Chris Armas ’94, an All-American midfielder at Adelphi who later coached the women’s soccer team, has added one more accolade to his highly decorated athletic career. Now he’s been elected to the National Soccer Hall of Fame and will be inducted in a ceremony in May.
Armas’ credentials as one of America’s greatest soccer players include an 12-year career with the LA Galaxy and Chicago Fire of Major League Soccer. From 1996 through 2007, he was a six-time all-star, a five-time member of the MLS Best XI as the league’s top player at his position and the MLS Comeback Player of the Year in 2003 following his return from a knee injury. He was a member of the U.S. Men’s National Team, playing in 66 international matches, and was named the U.S. Soccer Male Athlete of the Year in 2000.
“Armas helped define the role of defensive midfielder, setting a high bar for future generations,” announced the National Soccer Hall of Fame at the time of his election. “He was a vital factor in the Chicago Fire winning an MLS Cup, a Supporters’ Shield [for the best regular-season record] and four Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup [tournament] titles.”
An Adelphi Legend
Armas arrived at Adelphi in the fall of 1990 from the Long Island community of Brentwood, New York. He immediately made an impact on the field, helping the men’s soccer team set a school record for most wins in a season (14) and advance to the second round of the NCAA Tournament. He led the team to three NCAA Tournament appearances in all, winning a slew of awards, including two All-New York State and NSCAA All-Region selections and two CoSIDA Academic All-America honors. As a senior, he led Adelphi in scoring and was voted team MVP.
After his playing days were over, Armas returned to Adelphi in 2011 to coach the women’s soccer team. By his second year, he had the team playing in the championship game of the Northeast-10 Conference Tournament following a stunning upset of the nation’s 10th-ranked team. He guided the Panthers to a second-straight conference championship game the next year as well as its first NCAA Tournament invitation since 2007 and first victory in the tournament since 2004—accomplishments that earned him NSCAA East Region Coach of the Year honors.
Armas’ fourth year as coach was just as successful, as the team compiled the best record of his tenure, 14-5-2, and rose as high as ninth in the nation. The year turned out to be his last at Adelphi, though, as he stepped down from the position in March 2015 to become an assistant coach of Major League Soccer’s New York Red Bulls.
“I’ve had an amazing experience in my four years coaching and mentoring the student-athletes of the Adelphi women’s soccer team,” he said at the time. “In a situation where I was supposed to be the teacher, the girls have been the ones who have given and taught me. I cannot say enough positives about the team, but they have changed my life forever.”
Advancing in the Coaching Ranks
Armas continued his coaching success in his first year with the Red Bulls, helping the team win the MLS Supporters’ Shield. In 2018, he was promoted to head coach and promptly led the team to another Supporters’ Shield and an appearance in the Eastern Conference Final.
In 2021, Armas moved to soccer’s biggest stage when he was named an assistant coach for one of the world’s most renowned teams, Manchester United. He moved to another assistant coaching position in England’s Premier League by joining the staff of Leeds United.
Armas returned to the MLS in 2024 and is now head coach of the Colorado Rapids. He made an immediate impact, leading the team to a club record 50 points and 15 wins. The Rapids qualified for the 2025 CONCACAF (Confederation of North, Central America and Caribbean Association Football) Champions Cup and secured a spot in the MLS Cup Playoffs. Armas was named a finalist for the Sigi Schmid Coach of the Year Award.
An Enduring Connection With Adelphi
Through it all, Armas has stayed close to his Adelphi roots, a point made by Danny McCabe, the University’s director of athletics and campus recreation.
“This is a well-deserved recognition for Chris’ many contributions to the sport of soccer in this country,” McCabe said at the time of Armas’ election to the Hall of Fame. “He had an outstanding playing career and currently enjoys a tremendous coaching career. He’s widely recognized as one of the best to ever play the sport in this country and this honor solidifies that notion. Chris has always represented Adelphi University and the Long Island community with class and we couldn’t be more happy for him and his family.”
The Adelphi connection extends beyond Chris in the Armas family. Both of his sons, Christopher and Aleksei, followed in his footsteps and played soccer for the Panthers. Both played the same position—midfield.