New Marist men’s soccer Director of Operations Brian Mckee has brought grand goals and a professional pedigree to a program looking to regain its success from 2021 when it claimed a MAAC Conference title.
In his second college soccer job, McKee joined the staff from Belmont University where he worked as a graduate intern. He also worked in professional soccer as a Major League Soccer Club Nashville SC scout.
McKee was raised around soccer; his dad played at the University of Connecticut and introduced his son to the game early.
“He was my first coach when I was 5 years old and just learning,” said McKee. “If you want to be serious about a sport you have to play it 52 weeks a year.”
While in high school, McKee played at Soccer Plus Academy where he met a man named Rob Esposito. Esposito, an assistant on the Men’s Soccer staff, coached McKee, and now McKee works alongside him as a coach.
McKee played at Brewster High School, a mere 50 minutes away from Marist. After high school, he attended Susquehanna University, a Division III school in Pennsylvania. “I’m the oldest in my family, so my parents wanted me to see [both] big schools and small schools,” said McKee.
After his first two years, McKee’s junior year looked extremely promising; A large group of upperclassmen who had two years together to prepare to capitalize on their potential.
“We always thought ‘We have next year,’ with 12 seniors and 8 juniors to put on the field and be really good,” said McKee.
All of that came to a halt when Covid-19 hit. The season that looked so promising was not to be. The fall season was canceled, and the seniors graduated without the year they were promised. Because of lost time, McKee put everything into his senior year. He stepped up to become a leader, a role unfamiliar to him.
“It’s on us now to lead because none of the other players have experience,” said McKee, talking with his best friend Joe Armstrong.
In McKee’s senior year, the team went 9-8-2 and lost in their conference semifinals. McKee scored six goals and added four assists, tallying 17 starts and 20 total shots. Armstrong wasn’t bad, either; he recorded four assists and paired that with four goals.
“You’re supposed to leave it better than you found it,” said McKee, speaking on his time at Susquehanna.
Due to the Covid-19 pandemic, McKee had another year of eligibility. Susquehanna, however, didn’t have a master’s program where he could stay and play another year. Having felt like he put all his eggs into the basket his senior year, McKee decided to pursue his dream of being a coach.
“I’ve known I wanted to be a coach since I was 12,” said McKee.
He found his first job on a Divison 1 sideline at Belmont University in Nashville, Tennessee. His role was as a graduate assistant, and the new location fascinated the young coach.
“Being in a growing environment with a great staff to teach me and show me the ropes was really beneficial to my growth as a coach but also as a person,” said McKee.
During his time at Belmont, McKee was a youth coach at Tennessee United Soccer Club. The Belmont head coach David Costa introduced McKee to the TUSC technical director of the boys’ teams. McKee then found himself in his first head coaching role, as the leader of the club’s U14 boys team.
After a lot of success and growth, he worked his way up to the U17 team, coaching a group of almost adults looking to break through in their soccer careers. This success made McKee a good candidate for Mike Jacobs, the general manager of Nashville SC. McKee’s father played soccer at UConn, but he also played at Pace University with Jacobs; that family connection provided the link needed for McKee to take his next step.
Having that relationship, as well as a prior internship at the club when they weren’t at the same level, allowed McKee to land his first pro-level job.
“It was a good fit and I had known people in the organization before,” said McKee. His higher-up, Jack Shaw, played at Belmont, forming another connection between Nashville SC and Brian McKee.
His role at Nashville was largely behind-the-scenes. He created scouting reports, schedules, training plans, and more. McKee then called out three connections that brought him to Marist. Coach Rob Esposito, as previously mentioned, is one of the Red Foxes’ coaches. McKee himself is from Brewster, NY, a 50-minute drive to Marist. Finally, one of McKee’s former teammates ended up playing at Marist, which led him to know more.
McKee contacted Head Coach Matt Viggiano, and after some good phone calls, he came in and joined the staff.
“Having already known Rob, it was kind of a seamless fit. It wasn’t like there was any new awkwardness,” said McKee.
At only 24 years old, McKee has not only played college soccer but has coached it. Additionally, he’s worked at the MLS level and interned at the USL level (The USL is a system of leagues below the MLS, with a slightly lower level of play.)
The one thing he notices among the different levels that sets them apart is athleticism, “At the highest level it’s the best of the best athletes,” said McKee.
McKee has learned much about the recruiting process since becoming a coach. Each coaching staff in the recruiting process defines certain designating factors that are key in finding players to bring in. Every program’s play style is different, requiring different skill sets and body types. Since coming to Marist, McKee has been involved at the Hudson Valley Hammers, a local youth club.
“Small skills like running a session, or communicating what we’re trying to accomplish,” said McKee, describing some of the roles as a club team head coach. “Being able to coach club and being able to refine those skills … there’s no real way to train that.” For the Red Foxes this season, they have worked through a tough start.
“We tested ourselves early,” said McKee. Marist opened their season with games at Wisconsin and Marquette, losing a combined 10-1 against the two midwest powerhouses.
“We’ve started to grow up a bit,” said McKee. With such a young squad, Division I experience was lacking among the teams’ key starters. However, this isn’t a deterrent for McKee and the rest of the staff. Being the youngest coach, McKee has realized he can connect to the players more.
“I’m closer to them in age and have just gone through it,” said McKee. “Being able to connect with them on some things has been really good.”
When asked about a potential “rebuilding” year, McKee denied the possibility. He mentioned his own junior year and the loss of that season that seemed so promising.
“In this industry, because the season’s so short, there are no prep years,” said McKee. “I’m not thinking about next year yet, I’m only thinking about Rider on Saturday.”
Marist went on to draw that match 2-2 in dramatic fashion.
McKee mentioned his dreams of becoming a high-level head coach, but just how high is he aiming?
“The dream is to coach the national team,” said McKee. “[Year] 2050 is the goal I’ve given myself. I think to get there being a Division 1 coach is a determining factor.”
As the years go on, keep an eye out for the name Brian McKee in the world of soccer. Whether it’s on a Division I sideline, or potentially at the international level, McKee is confident he can end up in a big role.
CORRECTION: The original copy had McKee’s age at 26. He is 24.
Edited by Marley Pope and Dan Aulbach
Graphic: Raegan van Zandt
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