Alfred University Men's Soccer

USSF "A" License, Level I GK Diploma, Director of Coaching Diploma. Head Coach Men's Soccer Alfred University DIII Empire 8 Conference. Coach Blake comes to AU from SUNY Cortland, where he served the 2016 season as an assistant and goalkeepers coach for the Red Dragon women's soccer team. He served in the same capacity for the SUNY Oswego women's team from 2013-15 and prior to that served the 2012 season as assistant coach for the Cayuga Community College men's team.   A native of Bolton, England, Blake has more than 30 years experience as a youth club coach -- in Nevada, Pennsylvania and New York -- and currently serves as head coach of New York West, Olympic Developmental Program.    Coach Blake is a veteran of the United States Air Force, and served as a player and assistant coach on the U.S. Air Force All-Military team from 1983-89. He earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in sports recreation management from Ashford University in 2012.

  Hired at AU: - January of 2025 Prior to AU: - Head Coach & Recruiting Coordinator at Ithaca College - Assistant Coach & Recruiting Coordinator at Arcadia University - Assistant Coach at Ursinus College Honors: - 2025 Fiat Lux! Award for Mentorship Alma Mater: - Roanoke College '14 Garret Eldridge enters his first season as Head Coach of the Alfred University men’s soccer program, bringing with him a strong record of success at the collegiate level. He joins the Saxons after six seasons at Ithaca College, where he served as both Head Coach and First Assistant. Eldridge was promoted to Head Coach at Ithaca in May 2020 after two years as an assistant. Over his four seasons leading the Bombers, the team earned three postseason appearances, including trips to the Liberty League Championship game in 2021 and 2023. His teams were also regionally or nationally ranked at some point in three of his four seasons at the helm. In 2021, Eldridge earned his first career win as a head coach in dramatic fashion, guiding Ithaca to a 2-1 overtime victory in the season opener. That year, the Bombers finished 8-6-6 overall and secured the No. 2 seed in the Liberty League Tournament, finishing as runners-up. The team’s defense stood out, allowing just three goals across nine conference matches. As an assistant coach from 2018 to 2019, Eldridge helped lead Ithaca to a 27-8-6 combined record. The Bombers posted an unbeaten home record in both seasons and the program returned to national prominence.  2018: Finished 14-2-4, tying the program record for most wins in a season, Liberty League Runner up. 2019: Went 13-6-2, recorded wins over national powers such as Messiah, NYU, Hobart, and St. Lawrence, climbed as high as No. 8 in the national rankings, and advanced to the NCAA Round of 32—earning the program’s first NCAA Tournament win since 2002. Before his tenure at Ithaca, Eldridge spent two seasons as the First Assistant at Arcadia University under then-Head Coach Rob Nydick. Together, they orchestrated one of the most successful stretches in program history. The Knights posted a combined 22-14-6 record across the 2016 and 2017 seasons, reaching the MAC Commonwealth semifinals both years and earning back-to-back ECAC Tournament bids. In 2017, the team finished with a 13-6-2 record—one of the best in school history. Eldridge’s coaching career began in 2015 as an assistant at Ursinus College. As a player, Eldridge began at NCAA Division I Siena College before transferring to Roanoke College, where he became a standout midfielder and three-time All-ODAC selection. After college, he played professionally for Sunshine Coast Fire FC in Australia.   Empire 8 All-Conference Honors: 2 College Sports Communicators Academic All-District: 3   Alfred University Overall Record Empire 8 Record Postseason Year-End Finish 2025 4-9-4 (.353) 2-5-4 (.364) -- 9th of 12 teams Overall Totals 4-9-4 (.353) 2-5-4 (.364) -- --

Justin Eaton was named as the Alfred University men's graduate assistant prior to the 2025 season.  Eaton, a five-year member and four-year captain of the men's soccer program with Alfred University, was a standout forward for the purple & gold. During the 2019 season, Eaton was named as the Empire 8 Rookie of the Year and a All-Empire 8 First Team honoree. He set the program record with 13 goals, receiving ECAC North Rookie of the Month honors in the month of October. Following the 2021 and 2024 seasons, Eaton earned All-Empire 8 Second Team recognition. Eaton was a three-time Empire 8 Offensive Player of the Week, finishing his collegiate career with 50 points from 24 goals and a pair of assists for the Saxons.