Joe Vari
Head Women's Soccer Coach
Phone: (901) 843-3150
Fax: (901) 843-3749
Email: varij@rhodes.edu
2012 was a year of firsts for the Lynx. A 15-4-1 mark on the season gave the Lynx their most wins since the mid 90's. The Lynx shared the inaugural SAA regular season title and an appearance in the SAA tournament final. Rhodes placed 2 players on the NSCAA All-Region team. Junior Allison Cowling received 1st team honors while sophomore Kelsey Keown received 2nd team accolades. Keown was voted as the SAA's Offensive Player of the Year and 1st Team All-SAA honors. Cowling also received 1st Team All-SAA honrs. Senior Emily Shaw and sophomore Breanna Durbin received 2nd Team All-SAA honors.
The 2011 season showed more development of the Lynx core of players finishing the season with a 10-7-2 record and a 4th place finish in the SCAC. Senior Cat Rickenbacker received All-Region Honors for efforts in the Lynx midfield.
The 2010 campaign saw an imporvement in record and performance. The Lynx finished 8-9-1, and 6th in the SCAC. Rhodes finished 2 points away from being tied for 3rd in the conference. The Lynx faced their most challenging season in 2010 facing five top 25 teams in the nation, including national champion Hardin Simmons University. The Lynx had a stellar year in the classroom placing 21 of 24 players on the SCAC Honor Roll.
The 2009 campaign was a rebuilding season that finished 5-7-5. The Lynx returned 2 starters in 2009, allowing younger players an opportunity to gain valuable experience. The 2010 team will return 9 starters 5 of which received All-SCAC Honors.
In May of 2008, Rhodes College’s Athletic Director, Mike Clary, announced the hiring of Vari. “Joe was selected from among 100 candidates who applied for the position and he clearly was the top choice of our search committee” said Coach Clary. Vari is the 4th Head Coach in program history.
In 2008, Vari served as the Men’s and Women’s Assistant Coach. Vari was part of the record breaking 2008 campaign for the Women’s Team. He helped the program to their 1st ever NCAA Tournament berth, their 1st SCAC title in 17 years, and to a 14-4-2 record. The team received their highest ever National Ranking at 10th, and also their highest Regional Ranking at #2. Vari also helped produce the program’s first ever All-American, Becca Clarin. The 2008 Team also produced the Conference’s Defensive Player of the Year, Katy Joyner, and also the Tri-Offensive Player of the Year, Diana Buss. The trio of Buss, Clarin, and Joyner received All-Region honors. The Lynx placed 10 players on the All-SCAC list, and 18 on the SCAC Academic Honor Roll. The team won their third straight NSCAA Team Academic Award.
Before coming to Rhodes, Vari was at Lynchburg College in Virginia. During his time at Lynchburg, Vari earned his Masters Degree in Education and spent time working with both the men’s and women’s soccer programs.
Vari was a member of the men’s coaching staff at Lynchburg for 5 years, serving most recently as 1st assistant coach to Chris Yeager who has led the hornets since 2002. Vari helped coach the team to an Old Dominion Athletic Conference (ODAC) Championship and a NCAA National Tournament appearance in 2006 - the program’s first in 20 years. The team advanced to the ODAC Tournament for 5 straight years and Vari assisted Yeager to ODAC Coach of the Year awards in 2004 and 2006.
During 3 years of his tenure in Lynchburg, Vari also worked with the Hornet women’s goalkeepers. He helped produce a 1st Team All-American and 2 All-South Region goalkeepers. He saw Dr. Todd Olson’s team earn 2 ODAC Championships in 2005 and 2007 and advance to the Sweet 16 of the NCAA tournament in 2005 and the Elite 8 in 2006. In 2006, the women finished 2nd in Division III in shutout percentage (0.769), save percentage (0.916), and also goals against average (0.258). In 26 games, the team conceded only 7 goals and earned 20 Shutouts.
In addition to his work at Lynchburg, Vari also served as an assistant boy’s varsity coach at Jefferson Forest High School. In 2006 the team won its 1st Regional Championship while advancing to the State Final 4.
Vari graduated from Hiram College (Ohio) in 2003, where he was a 4 year starter for the Terriers. During the 2002 season he was selected to the All-NCAC 2nd Team, was voted team captain and also team MVP. He finished his career at Hiram, 3rd in career shutouts and 4th in career saves.
He holds a NSCAA Advanced National Diploma, and a NSCAA State Goalkeeping Diploma.
