season and over a two year span, records that were broken by his 2010 and 2011 squads.


Chapdelaine owns a NSCAA Advanced National Diploma and Level 3 Goalkeeping Diploma. He is also an NSCAA Associate Staff Coach. Chapdelaine graduated from Castleton in 2002 and is a native of Hamden, Mass., though he now resides in Fair Haven with his wife and son.

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Ray Nichols

Associate Head Coach

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Makenzi Bellando

Makenzi Bellando joined the VTSU Castleton women's soccer coaching staff in 2021. She arrived after wrapping up a successful playing career for the Spartans.


Following Bellando's first season as a graduate assistant, the Spartans were one of 18 programs nationwide to earn the United Soccer Coaches Team Pinnacle Award. It marked the first in program history for the Spartans, recognizing a combination of on-field success, academic prowess, and sportsmanship.


The Carver, Mass. native ranks fourth all-time in program history with 85 career points and is tied for fourth in goals with 35. She recorded back-to-back 10-goal seasons in 2017 and 2018 and was received LEC First Team honors following her junior campaign. As a freshman, Bellando scored eight goals to contribute to the Spartans' NAC Championship run.

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Loren Henderson

Loren Henderson joined the VTSU Castleton women's soccer coaching staff prior to the 2021 season after a successful playing career as a Spartan goalkeeper.


As a junior in 2019, Henderson made 18 starts and posted a career-best 10 wins, including five shutouts. She received LEC Goalkeeper of the Week twice throughout the impressive junior campaign. Racking up the awards, she was also named to the LEC All-Conference Second Team in 2018, Castleton's first year as a Little East member.


Henderson made a pair of starts as a freshman in 2017, helping the Spartans win a NAC Championship.

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John O'Connor

John O'Connor enters his 11th season at the helm of the Spartans in 2023.


The Spartans have seen at least one player garner postseason recognition in each of the past four full seasons under O'Connor. Seraphin Iradukunda was named to the first team in the LEC debut season of 2018; Jack Kingdon earned second team honors in 2019; Adolphe Alfani was named the 2021 LEC Rookie of the Year; and Matt Spiller was tabbed to the league's second team in 2022.


Over his first five seasons, O'Connor led the Spartans to the 2017 North Atlantic Conference regular season championship, tournament title, and a berth in the NCAA Championship, as well as the 2013 NAC regular season championship and a share of the 2015 NAC title. O'Connor picked up his 200th career win in the Spartans' victory over Western New England in the 2015 ECAC Division III Tournament Quarterfinal. He was named 2017 NAC Coach of the Year - his third such honor.


O'Connor's 2013 squad posted an 8-1-1 conference record to earn the regular season championship and top seed in the North Atlantic Conference Tournament before falling to eventual NAC champion Thomas. Senior Nate Koenemann was named the Defensive Player of the Year and became the program's first NSCAA All-Region selection since 2010 when he was voted to the first team. Overall, O'Connor had five players earn NAC All-Conference honors and was himself named the NAC Coach of the Year as the team finished 13-4-2 overall.


Prior to Castleton, O'Connor served as the head coach for the University of Rhode Island from 2006-2012. During his tenure with the Rams he won an Atlantic 10 Tournament Championship and reached the tournament semifinals on two other occasions. Five of his former players went on to play professional soccer, and three of which played in Major League Soccer, including Geoff Cameron, who is currently a member of the U.S. Men's National Team and Stoke City of the English Premier League.


In addition to his work at the Division I level, O'Connor also served as the head coach at Division III University of Chicago from 1995-2006. In just his second season the team reached the national semifinal and he was named the NSCAA Division III National Coach of the Year. He reached the NCAA Tournament again in 2001 and 2005 when his teams were ranked in the top-15 nationally. While at Chicago he also served as an associate professor in the department of Physical Education.


O'Connor earned his Bachelor of Science in Physical Education from the University of Maine-Orono in 1984 and two years later completed his master's degree in Education with a concentration in Leadership. From 1990-95, he spent five seasons as an assistant coach at Dartmouth under Bobby Clark, who went on to coach at the University of Notre Dame for 16 seasons (2001-16). O'Connor was a part of two Ivy League Championships with the Big Green, helping the team reach the quarterfinal round of the NCAA Division I Tournament twice during his tenure in Hanover.


The collegiate head coach earned a USSF "A" License and holds a NSCAA Premier Diploma. He is active in coaching education through the NSCAA, works with the Vermont Olympic Development Program, and is the Technical Director for Summit Football Club.


O'Connor resides in Rutland with his wife Sheila, the VTSU Castleton Aquatics Coordinator, and their children Megan and Michael.

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Brendan Bucksbaum

Brendan Bucksbaum joined the VTSU Castleton men's soccer coaching staff in August 2021 as a graduate assistant.


A native of Mendon, Vt., Bucksbaum was a three-year standout at Rutland High School before attending Hamilton College in Central New York. He also competed on the alpine skiing team during his time as a Continental. Prior to his collegiate career, Bucksbaum played for Synergy FC and won three Vermont State Championships and appeared in a host of league and national championships.


Bucksbaum earned a biology degree from Hamilton in 2015 and holds United Soccer Coaches and US Soccer coaching credentials. He is pursuing a master's degree in education at VTSU Castleton.

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Loren Henderson

Loren Henderson joined the VTSU Castleton women's soccer coaching staff prior to the 2021 season after a successful playing career as a Spartan goalkeeper.


As a junior in 2019, Henderson made 18 starts and posted a career-best 10 wins, including five shutouts. She received LEC Goalkeeper of the Week twice throughout the impressive junior campaign. Racking up the awards, she was also named to the LEC All-Conference Second Team in 2018, Castleton's first year as a Little East member.


Henderson made a pair of starts as a freshman in 2017, helping the Spartans win a NAC Championship.

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