William Carey University Athletic Director Tracy English has announced the hiring of Jack Hartley as the new Women's Soccer Head Coach. Hartley joins the Lady Crusaders after serving as the Assistant Coach at Southeastern Louisiana University.
"I'm super excited to welcome Jack Hartley to our Carey family as Head Women's Soccer Coach," says Athletic Director Tracy English. "Jack brings a lot of knowledge and experience to the program, and I look forward to watching his team play in the future," he added.
A native of Northampton, England, Hartley comes to Hattiesburg after spending the last four seasons helping guide the Lady Lions. Ahead of his time in Hammond, Hartley served as the Head Coach at NAIA Schools, William Penn University (2020) and Park University (2021). His collegiate coaching career began at the University of Jamestown in Jamestown, North Dakota, his alma mater, as an assistant for four seasons. In the four seasons Hartley spent on Jamestown's coaching staff, the Jimmies posted a 50-23-5 record and won the NSAA Conference Championship in 2017. They were also conference runners-up in 2016.
"I am incredibly grateful to Dr. Ben Burnett and Tracy English for the trust and opportunity to lead the William Carey women's soccer program," says Hartley. "From the moment I stepped on campus I truly felt at home, and I am honored to step into such a successful program," he added.
Hartley was also the head coach of the Dakota Fusion of the Women's Premier Soccer League, where he coached numerous NCAA Division I and II athletes who received all-conference honors. For nearly seven years, he was also the head coach of the Jamestown Soccer Club and spent two years as the head coach at Sheyenne High School. He led Sheyenne to the Eastern Conference Championship in just the program's second year of existence.
While playing for Jamestown, he was a standout defender for the Jimmies. He played in 74 games over four years and racked up three goals and five assists. He played a key role in the Jimmies' 16-5-1 record en route to an all-conference championship in 2012. That season, the Jimmies played in the NAIA national tournament and ended the season ranked 16th in the country. As a freshman in 2012, he was awarded an All-Conference selection and a Champions of Character Award.
After college, Hartley played at the semi-pro level for four seasons. He started with Storm FC of the National Premier Soccer League, (2014-15) before moving to the American Premier League where he played for FC Fargo from 2016-17. He returned to the NPSL where he wrapped up his semi-pro career playing for Dakota Fusion FC from 2017-18. Hartley is a two-time graduate from the University of Jamestown. He earned his Bachelor of Arts in Physical Education and Coaching in May of 2015 and went on to earn his Master's degree in clinical counseling in May of 2019.
"William Carey has a strong tradition of excellence, and I am excited to build on that legacy," says Hartley. "I'm looking forward to investing in our student-athletes and continuing to move the program forward."
Hartley takes over a program that currently leads the NAIA in all-time wins and has won six straight SSAC Tournament championships along with six of the last seven regular season championships. The Lady Crusaders have made the NAIA National Tournament the last fourteen seasons including winning the NAIA National Championship in 2018.
