Nick Stirrett enters his third season as head men's soccer coachat Mount Union.
In his first season, Stirrett led the Purple Raiders to itshighest win total in 10 seasons, a third place finish in the OhioAthletic Conference and an appearance in the OAC Tournamentsemifinals.
Stirrett comes to Mount Union after spending the last seasons atNorthern Illinois University as an assistant men's soccer coach. Heworked with All-MAC First Team and All-Great Lakes Regiongoalkeeper Jordan Godsey.
Stirrett began his coaching career at Rose-Hulman Institute ofTechnology in 2006, spending two seasons with the Engineers.Stirrett served as an assistant coach and goalkeepers coach withboth the men's and women's soccer programs, helping both teams earnregional rankings in his first season while mentoring goalkeeperTrey Buck to first team all-region honors.
In 2008, Stirrett moved on to DePauw University, where he workedwith goalkeepers for both the men's and women's soccer programs forone season, helping men's goalkeeper Ted Jacobi earn conferencedefensive player of the year honors. Stirrett took over as the headcoach at the African Leadership Academy in Johannesburg, SouthAfrica in 2009. After one season in South Africa, Stirrett returnedto DePauw as an assistant coach in 2010.
During his second stint with the Tigers, Stirrett helped theDePauw men's program finish the 2010 season ranked 11th in thenation in Division III. In 2011 DePauw finished 16-3-1 winning theNorth Coast Athletic Conference championship, earning an automaticbid to the NCAA Tournament and finishing ranked 24th in thenation.
Stirrett mentored two goalkeepers that have signed professionalcontracts; Nathan Sprenkel and Tony Halterman. Sprenkel, a two-timeconference defensive player of the year, two-time all-conferencegoalkeeper and a 2011 second team All-American currently playsprofessionally with Indy 11 of the North American Soccer League.Halterman, a 2012 second team All-NCAC performer currently playsprofessionally for the Kitsap Pumas of the Premier DevelopmentLeague.
In addition to his work at DePauw, Stirrett was also the IndianaOlympic Development Program Director of Boy's Goalkeeping and anassistant girl's goalkeeping coach as well as the goalkeeping coachfor Dynamo FC in Indianapolis.
As a player, Stirrett played three seasons at Augustana College,graduating in 2006. Stirrett also earned his master's degree fromQueen's University in Belfast, Northern Ireland in 2008. Stirrettholds United States Soccer Federation National "D" and "Y" CoachingLicenses and has completed the requirements for a NSCAA AdvancedNational Diploma.
