In 2021, Jason Perry enters his tenth season as a member of the Butler staff. He was named a men’s soccer assistant coach at Butler University in 2012 following three seasons as an assistant coach at Oakland University and a successful professional soccer career. He’s active in all facets of Butler’s team operations, including recruiting, training, game management, scouting, travel and summer camps.
Perry has been part of 78 wins during his time at Butler, facing some of the country's top competition. Alongside head coach Paul Snape, Perry has played a large role in transitioning Butler's program from the Horizon League to the Atlantic 10 and now to the BIG EAST. The Bulldogs have made appearances in the NCAA Tournament in three of the past five seasons (2019, 2017, 2016).
Perry serves as a member of the leadership council for #BUnited, a Butler Athletics initiative focused on empathy, education and experience. Its mission is Building Unity Through Leadership, Education and Respect. The department-wide initiative grew out of the framework that Perry created for the men's soccer program.
The Butler coaching staff was named the 2017 BIG EAST Coaching Staff of the Year. Butler went 8-1 against BIG EAST opponents during the 2017 season, winning the regular season title and earning the No. 1 seed in the BIG EAST Tournament. The Bulldogs posted an overall record of 14-5-2 and a No. 12 national ranking in the United Soccer Coaches poll.
Butler earned an at-large berth to the 2017 NCAA Tournament. The Bulldogs made it to the third round for the first time since 1995, the third time in program history.
In 2017, Eric Dick was named a First-Team United Soccer Coaches All-American and BIG EAST Goalkeeper of the Year, while earning BIG EAST First-Team Honors. He was also named to the All-Great Lakes Region first-team. Brandon Guhl was named BIG EAST Co-Offensive Player of the Year, while two other Bulldogs earned All-BIG EAST honors.
Dick was also named a first-team Scholar All-American and a North/Central Region All-Scholar athlete.
During the 2016 season, the Butler coaching staff was named the National Soccer Coaches Association of America (NSCAA) Great Lakes Region Staff of the Year for Division I institutions, leading the Bulldogs to an impressive 13-5-2 overall record. Butler won its first BIG EAST championship and earned Butler the No. 15 overall seed in the 2016 NCAA Tournament, the Bulldogs' first NCAA Tournament appearance since 2010.
The Bulldogs posted a 10-4-4 record in 2015, finishing third in the BIG EAST. Butler was nationally ranked for a good portion of the season and was one of the last six unbeatens in the country.
Zach Steinberger was drafted eighth overall in the 2015 MLS SuperDraft by the Houston Dynamo. Two Bulldogs -- Wilmer Cabrera, Jr. in 2019 and David Goldsmith in 2013 -- have been named BIG EAST Freshman of the Year.
A former standout player and 2003 graduate of Oakland, Perry helped the Golden Grizzlies to a pair of Summit League titles and a trip to the NCAA Men’s Soccer Championship during his three seasons as a coach for his alma mater. He worked with the team’s forwards and defensive players, and both groups turned in positive results. In 2009, Oakland led the Summit League with just 13 goals allowed, and the Golden Grizzlies tied for the league lead in shutouts in 2010. Offensively, Oakland led the Summit League in shots in 2010.
In addition to his duties with the Golden Grizzlies, Perry also served as a head coach for the Bloomfield Force FC in the Michigan State Premier Soccer Program. He further served as an assistant coach for the U.S. Development Academy.
Perry joined the staff at Oakland following a two-year stint as Executive Director, Director of Coach and Player Development with the Flower City Soccer League in Rochester, N.Y. In his position with the league, he managed an average of 500-600 inner city youth dispersed over 48 teams with 35-45 coaches. He organized indoor and outdoor tournaments and participated in training sessions. He also assisted in the development of the Flower City Academy, a program where local college students and former professionals volunteer an academic tutoring service for FCSL participants.
The Butler assistant coach had a professional career with three different teams that ranged 2004-07. He was selected in the fifth round of the 2004 Major League Soccer SuperDraft by the Los Angeles Galaxy, and he spent 2004-05 with the team. He then played one season with the Syracuse Salty Dogs of the United Soccer League First Division, before joining the Rochester Raging Rhinos of the USL-1, where he spent two seasons. During his time at Rochester, he was a two-time recipient of the Iacovangelo Community Service Award Player of the Year and a three-time USL-1 Team of the Week selection.
Perry was a three-time All-Summit League performer at Oakland. He earned All-Region honors and was named a third-team All-American in 2003. A three-year team captain, Perry became the first Oakland player to be named Summit League Defensive Player of the Year as a senior, and he later became the first Oakland player to be drafted by a professional soccer organization.
He earned Oakland’s Lepley Senior Scholar Athlete Award and received his B.A. degree in communications.
