Boys Director of Coaching and Player Development
Scott Baker ([email protected])

In six seasons as head men’s soccer coach at Rowan University, Scott Baker has led the Profs to four appearances in the NCAA Championship Tournament while compiling an overall record of 84-35-6.  

Baker, who played for Rowan’s 1990 national champion team, has also guided the Profs to three New Jersey Athletic Conference (NJAC) championship game appearances in the last four years, as well as a 25-8-3 record in conference play.

His 2019 team reached the Sweet 16 of the NCAA Division III Men's Soccer Championship before falling to top-ranked and eventual national runner-up Amherst, to mark the furthest advancement for Rowan in the NCAA Championship since 2001. The Profs, who reached the NJAC Final, closed out the year ranked 15th in the United Soccer Coaches national poll.

This past season capped a four-year run which saw the Profs go 58-20-6 with three appearances in both the NCAA Tournament and the NJAC Final.

In 2018, Rowan went 12-7 and was the conference semifinalist while 2017 saw the Profs reach the NCAA Tournament and the NJAC final. That team went 17-4-1 and earned its third straight NCAA berth, which included the hosting of the first and second rounds for the second year in a row. Baker was named the NJAC Coach of the Year while standout Shane Doherty was named to the All-America second team by the United Soccer Coaches.

Baker’s 2016 team compiled a 17-3-1 record, reached the NJAC championship game and advanced to the second round of the NCAA Tournament, while hosting both postseason games. The Profs also led all divisions in the NCAA country in offense. Doherty and Will Sjaastad were named to the National Soccer Coaches Association of America (NSCAA) All-America Team with Sjaastad earning NJAC Defensive Player of the Year honors.

Named only the third coach in Rowan soccer history in 2014, Baker’s first team went 10-9, but he quickly got the Profs into the NCAA Tournament, as the 2015 team earned an at-large berth for Rowan’s first appearance since 2003.

Baker is very active in youth soccer and is the co-director and co-owner of RUSA FC Soccer Academy, which trains and plays its games at Rowan’s West Campus. A member of the New Jersey Youth Soccer Olympic Development Program Committee, he was the director of club development for the Futbol Club Copa Academy and director of training for the Team Boca Soccer Club from 2003 to 2012. He served as the associate head coach/director of training for the club’s professional team, the Boca Blast, in 2012.

Baker’s collegiate coaching experience is extensive has he has headed the programs at Defiance College, Flagler College, Brookdale Community College and New Jersey City University. Baker led Brookdale to a conference championship, regional championship and the national final.  While at Flagler he guided the men’s and women’s programs to spots in the national Top 25 and the women’s team recorded its best season in the team’s history.

His career has also included stops at numerous high schools, among them Pope John Paul II High School, Marjory Stoneman Douglas in Florida and locally, Delsea Regional. At Stoneman Douglas, Baker led his team to a state championship and was voted Coach of the Year for all sports in Miami-Dade County by the Sun Sentinel and the Miami Herald.

Baker was a four-year starter at Rowan from 1990 to 1993 and played in all 90 matches of his career, totaling 46 points with 13 goals and 20 assists. He earned NJAC All-Conference first-team honors in 1990 and was selected to the second team the following year. He captained the 1992 team and led them to the NJAC Championship and the nation’s number-one ranking. Baker and the Profs reached the pinnacle in 1990 as they captured the NCAA Division III Championship, becoming the second Rowan men’s soccer team to do so. That squad was inducted into the Rowan University Athletics Hall of Fame in 2016.

He graduated from Rowan in 1993 with a bachelor’s degree in health and physical education and earned a master’s degree in education from the University of Phoenix. The native of Jackson, NJ, holds an NSCAA national license as well as a United States Soccer Federation license.

Baker and his wife, Krista, who is registered dietician and Penn State graduate, live in Glassboro. The couple has two daughters, Emily and Katie, who are current Rowan students.

