Montclair State University Athletics

When talking about men’s soccer at Montclair State, Rob Chesney’s name always seems to come up in conversation. One of the all-time greats in the history of the sport, Chesney was a key figure in Montclair State’s rebirth of the sport. From 1986-1989, Chesney helped Montclair to a 41-27-6 record and was an integral part in brining the squad back to national prominence. An outstanding midfielder, he scored 19 goals and recorded 55 points in his career. But it was Chesney’s leadership that made him so valuable to the Indians/Red Hawks. He was the leader scored on the team in his freshman season and the following year he led Montclair State to a 7-5-2 mark, the program’s first winning season in five years. In 1988, he captained the team that produced a school-record 17 victories and captured the ECAC Metro NY/NJ Championship. The following year, Chesney again led the Montclair State charge as the Red Hawks won their first NJAC title in 17 years and reached the NCAA Division III Tournament. In the NCAAs, Montclair surprised everyone, reaching the quarterfinal round before falling to eventual national champion Elizabethtown. Chesney was a four-time All-NJAC selected and garnered Regional All-American honors in 1988 and 1989. During his season year he was named the NJAC’s Co-Player of the Year and was a two-time Team Most Valuable Player. Chesney remained involved with the Red Hawks following his graduation becoming and assistant coach and then taking over the team in 1991. He coached for a decade and finished in 2001 as the all-time winningest coach with 132 victories and four NCAA Division III Tournament victories. Chesney would later become an Associate Director of Athletics within the Department of Intercollegiate Athletics.