By Jeff White (jwhite@virginia.edu)
VirginiaSports.com
CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. — Every day at work, Clint Peay sees reminders of the University of Virginia and its storied men’s soccer program. His colleagues in the New England Revolution organization include Bruce Arena, for whom Peay played at UVA, and former Cavalier standouts Curt Onalfo, Richie Williams and Chris Tierney. The Revolution’s players include Henry Kessler, a star on the Virginia team that reached the NCAA championship game in 2019.
“It’s a good group,” Peay said, “a bunch of guys who spent some time together while we were at UVA, so we’re close.”
Arena is head coach of the Revolution, one of Major League Soccer’s charter clubs. Peay is head coach of the Revolution II, which competes in MLS NEXT Pro. His charge is to “help players that started in our academy [rise in the professional ranks],” Peay said, “or if they’re someone we brought in that we believe has potential, help them, because they’re not ready yet, to achieve that goal. Learning how to win and being competitive is a part of development, so certainly that’s not something that we want to disregard, but ultimately it’s more focused on how we can progress our individuals.”
Peay grew up in Columbia, Md., about 20 miles southwest of Baltimore, and was a Parade All-American at Oakland Mills High. He was in high school when he saw UVA play for the first time, in an NCAA tournament game at Loyola College in Baltimore.
“I instantly fell in love with the colors, the players, just everything about them,” Peay recalled. “I knew right then and there that I had a love for UVA.”
The Cavaliers won a share of their first NCAA title in 1989. Peay enrolled at UVA two years later and found himself on a team loaded with elite players, including Richie Williams, Claudio Reyna, Erik Imler, Bren Crawley, Brian Bates, A.J. Wood and Jeff Causey.
“I was blown away,” Peay said. “It was a unique time in soccer, I’d say, in this country, where those talented players did go to college. I think it was even more unique that so many of us amassed at one school. We had some fun playing together and really enjoyed it.”
In 1991, Peay’s first college season, the Wahoos swept the ACC and NCAA titles. They did so again in 1992, ’93 and ’94.
“Incredible,” said current Virginia head coach George Gelnovatch, who was one of Arena’s assistants during Peay’s college career.
“I…