 Girls Director of Coaching and Player Development
Justin Abbey ([email protected])
2006G Gold, 2013B Gold

Justin brings over 25 years of youth coaching experience on both the boys' and girls' side of the game. He has placed numerous players into MLS academies and D1 programs.and his teams have won numerous nationally recognized tournaments. Seven of Coach Abbey's players have moved on to the Philadelphia Union Academy in the last 3 years. Coach Abbey's son Ian is currently playing on Philadelphia Union 2  team and has recently committed to Play college soccer at Rutgers. 

Coach Abbey has previously served as Director of Coaching at Pittsgrove SC and as FC Copa Academy. He has served as a men's assistant coach at Rowan University for the past 9 years, helping to return the program to national prominence.

Coach Abbey grew up playing youth soccer in southern New Jersey. At the age of 14 he was offered the opportunity to play in Europe where he gathered experience playing with Danish club Holbaek B&I. Upon returning to the United States, he attended St.Augustine Prep. Coach Abbey was a four year starter at the Prep and a two year captain. He was named All South Jersey and All State his junior and senior seasons and was selected as one of the top 18 players in the state his senior year. He finished his high school career with 99 goals and 129 assists. Posting an incredible senior season of 41 goals and 49 assists.

He attended Rowan University where he was a four year starter. Coach Abbey was selected to all conference and all region honors and was a member of the only undefeated regular season in Rowan Men's Soccer history in 1995 on the team that finished 16-0-3. He finished his collegiate career as Rowan University's all time assist leader and the third leading scorer in the school's rich soccer history.                       
After college, Justin was drafted into the MISL and played professionally.

In 2019 Coach Abbey was honored by being selected into the South Jersey Hall Of Fame for his outstanding playing career. In 2022 He is being inducted into the St. Augustin Athletic Hall of Fame for his high school playing career.

Coach Abbey and his wife, Karin, have three beautiful children Ian, Mia and Trey.

 Technical Director
Connor Hurff ([email protected])
Futsal Academy, Summer Select, Programs and Tournament

Since joining RUSA FC, Connor has taken over our Futsal Academy, implemented a Summer Select Program, Winter Futsal Camp, Holiday 1-Day Clinics, and our 1st Annual Glassboro Goal Fest Soccer tournament bringing the first ever soccer tournament to the town of Glassboro. 

Connor is the current Assistant Men's Soccer Coach at Rowan University after joining the program in 2021. In two seasons at Rowan University he has helped lead the program to two consecutive NJAC Final appearances, two consecutive NCAA Tournament appearances, and the programs first NJAC Championship since 2003. Prior to Rowan University, Hurff served as the Assistant Coach at Harcum College where the program made the NJCAA Division 1 National Semi-Finals in his first season at the program. He also was an Assistant Coach at Rutgers University - Camden from 2016-2020 where the program appeared in 3/4 NJAC Tournament appearances making the semi finals in two of the three. 

Hurff holds his USSF C License, USC Director of Coaching and Small sided games diplomas, FC Barcelona Academy Coaching 1 and 2 degrees, and FC Barcelona's Tactical Analysis diplomas. 

As a player, Connor attended Rutgers University- New Brunswick where the program went to the NCAA Tournament Sweet 16 in his first season. After 2 seasons, Hurff transferred to Rutgers University-Camden where he was a 2013 NCAA Finalist losing in double overtime to Messiah College. In his 3 years at Camden, Hurff appeared in the NJAC final 3x winning 2 NJAC Championships and was a 3x NJAC All Conference player. 

 Boys Youth Director
John Loiodice
2007B Gold

John Loiodice was named the head men's soccer coach at Rosemont College in January of 2021. In his two seasons at the helm, John led his squad to two consecutive CSAAC Championships and 2 consecutive NCAA Tournament appearances.

Loiodice arrived at Rosemont after serving as theassistant coach for the Rowan University men's soccer team for sevenseasons. While at Rowan, Liodice served as the head of recruiting and directed all social media and game day operations.

