Former Men’s Head Soccer Coach Returns to Clarke After 14 Years
In 2012, Jason Carlson took on his first head coaching job for the Clarke University Pride’s Men’s Soccer team. After a 10-7-1 season, setting the record for the most wins in a single season in program history at the time, he moved on to several other coaching jobs in states such as Florida and North Carolina. 14 years later, Carlson is excited to return to Clarke for the 2026-27 season.
Coach Carlson has a long list of achievements that he has accumulated throughout his decade and half long coaching career. From 2013-2016 he was named NAIA, MIAA and Central Region Coach of the Year with Upper Iowa University. From 2017-2021 he led the Florida Southern College Mocs to a #8 national ranking in 2018 and turned around the University of Mount Olive Trojans’ team, coaching a 12-6 record in his second season. From 2022-2025 he returned to Upper Iowa gaining an accumulated 54 wins during both stints with the team.
Carlson’s coaching philosophy includes a team culture with high energy and effort as well as a positive attitude. On the field he wants to keep up the intensity by applying a high press on the opponent allowing the Pride to dictate the tempo of the game. Off the field he wants to continue to enforce the togetherness and brotherhood that the players already have and holding each other accountable, setting them up for success. He keeps an open line of communication with his players allowing them to come to him in hopes of guiding them through life on and off the pitch.
In his first season back Coach Carlson has said that success looks like consistency in the classroom and on the field. He wants to be in the top half of the league in conference and as a team maintain above a 3.0 GPA. Now, almost reaching the halfway point of the season Carlson has led the team to a 4-1-2 record. With six home and five away games left on the schedule in the regular season, the Pride are continuing to push to reach their goal and finish their season on a strong note. Their next game will take place at home on Saturday, September 26th at Burrows Field versus Benedictine at 3pm.
Comments