HARRISONBURG, Va. (EMU Athletics) – Eastern Mennonite University Director of Athletics Carrie S. Bert has announced the resignation of EMU head men’s soccer coach, Justin Carey, who is pursuing a Division I coaching opportunity.
“It’s difficult to summarize in a few sentences how grateful I am for the opportunity to have led the Men’s Soccer program at EMU,” Carey said. “Because of my family’s history and connections to the university, this role always carried special meaning for me. Every day, I felt a strong sense of responsibility to honor the people who built this program while helping our current players create a legacy of their own. Most importantly, I am grateful for the relationships I formed with our players and assistant coaches during my four and a half years here. Their investment, sacrifice, and commitment to leaving the program better than they found it have made a profound impact on my life and helped establish a foundation that will continue to benefit future generations of Royals soccer players. I believe the best days are still ahead for EMU Men’s Soccer, and I am excited to watch the program continue to grow, succeed, and pursue excellence in the years ahead.”
Carey took over the EMU program in 2022 after a stint as an assistant coach at DI Stetson University. In his four years at the helm of the Royals, he guided the team to a 21-30-23 record, including a .500 record in each of his last three seasons. The Royals also made the ODAC Tournament in each of the past three seasons, marking the first time EMU made the tournament in three straight seasons since Roger Mast took the Royals to the quarterfinals in five consecutive seasons from 2014-18. He coached a pair of All-ODAC performers in Ford DeVault and Hamidullah Tokhi, as well as the 2023 EMU President’s Award winner in Ariel Bonilla.
“Justin’s impact on EMU Men’s Soccer has been significant,” Bert said. “From his time as a graduate assistant under Roger Mast to the past four years as head coach, Justin has led with humility, passion, and a genuine investment in people. He built a consistently competitive program while creating a strong family atmosphere that challenged student-athletes to pursue excellence on and off the field. Justin has also contributed meaningfully to our department through his leadership, mentorship of assistant coaches, and commitment to growth within the profession. While we are disappointed to see him leave EMU, we are grateful for his pouring into our students and community and wish the Carey family nothing but the best moving forward.”
Taking over for Carey on an interim basis will be former graduate assistant coach, Trevor Swartz.
“It is an honor and a blessing to be returning to EMU and the Men’s Soccer program,” Swartz said. “This team, and greater EMU community, holds a special place in my heart. To be a part of the program for two years and then to watch it from afar, it is clear the momentum the program has. Coach Carey and the team have worked relentlessly to define and enhance what it looks like to be an EMU Men’s Soccer player. I cannot wait to continue the effort of making this program one of the best places in the country to play soccer!”
Swartz was a GA for the Royals during the 2023 and 2024 seasons. Swartz came to EMU from Messiah University where he was a four-year player for the Falcons who appeared in 83 matches with 27 starts, including starting all 22 matches during his senior season. As a midfielder, he scored five goals and added six assists in helping the Falcons to a 76-5-9 record in his four years. Messiah was the MAC Commonwealth Conference Champion all four seasons during Swartz’s tenure, and the team achieved a #1 ranking in 2022. The Falcons made the NCAA Tournament all four years, advancing to the Elite Eight twice and the Sweet 16 once. In addition to his success on the field, he was a two-time MAC Commonwealth Sportsmanship Award winner along with earning CoSIDA All-District Academic honors.
After graduating from EMU in December, 2024 with a Master’s Degree in Organizational Leadership, Swartz moved to California to become the College Program Leader for the Southern California Eagles soccer program, a program that, according to their website, “Was founded with a mission of glorifying God and seeing lives transformed by sharing the message of Jesus Christ through the global environment of soccer.”
In his role as the College Program Leader, Swartz builds and leads the college platform, spending his time networking in the university space and ensuring college coaches and athletes know the opportunities that the program provides for college players.
“The program could not be in better hands than those of Trevor Swartz,” Carey said. “Trevor is an exceptional teacher, leader, and coach who will not only help each member of the team become a better soccer player, but a better man as well. His familiarity with the university, the current players, and the recruiting landscape will help ensure a seamless transition into this next chapter of the program. I could not be happier for Trevor, our players, and the future of EMU Men’s Soccer. I have complete confidence that he will continue to build upon the foundation that has been established, and I wish him and the team nothing but success as they move forward together.”
Swartz begins his duties as interim coach immediately.
— EMU Athletics —
