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Eastern Youth Soccer Camps
Former two-year varsity letterwinner Adam Phaiah returns to the staff as an assistant coach under sixth-year head coach Greg DeVito. A native of Danielson, Phaiah appeared in 34 of a possible 39 matches under former head coach Frantz Innocent as a midfielder and defender in the 2003 and 2004 seasons, starting ten. He came to Eastern after a two-year career at Mitchell College in New London. Phaiah, co-director of the Eastern Connecticut State University Youth Soccer Camps, has served as an administrative assistant with the Connecticut Junior Soccer Association in Farmington and formerly served on the coaching staff of the U-14 boys’ Northeast United Premier Soccer Club. Having secured a USSF “C” national coaching license, Phaiah holds an Associates Degree in Physical Education from Mitchell College, a B.S. Degree in Physical Education with a minor in Sport and Leisure Management and an M.S. Degree in Educational Technology from Eastern. Phaiah teaches Physical Education and Health in the Stonington Public School system and resides in Noank with wife Jennifer. Coach DeVito on Coach Phaiah, "Coach Phaiah is a tremedous asset to ECSU. He is responsible for many of the behind the scenes jobs that make our program the success that it is today."
One of the most decorated goalkeepers in program history, Jay Barney returns to the staff as a goalkeeper coach for the fourth season under sixth-year head coach Greg DeVito. A former four-year starter in net and an unprecedented choice as a three-time team captain, the Mansfield native logged a program-record 23 full shutouts in 62 career starts between 2004 and 2007, was named Little East Conference Defensive Player-of-the-Year in each of his final two seasons and as the LEC tournament MVP as a senior.. Through 2010, Barney ranks first all-time among keepers in minutes, games, starts and goals-against average. With Barney in net, Eastern ended a 15-year post-season post-season tournament hiatus when it defeated Keene State College on penalty kicks in the 2007 LEC championship game to qualify automatically for its first NCAA tournament. Barney did not allow a goal in two tournament games, shutting out the Owls for 110 minutes in the final before saving two penalty kicks to preserve the triumph. In addition to earning LEC Defensive Player-of-the-Year honors twice and LEC Rookie-of-the-Year accolades in 2004, , Barney was a three-time all-conference pick and capped his career by being named fourth-team All-New England by the NSCAA in 2007 – the first such Eastern keeper to gain the honor since E-Club Hall of Famer Terry Hinesley in 1986. He was also selected as Eastern’s Rookie-of-the-Year in 2004 and as Eastern’s Male Athlete-of-the-Year in 2007. Barney holds a B.S. Degree in Sport & Leisure Management from Eastern.
Matt Weston, a former four-year goalkeeper in the Division I Sacred Heart University program, returns to the staff of head coach Greg DeVito as the goalkeepers coach. A resident of Storrs and a member of the E.O. Smith High School boys' soccer program, Weston holds a Doctorate in Physical Therapy (2008) and B.S. Degree in Psychology (2006) from SacredHeart.
Conor Clifford joins the staff of head coach Greg DeVito. A Manchester native, Clifford enrolled in Western New England University as a Class M state soccer champion with East Catholic High School. At WNEU, he continued to succeed when his team won the Great Northeast Athletic Conference during his freshman year and The Commonwealth Coast Conference each year thereafter. Conor played on teams at WNEU which compiled an overall record of 63-18-14, including an unbeaten regular season in 2008. Outside of soccer, Clifford served as a committee chair of the Student Athlete Advisory Committee. His subcommittee concentrated on issues and enhancements for student-athletes. He graduated with a bachelor’s degree in Business Administration in 2010, concentrating in business management. To date, Conor has spent most of his post-grad life teaching and instructing soccer camps and programs. During the summer he coaches U-17 and U-15 boys in the FSA FC program. Before coming to Eastern, Clifford was an assistant at his high school alma mater. Conor has had experience at Eastern prior to becoming an assistant coach, when he was a camp coach in April, June and August of this past year. He will bring more youth and energy to an already impressive coaching staff.
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Adam Phaiah
Jay Barney
Matt Weston
Conor Clifford