Gerry Cleary was named head coach of the Sul Ross State University men’s soccer team on May 5, 2026.
Cleary was the head coach of men’s soccer at Fort Hays State (2019-23). He was 48-27-13 (.619). During his tenure, Cleary guided the Tigers to Great American Conference (GAC) / MIAA regular season (2019) and tournament (2021) championships, qualified for the GAC/MIAA tournament all five seasons and played in two NCAA Division II tournaments (2019, 2021 – Quarterfinalists).
Cleary was GAC Coach of the Year (2019) and he and the coaching staff were named United Soccer Coaches Central Region Staff of the Year (2019, 21). Cleary helped in the development of 42 All-GAC/MIAA and 34 all-region selections, five all-Americans, eight GAC/MIAA individual award winners and two D2CCA Central Region Player of the Year (Santiago Agudelo – 2019, Taisei Arima – 2021).
During his time in Bakersfield, Cleary was also Director of Coaching for the U.S. Soccer Development Academy Club Central California Aztecs.
Cleary was the head coach of women’s soccer (2003-10) and men’s soccer (2011-13) at Martin Methodist. With the women, Cleary took over a program with just 30 total wins and one winning season in the seven year history and was 136-27-11 (.813) during his tenure. His teams won seven consecutive Trans South Athletic Conference (TSAC) regular season and tournament titles (2004-10). As head coach of the men (2011-13), Cleary compiled a record of 39-16-3 (.698) and guided the team to a TSAC (2012) and Southern States Athletic Conference (SSAC) (2013) championships.
Cleary earned NAIA National Coach of the Year honors three times, twice for women (2005 and 2007) and once for men (2013). He was also two-time NSCAA NAIA National Coach of the Year, two-time NSCAA Mid-Atlantic Region Coach of the Year and two-time NAIA Region XI Coach of the Year twice.
Cleary was the women’s TSAC Coach of the Year seven times. He won the NAIA National Championship three times – women (2005, 07) and men (2013) and had a combined record of 175-43-14 (.784). He was the first coach ever in collegiate soccer to win national championships with both a women's and men's program at the same school.
Cleary was an assistant coach for men and women at Christian Brothers (2000-02). Working under head coach Gareth O'Sullivan at Christian Brother, CBU had a combined record of 100-25-3, won eight Gulf South Conference (GSC) Championships and qualified for nationals three times with the Lady Bucs winning the NCAA Division II national championship in 2002.
Cleary helped in the development of 37 All-GSC and three all-region selections, four individual GSC award winners and five all-Americans. This included 2001- & 02 NSCAA Division II Player of the Year.
Cleary played for Richie Grant at Lambuth (1995-98). He was a four-time All-Mid-South Conference (MSC) selection and a three-time All-American. Cleary was two-time MSC Player of the Year and helped the Eagles win three conference championships.
Cleary was head coach of Rocket City United in the National Premier Soccer League (NPSL), located in Huntsville, Alabama. It is the third highest professional league.
Cleary's coaching tips have been published multiple times in World Soccer Magazine and World Class Coaching – the world's leading resource magazine for soccer coaches.
Cleary has a bachelor's degree in Health and Physical Education from Lambuth University (1999) and a master's degree in Educational, Instructional, and Curriculum Supervision from Christian Brothers University (2002).
