Every year there are a handful of coaching changes around the region. Here’s a quick look at some of the new individuals now leading programs as they kick off the 2023 season.
Carroll Men – Head Coach Austin Shick
Following the retirement of longtime and only previous men’s head coach Doug Mello (64-71-10 in nine seasons), the Saints brought in Austin Shick, who kicked off his career in difficult circumstances as the first head coach of Blue Mountain CC of the NWAC East in 2016. He launched the program and helped build it into a success, winning the conference title within four seasons. He then went on to Sierra Nevada University, but it was a short-lived posting as the school dropped athletics after his first season. He most recently spent a year as an assistant for fellow CCC program Southern Oregon University. Mello retired as the only collegiate coach to have won over 400 men’s matches and over 275 on the women’s side, ranking fourth all-time in NAIA men’s wins (494) and tied for ninth in NAIA women’s wins (282). He previously coach at Aquinas College, Siena Heights University and Luther College.
Eastern Oregon Women – Head Coach Josh Goodman
Following the departure of Jake Plocher for the head coaching position at Missouri Western State University the program elevated four-year assistant coach Josh Goodman into the head coaching role. He also was an assistant for the men’s side the first three years.
MSU Billings Women – Interim HC Abiye Jack
With Stephen Cavallo departing for an assistant coach position at Nevada, the program elevated two-year assistant coach Abiye Jack into the Interim Head Coach role for the 2023 season. Most of Jack’s coaching experience comes from club soccer.
Northwest Nazarene Men – Head Coach James Williamson
Former coach John Powell took the opportunity to return to his alma mater Stanislaus State as the new head. After a stint with assistant Julio Castillo in charge for the spring the program has named James Williamson the head coach for 2023. Williamson is returning to Nampa having previously served as an assistant for the women’s program in 2017 and 2018. The Coeur d’Alene native has been primarily based along the Idaho border throughout his coaching career since graduating from Corban. He began as an assistant coach for North Idaho College in 2016 before moving to NNU. After that two-year stint he spent a year as the associate head coach for Corban before moving on to Gonzaga for the past three seasons as an assistant.
Whitworth Men – Interim HC Kevin Moon
Following the departure this summer of Jeremy Payne, who is now an assistant at Bucknell near his hometown, the program named alum and longtime men’s and women’s assistant coach Kevin Moon as the interim head coach. A coaching staple in the Spokane soccer community since graduating in 1991, Moon has been an assistant for the women’s program twice (1992-96 and 2010-15) and the men twice (2001 and 2018-19). He has been a club coach with Spokane Sounders since 2001.
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