Robert Emmett enters his second season as Head Coach of the Norwich University men’s soccer program in 2025–26, after guiding the Cadets to a competitive debut campaign that featured six wins and four GNAC All-Conference honorees.
Emmett, the 12th head coach in program history, took over in 2024 following a successful three-year run as the lead assistant and recruiting coordinator at Middlebury College. He inherited the role from interim head coach Staige Davis, who led Norwich to the 2023 GNAC Championship game.
Emmett made an immediate impact, helping develop First Team All-GNAC defender Kam Jorgenson, Second Team standouts Cullen Swett and Ben Rubinstein, and Third Team midfielder Hunter Lortie. His tactical focus on team shape and goalkeeper development helped maintain a defensive identity while building a young, dynamic attack.
At Middlebury, Emmett helped steer the Panthers to a 38-10-10 record, with three straight NCAA Tournament appearances and two Elite Eight berths. The 2023 squad finished 15-2-4 and went unbeaten in NESCAC play (7-0-3), closing the year ranked No. 5 nationally. He mentored 11 All-NESCAC players, including 2021 D3soccer.com Goalkeeper of the Year Ryan Grady.
Prior to Middlebury, Emmett spent three seasons at Division I Binghamton, mentoring six America East All-Conference and All-Rookie selections. He is a former goalkeeper at SUNY Cortland and holds more than a decade of coaching experience across club and college levels, with previous roles at Lake Erie College, University of Akron camps, and OnePlus Soccer Academy.
In addition to his role at Norwich, Emmett now serves as goalkeeper coach for Vermont Green FC of USL League Two, a nationally acclaimed club recognized for its environmental justice mission. In his first season with the Green in 2025, Emmett worked with University of Vermont National Champion goalkeeper Niklas Herceg, who helped backstop the club to an undefeated season and its first USL League Two National Championship. Vermont Green’s commitment to sustainability has drawn media attention from the BBC, The Guardian, and Men in Blazers.
