Jason Carlson returns to Clarke as Men's Soccer's Head Coach

DUBUQUE, Iowa - Clarke University Athletics and Director of Athletics Curt Long are excited to announce the hiring of retuning men's soccer head coach Jason Carlson to the same role, officially starting on Tuesday, Mar. 17.

Clarson returns to Dubuque in 2026 to begin his second stint leading the Pride men's soccer team following his previous time as the skipper CU in 2012.

"Jason returns to Clarke with extensive coaching experience at the NCAA Division II level and within highly competitive conferences," Long said. "Throughout his career, he has successfully taken over and elevated programs, demonstrating a strong ability to build and sustain success. He now steps into a Clarke program rich in talent and potential, where student-athletes are eager to learn from his leadership and experience."

Carlson comes to Clarke most recently after spending the last four seasons at Upper Iowa University as the head coach of the Peacocks men's soccer program for the last four seasons from 2022 to 2025 after previously holding that position after from 2013 to 2016 with three years at Florida Southern College and two seasons at University of Mount Olive sandwiched in between his two stints at UIU.

In the 2012 season under Carlson, Clarke men's soccer won the most games in program history with a 10-7-1 record, a mark that stood until the 2024 season when the Pride won 11 games, with that 2012 season being the lone season CU had won double digit games for men's soccer in its nearly 30-year history up to that point.

Carlson took that success and built off of it at Upper Iowa and Florida Southern, never winning less than seven games in a season from 2013 to 2018 including a 10-win and a 13-win season at UIU in 2014 and 2015 respectively and a 12-win season at Florida Southern in 2018.

Upper Iowa had their best season in 2015 (13-4-1, 6-2 MIAA) when they claimed the program's first conference regular season title (Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletic Association). The 2015 season came to an end with a loss in the NCAA Division II Central Region Finals where they finished as the runners-up. UIU reached as high as No. 12 in the NSCAA national poll that season and ended the year ranked No. 19. Nine Peacocks earned a place on the All-MIAA Team, including five First Team selections. Carlson was also named the 2015 MIAA and Central Region Coach of the Year after the season.

In his second year at FSC, he guided the Moccasins to one of their best seasons in team history. The Moccasins fell just one win shy of the school record with a 12-5 mark overall. Their Sunshine State Conference record of 6-4 was the best in the school's 62-year history, and they achieved the highest national ranking in team history too by reaching No. 8 in the United Soccer Coaches Poll. 
 
Florida Southern's 2018 season included six games against top-25 teams, tying a school record. At the end of the 2018 season, the Moccasins had put together a 1.06 goals-against average that was the fourth lowest in their 62-year history. The 39 goals were the most scored by the Mocs since 2004. Three of Carlson's players made both the All-SSC and All-South Region teams, the most all-conference selections for the Mocs in 12 years, and their most all-region picks in 22 years. He also had one player earn CoSida Academic All-District and All-American.

In addition to his experience as a head coach, Carlson had stops as an assistant coach at Hope International University in California (2005-06), Trinity International University in Illinois (2006-08), and the University of Dubuque in Iowa (2008-11). He helped the Dubuque men's team post four 10-win seasons and had three more with the women's team.
 
Carlson also has extensive experience at the club level and with the Olympic Development Program. He was head coach of the Wisconsin ODP '99 team from 2012-14, and from 2008-11 was a head coach with the Dubuque Soccer Club (boys and girls). His 2009 boys' team was a State Cup finalist and won the Indoor State Cup. He had previously coached club soccer in California and Illinois as well, and served as a head coach at Apple Valley High School in California (boys) and Dubuque High School in Iowa (girls).

Carlson played collegiately at Victor Valley Community College in California for two years before transferring to Hope International for his final two seasons and was a team captain at both schools. He helped Victor Valley win its first conference championship in 31 years as an honorable mention All-Foothill Conference selection, and went on to earn all-region honors at Hope International where he led the team in scoring as a senior.

Carlson earned his Bachelor's degree in general studies from Trinity International University with a concentration in human performance and wellness, history, and religious studies. He later earned his Master's degree in communication from the University of Dubuque. He also holds both a USSF Coaching License and NSCAA Goalkeeping Diploma.