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Chris Apple
Men’s soccer at the University of Rochester has enjoyed tremendous success under the guidance of head coach Chris Apple. In his 19 years at the University, Apple’s teams have won four ECAC Northeast Regional Championships, five UAA Championships, and made 14 NCAA appearances, including the programs first ever Final Four in 2018. He has coached the Yellowjackets to a cumulative 249-81-61 (.715) record while walking the sidelines.
Overall, his career record is 268-109-64 (.680). His coaching resume includes one season as the interim head coach at the University of Notre Dame and two seasons as the head coach at North Carolina Wesleyan College. Rochester’s soccer legacy includes ten UAA Championships. Apple has been a part of eight titles – three as a player (1988-1990) and five as a coach (2005, 2007, 2008, 2009 and 2013).
During 2021, Rochester started out the year strong with five straight shutouts and translated that into a 9-4-4 overall record. The Yellowjackets earned an at-large berth into the NCAA Division III Tournament, the 14th NCAA appearance under Apple and fifth straight. Rochester also had three All-Region honorees and four players named to the All-UAA team.
2018 proved to be a historic season for Rochester as UR matched the school record for wins in a season and earned a berth into the programs first ever NCAA Division III Tournament Final Four. Rochester hosted the regional rounds and then were substitute hosts for the sectional rounds, defeating #1 Messiah 2-1 to earn the spot in the national semifinals where they would fall to #2 and eventual national champ Tufts.
In addition, Bryce Ikeda was named a 1st Team All-American, just the second 1st team honoree and 11th All-American in Apple's tenure at Rochester. He and his staff were awarded United Soccer Coaches East Region Coaching Staff of the Year accolades. Rochester was ranked in the USC top-15 all-season long and was #4 in the year end rankings, a program all-time best.
That followed a season in 2017 which saw Rochester reach the national quarterfinals (Elite 8), after posting wins over Conn. College, SUNY Oneonta and Amherst before falling to eventual national champion Messiah. UR finished with a 14-4-3 record and Apple and his coaching staff were recognized as the UAA's Coaching Staff of the Year.
Apple picked up his 200th career victory at Rochester following a 2-0 win over NYU in 2017. His overall 200th victory came during the 2015 season following a win against St. John Fisher.
Rochester enjoyed one of its most successful seasons in 2005, posting a 16-1-0 record (7-0-0 in the UAA) with the sole loss coming in the second round of the NCAA playoffs. The 16 wins set a single-season record for victories. Rochester was ranked number one regionally for much of the season and as high as #3 nationally.
From 2007 to 2009, Rochester was 43-8-7 and earned UAA titles for three straight seasons, winning it outright in 2007 and 2008, posting near unbeaten marks. Rochester made three trips to the NCAA Tournament in that run, making the Sweet 16 in '07 and Elite 8 in '09.
In 2013, the Yellowjackets went 15-3-2 overall and 5-1-1 in the conference, good enough for a UAA championship and an automatic trip to the NCAA tournament. Rochester hosted the first two rounds, winning tough matches against SUNYIT and Oberlin. In the Sweet 16, the team lost a hard-fought contest against Montclair State, 1-0.
On six occasions (2001, 2005, 2007, 2013, 2017, 2019), Apple and his assistant coaches were named the UAA Coaching Staff of the Year. The United Soccer Coaches (formerly NSCAA) named Apple as its Regional Coach of the Year in 2003, 2005, 2007 and 2018.
Apple came to the University in 2001 and promptly won four consecutive championships in the Eastern College Athletic Conference. Rochester was 13-4-2 in 2001, 14-4-2 in 2002, 14-4-3 in 2003, and 14-2-4 in 2004. The 2005 team became the highest ranked team in men’s soccer history to that point when it reached #3 in a mid-season NSCAA poll. The Yellowjackets finished #11 in the final poll and earned a fourth consecutive NSCAA Team Academic Award.
During the summer of 2022, Apple was recognized by the University of Rochester as recipient of the Lamar Riley Murphy Leadership Award, honoring individuals who are exemplary role models and demonstrate innovative and proactive leadership across the University landscape.
Before taking over at his alma mater, Apple coached for five years at Notre Dame, four as an assistant under Mike Berticelli and one as the interim head coach when Berticelli passed away suddenly. In his first season on the Fighting Irish staff, Apple helped the Irish to a 14-7-2 record, a first-ever NCAA tournament first round victory, and a final ranking of 17th in Division I by Soccer America. During Apple’s four years as an assistant, Notre Dame was 41-31-10 and made four trips to the Big East tournament. The Irish were 7-8-2 in his season as the interim head coach (2000). Prior to his stint in South Bend, Apple guided NC Wesleyan College for two years. His first experience in college coaching was in 1993 as a volunteer assistant at Harvard University.
Apple is a 1992 cum laude graduate of the University of Rochester with a baccalaureate degree with a dual concentration in German and history. On the soccer field, he helped Rochester to four post-season appearances – one in the ECACs as a freshman (1988) and three in the NCAAs (1989-1991). Apple was named an All-American by the NSCAA in 1989 and 1991. He earned All-UAA honors in midfield for three seasons and was chosen as the UAA Player of the Year in 1990. After graduating, he played professionally with Spvgg Weiden in Weiden, Germany in 1992-93 and with the Raleigh Flyers in Raleigh, N.C. in 1994.
Apple holds an ‘A’ coaching license from the United States Soccer Federation and an Advanced National Diploma from the NSCAA.
Apple is active in the Rochester community. He coaches with the Empire United Soccer Academy and serves as the Rochester club’s Director of Coaching Education. In 2002, he led the Jr. Rhinos U-15 boys to the United States Youth Soccer Association National Championship. He is married to Melissa Sturge-Apple (’92). Melissa earned her PhD from Notre Dame and is a Professor at the University of Rochester in the psychology department and the Dean of Graduate Studies. Dr. Sturge-Apple’s research focuses on examining family-wide process models of interparental discord, co-parenting, parent-child relationships, and children’s social and emotional adjustment. The Apples are proud parents of their sons, Kellen and Braedon.
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