A 2010 graduate of Rowan, Loiodice currently serves as the head boys coach for New Jersey ODP. Loiodice was also the head soccer coach at Bishop Eustace and Triton Regional High School where he led both programs to conference championships. He has had successful stints at the PDL level with Ocean City Nor Easters as head coach of the U23's. He was a two-year starter at Rowan (2009-10) and an All-American at Brookdale Community College in 2008. He is a USSF C license , National Youth License, and USSF Futsal Level 2 licensed coach. He serves as the 2005 and 2007 boys head coach for RUSA FC based out of Glassboro NJ. Prior to RUSA he has had successful club stints at FC.Copa, PDA South, Pittsgrove, and NJSA 04.

A native of Brick Township NJ, Loiodice attended Brick Memorial High School where he earned All State, All Shore, and All Conference recognition.

 Girls Youth Director
Kyle Schumann
2008G Gold

Kyle Schumann joined Jefferson as an assistant women's soccer coach prior to the 2019 season. He works with the Rams' goalkeepers and coordinates recruiting for the program. Schumann was elevated to Associate Head Coach before the 2022 campaign then took over as Interim Head Coach after 10 games.

Schumann previously served as an assistant coach at Southwestern Oklahoma State University in 2018. The Bulldogs posted a 13-5-1 record with their only losses coming to teams who competed in the NCAA Tournament. During Schumann's season at SWOSU, goalkeeper Steffi Silvera was named to the All-Great American Conference second team. In addition, Alimata Rabo and Sandra Nabweteme were selected to the D2CCA All-America Team while Erica Brunet and Nabweteme were chosen to the CoSIDA Academic All-America Team. Schumann was a men's soccer assistant coach at Malone University in 2017.

Outside of his collegiate coaching experience, Schumann was lead staff coach, goalkeeper coach and academy director for the Highlander Soccer Club in Bixby, Oklahoma. His extensive coaching resume also includes experience as a goalkeeper coach and assistant coach at both Moore and Putnam City West High Schools.

Schumann played in the National Premier Soccer League (NPSL) in 2013 as a goalkeeper for the Tulsa Athletic. He spent his collegiate career at Southern Nazarene University, where he helped the Crimson Storm to four consecutive appearances in the NAIA Tournament, advancing to the national semifinals in 2005. Schumann was named a NAIA All-American Scholar-Athlete in 2007. He was a member of the 2005 state runner-up team at Broken Arrow High School, earning All-State honors.

A certified United States Soccer Federation (USSF) and former collegiate referee, Schumann holds a National Goalkeeper license from the United Soccer Coaches in addition to the National C and Youth licenses from the USSF.

A native of Broken Arrow, Okla., Schumann earned a bachelor’s degree in finance from Southern Nazarene in 2009 and later earned his MBA at SWOSU.

 Staff Coach - 2012B Gold and Blue, 2007B Blue
Futsal Academy and Individual Technical Program Director
Paul McGladdery

 Staff Coach - 2007B Black and 2006B Gold
Bryan Vahey

Bryan joins RUSA FC as a local standout coach in South Jersey girls high school soccer as head coach of Gloucester County Institute of Technology. In Bryan’s run as the head coach he has led the team to the state final, multiple south jersey championships, and won the NJTAC championship. Bryan serves as an Educational Services Professional for the school while coaching the girls soccer team.

 Staff Coach - 2009 Boys & Futsal Academy HS Boys
Brazilian Community Liaison
MARCO MORAES

Marco hails from Brazil and came over to play in the Camden County College Men’s Soccer program helping lead them to a Region 19 title. As a staff coach, Marco excels in improving players confidence on the ball and technical abilities. Marco runs the futsal academy each season and has had success in improving players abilities in small spaces.

 STAFF COACH - 2011B Gold and 2006G Blue
Kevin Ritter

Kevin serves as a staff coach with his USSF National D License, US Futsal 1, US Goalkeeping 1,2,and 3 licenses, along with his United Soccer Coaches 11v11 license and diploma in attacking principles.

 Staff Coach - 2014B Gold
Hispanic Community Liaison
Santiago Chuqui

Santiago is also an academy coach for our futsal program along with an assistant to our 2007 and 2008 boys teams. 

 Club Administrator
Howie Hayman