James Madison coach Bob Chesney has emerged because the goal of UCLA’s teaching search, sources instructed ESPN.
He is set to signal a five-year cope with UCLA, based on ESPN sources, that will probably be finalized after James Madison’s Solar Belt championship recreation.
Chesney’s James Madison workforce is 11-1 this season and performs Troy this week within the Solar Belt championship recreation. UCLA has agreed with James Madison that Chesney will coach the Dukes if JMU wins the Solar Belt and results in the Faculty Soccer Playoff area as one among 5 highest-ranked convention champions.
Chesney knowledgeable his workforce of his intention to go away Tuesday, sources instructed ESPN. Chesney jumped to the highest of the record of candidates on this frenetic school teaching cycle, drawing curiosity for plenty of the highest openings, as JMU is ranked No. 19 in each the Related Press and AFCA Coaches polls.
As soon as finalized, UCLA will get a coach with a constant monitor document of successful, as athletic director Martin Jarmond and the UCLA search committee shortly coalesced round his candidacy early within the course of.
Chesney, a Pennsylvania native, brings a background as an assistant coach on each protection and particular groups. He has additionally developed a popularity as a turnaround artist, as he has resuscitated struggling applications at Division III Salve Regina, Division II Assumption College and turned FCS Holy Cross right into a high-level winner. Together with being 20-5 at JMU, he is 131-51 total as a school head coach over 16 seasons. At Holy Cross, he led the varsity to 4 of the six FCS Playoff appearances at school historical past, reaching 4 in a row from 2019-22. He led them to 5 Patriot League titles.
UCLA’s courtship has been an extended one, as they fired coach DeShaun Foster in mid-September after an 0-3 begin. He completed his two-season tenure at 5-10.
The UCLA search dedicated included notable graduates like longtime NBA government Bob Myers and Commanders GM Adam Peters.
Jarmond and UCLA prime soccer administrator Erin Adkins flew out and noticed Chesney in Virginia practically three weeks in the past, based on sources. UCLA noticed 4 candidates in individual and shortly recognized Chesney as the very best match. The committee seen Chesney’s background by means of small school soccer and his knack of turning round applications as positives. Since arriving within the Massive Ten, UCLA is 8-16 total, bringing a few wake-up name that extra funding is required.
UCLA pitched to candidates a job with elevated monetary assist, in addition to the monetary ambition to be aggressive within the Massive Ten and embrace the tutorial requirements of UCLA. Chesney has labored at sturdy tutorial colleges, together with as an assistant at Johns Hopkins previous to turning into a head coach.
“He had an appreciation for UCLA, the lecturers and the Massive Ten,” mentioned a supply accustomed to the method. “He additionally had an in depth plan on the way to flip this system round.”