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Jacksonville University

Jacksonville University Athletics
 2800 University Boulevard North Jacksonville, FL 32211
Division 1 Florida Southeast
Private Small Competitive team
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Ali Simmons

Ali Simmons enters his first year as the head coach of the men's soccer program in the 2023 season.


Bringing a winning pedigree as a multiple-time national champion and NCAA Tournament participant at four different schools, Simmons takes over the program after most recently serving as the Associate Head Coach at Elon for the last two seasons.


Elon won 20 games with Simmons on staff, capturing the Colonial Athletic Association regular season championship this past season, advancing to the CAA Tournament Title game and earning an at-large bid to the NCAA Tournament. It was the first NCAA Tournament appearance for the Phoenix since 2015.


Under his tutelage, 12 players earned All-CAA honors over his two years with the program, including the league's Defensive Player of the Year honor this past season. The 2022 season also ended with five Atlantic All-Region team selections and five Academic All-District team picks and an Academic All-American.


Prior to his time at Elon, he was an assistant coach at Seton Hall for two seasons, where he helped lead the Pirates to the 2020 Big East title and advanced to the quarterfinal round of the NCAA Tournament.


He also has Florida ties, having coached at Barry University and won a Division II National Championship in 2018, following a championship pedigree as an assistant coach at the University of Charleston in West Virginia, where they won the Division II National Championship in 2017.


"I have had the incredible opportunity to work with four incredible head coaches who have helped shape me as a coach and as a person and I will be forever grateful for the opportunity each of them gave me in preparing me for this moment," Simmons continued. "I'm excited to go to work, Go Dolphins."


His coaching career began at his alma mater, Brunel University in London. After ascending to head coach of the men's first-team, he was named Coach of the Year for the 2016-17 season.


Outside of coaching, he has served as an analyst at Football Radar, helping to develop a world-leading scouting software there.


He was a senior lecturer and lead coach at ProFootball Academies, the director of coaching at Seashore Youth Soccer Leagues and the youth technical director at the United States Sports Academy in North Carolina.


He holds an NSCAA National Diploma and an NSCAA Goalkeeping Level 1. He is also certified by UEFA with a B License and A Preparation Course.


Simmons is a 2010 graduate of Brunel with a degree in sport sciences.


He becomes the 12th head coach for one of the oldest programs on campus and one that won a conference championship and earned an NCAA berth most-recently in the 2021 spring season.


What they're saying about Ali Simmons:


"Ali will bring a level of professionalism and detail to the program that will no doubt elevate and bring success to the university"


- Tony Annan, Head Coach – South Carolina


"Ali is one of the best people I know. His coaching resume is one of the best around and it is not a coincidence that every team he has coached has won. I cannot wait to see where he takes the Jacksonville U Men's Soccer Program."


- Daniel Smee, Head Coach – University of Charleston, West Virginia


"Ali Simmons is a serial winner. Everywhere he has been he has won a championship and he had a major impact for our success at Seton Hall University. I believe Ali Simmons is one of the best young coaches in the country and JU are in great hands with Simmons at the wheel."


- Andres Lindberg, Head Coach – Seton Hall


"Elon Men's Soccer is extremely thankful to Ali for all he has done for our program, and we wish him the very best of success. Jacksonville is getting an incredible person and an amazing coach that has been a vital part to many successful seasons at various programs. Coach Simmons will lead by example on a daily basis with his positive approach and will get the very most from his players. I believe his personality, coaching style, tactical knowledge and preparation for games will mean players will enjoy their experience and be set up for success both on and off the field."


- Marc Reeves, Head Coach – Elon


"Ali has all the qualities necessary to bring success to Jacksonville's Men's Soccer program. His astute soccer IQ and personable character traits will immediately resonate with the existing roster and prospective student athletes. Success has followed Ali to every program he has been a part of and I've no doubt Jacksonville will be any different!"


- Dan Stratford, Head Coach – West Virginia


"In the few years Ali was with us at Seton Hall, he had a tremendous impact on our program. His success in recruiting and mentoring student-athletes on- and off-the-field will serve him well as he takes the next steps in his career as a head coach. I am thrilled for him and this exciting opportunity at Jacksonville."


- Bryan Felt, Athletic Director – Seton Hall


"Ali has been hugely influential at every program he has been at and success has followed him everywhere he has been. His time at Seton Hall coincided with their rise to national prominence, and I expect that he'll be hugely successful at Jacksonville."


- Brian Wiese, Head Coach – Georgetown


"Jacksonville University's hire of Ali Simmons is one of those choices that will, like all great coaches, prove its wisdom in the future even as it's wise in the now. As a leader and innovator there are hardly rivals to Ali. As a person, in the category of character, trustworthiness and integrity, Ali Simmons fits in the upper echelon of those in our lives we look up to. I am thrilled for Ali and for Jacksonville!"


- Steve McCrath, Head Coach – Wheaton College

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Thomas Buckner

Tom Buckner enters his first season as an associate head coach with Jacksonville University men's soccer in 2021. He has been part of the program since 2018, formerly serving as the assistant coach. The former NCAA Division I goalkeeper brings a wealth of playing a coaching experience at a variety of levels with him to the River City, where he will assist Head Coach Mauricio Ruiz with coaching and recruiting duties.


Buckner comes to Jacksonville after serving as an assistant coach at his alma mater, Hartwick College, in Oneonta, New York. While at Hartwick, he assisted with the team's day-to-day operations, and was the head of goalkeeping training.


Prior to his tenure in the Empire State, Buckner spend two seasons at Western Illinois University as a graduate assistant coach, while working to earn a master's degree in sports management with a 3.9 GPA. He helped the Leathernecks become Summit League semi-finalists in 2016 and 17, and pick up seven Summit League All-Conference awards, eight Player of the Week accolades and a First-Team Academic All-American selection.


Buckner spent summer 2017 as an assistant coach with the Myrtle Beach Mutiny of the Premier Development League, helping the team post a 10-2-3 record in their first campaign, and win a South East Division Title. The Mutiny were voted the Top New Franchise of 2017, while their goalkeeper, working directly under Buckner, was a one-time PDL National Player of the Week.


His coaching experience began in 2016, when he served as the head coach of the Hunter's Creek U19 Boys Global Premier Soccer Club in Orlando, Fla. He also served as the club's Head of Media Relations and Camps during his time.


A native of England, Buckner was a four-year letterwinner at Hartwick from 2011-15, and served as the starting goalkeeper during the entirety of his college career. A team captain his senior year, he helped the Hawks capture the 2014 Sun Belt Regular Season and Tournament Championships, and earn a spot in the NCAA Tournament. He was a Sun Belt Second-Team All-Conference selection in 20015, and earned a pair of Defensive Player of the Week honors.


Buckner earned a bachelor's degree of arts in journalism from Hartwick in 2015.

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Nicklas Rulle

Assistant Coach

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