A name synonymous with winning soccer in Mercer County, Charlie Inverso was named the new head coach of the Rider University men’s soccer team in January of 2011. In 2015 he was named the NSCAA Northeast Region Coach of the Year and Inverso led the Broncs to three NCAA Tournament appearances in a four-year span (2015, 2016, 2018). Inverso's Broncs made it to four-straight MAAC Championship Games (2015-18) and followed with another appearance in 2021, falling on PK's. Following a 44-year drought, players on Inverso's rosters earned All-America honors in back to back years (Christian Flath - 2016, Jose Aguinaga - 2017).
In his first season at Rider the Broncs competed in the 2011 Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference Championship Tournament and picked up their first postseason win since 2004.
In his second season he produced a MAAC All-Rookie team selection and eight All-Academic Team members.
In 2013 the program produced its first All-Conference player since 2009, its first First Team All-Conference selection since 1999, and Rider’s first male Academic All-American since 1995.
It was 2015, however, when Inverso made his mark on the Rider program. The Broncs won 14 games, the most in 18 years and the second-most ever. The 14th win was in the MAAC Championship Game, sending the Broncs to the NCAA Championship Tournament.
The Broncs made it consecutive MAAC Tournament Championships and NCAA Tournament appearances in 2016 with a 13-4-3 overall mark and a 7-1-2 MAAC record. En route to the title, Rider defeated MAAC Regular Season Champion Quinnipiac twice on its home field. Inverso guided Christian Flath to NSCAA Second Team All-America status. Flath became the Broncs' first All-American since 1972 and the fifth all-time, joining Ed Adams (1956), Frank Nerwinski (1959), John Wagner (1967) and Bobby Smith (1972).
The 2017 Broncs spent several weeks in the national rankings, climbing as high as No. 22 in the United Soccer Coaches National Poll. Rider went 12-5-2 (6-2-2 MAAC) and reached the MAAC Championship Game for the third-straight year. Jose Aguinaga became Rider's all-time assists leader (32) and joined Flath as a Second Team All-American. Elliott Otmani was also recognized as a First Team Scholar All-American. A league-high seven Broncs earned All-MAAC honors, including four first-team selections, while four Rider student-athletes earned All-Region recognition.
2018 was perhaps Inverso's most impressive coaching performance. A struggling Broncs squad needed wins in each of their last two regular season games just to qualify for the MAAC Championships and not only got them, but posted five-straight shutouts to win the MAAC Championship and earn an NCAA Tournament berth. Once there, the Broncs gave eventual National Runner-Up Akron all it could handle in defeat. Pablo DeCastro scored the equalizer in the 77th minute and nearly gave Rider the lead minutes later. But the Zips would take the victory and make a run to the National Championship Game. Elliott Otmani earned All-MAAC Championship Team honors for the fourth-straight year, taking MVP for the second time. He also joined Emmanuel Kouma, Sylvain Coco and Arthur Herpreck on the All-MAAC Second Team and was recognized on the Google Cloud Academic All-District 1 First Team. Otmani finished his career as one of three Broncs all-time to score 30 goals and compile 20 assists (Craig Wicken, Bobby Smith). Despite starting the season as a back-up, goalkeeper Pablo Gatinois tied the program single-season record with seven clean sheets. In addition to his work at Rider, Inverso was presented with one of the inaugural Advocacy Awards of Excellence, presented by the United Soccer Coaches at its 2019 Convention in Chicago for his work with Mooch Soccer.
In 2021, Inverso added a MAAC Offensive Player of the Year to the group he's coached at Rider, as Zaki Alibou earned the honor with a 10-goal, five-assist effort. The Broncs returned to the MAAC Championship Game, falling on PK's after clawing back from a 2-0 deficit on the road at Marist. Under Inverso's guidance, Alibou and Sergio Aguinaga earned All-MAAC First Team honors, while Guillaume Veinante and Adel Al Masude earned MAAC All-Rookie Team honors.
The groundwork for the historic 2015 and 2016 seasons was set the previous season.
In 2014 the Rider men’s soccer team (9-7-2) enjoyed its best season in the prior 16 years. The Broncs were picked to finish eighth in the 11-team MAAC and finished third. Rider led the entire nation with 40 goals scored during the regular season.
“After a national search that attracted a quality pool of candidates it became increasingly apparent that the best fit for us was the guy who does not have to change addresses in accepting the job,” Rider Director of Athletics Don Harnum said when Inverso was hired.
Inverso came to Rider from Rutgers University, where he served as an assistant coach.
“I am really thankful to the search committee and Don Harnum for having the confidence in me to take over the Rider soccer program,” Inverso said when he was hired.
Inverso was the longtime head coach at Mercer County Community College (MCCC) where he compiled a 434-46-14 record en route to winning five national championships. MCCC won the National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA) Division I title in 1988, 91, 95, 96 and 2004. He took 18 squads to the national tournament, including a run of eight-straight seasons from 2001-08.
In April of 2013 Inverso was named to the Wall of Fame in The College of New Jersey Department of Health and Exercise Science.
“Charlie Inverso is a proven winner and has established a great reputation in the local, regional, and national soccer communities,” Harnum added. “I am confident his numerous successful coaching experiences and his extensive contacts in recruiting will be major benefits for the Rider men's soccer program.”
Four times Inverso was the National Junior College Athletic Association Coach of the Year and he was inducted into NJCAA Hall of Fame in 2006.
During his 24-year tenure at the helm of the MCCC program, Inverso’s former players have enjoyed impressive success. Nearly 170 of his former players have graduated from MCCC and gone on to play soccer at their transfer schools. Over 40 former players have become college or high school coaches and 16 former players have played professionally.
Prior to MCCC, Inverso was an assistant coach at Princeton University from 1980-85. He has served as goalkeeper coach for the Under-15 U.S. National soccer team. He is co-founder of Mooch Soccer, a program that brings soccer to inner city youths of Trenton.
As a player, Inverso was the goalkeeper of the 1974 Notre Dame High School (Lawrence, N.J.) Parochial ‘A’ state championship squad and went on to be a standout player and captain at Trenton State College (TCNJ), where he earned BS and MS degrees in Physical Education.
Inverso and his wife, Lynne, live in Robbinsville, N.J., with their daughter, Hailey, and son, C.J.
