Matt Edwards has been selected as the sixth head coach in the 46-season history of the Claremont-Mudd-Scripps men’s soccer program, CMS Director of Athletics Michael Sutton, the William B. Arce Professor and George R. Roberts Fellow for Claremont McKenna College announced on Jan. 13. Edwards takes over a CMS program that is coming off a 9-7-1 season in 2014 and that has won four SCIAC Postseason Tournament championships and made four appearances in the NCAA Division III championships in the last six seasons. He begins his head coaching duties with CMS at the beginning of February.
"I would like to thank Mike Sutton and the rest of the search committee for this wonderful opportunity,” said Edwards. “It’s an honor to join the CMS staff and community. I am particularly excited to work with such highly-motivated student athletes and to build upon the tradition of excellence that already exists in the CMS men’s soccer program."
Edwards comes to CMS after spending three seasons at Knox College in Galesburg, Ill., where he transformed the men’s soccer program from a one-win team in the season prior to his arrival, to conference champions in 2014. Under Edwards’ guidance, Knox won 65 percent of its matches including a 15-4 record during the 2014 conference championship season. After the 2014 season, Edwards earned Midwest Conference Coach of the Year honors. During Edwards’ tenure at Knox College, the team also earned the National Soccer Coaches Association of America (NSCAA) Team Academic Award in 2013.
“I am pleased to welcome Matt to the CMS community. He possesses all of the characteristics we desire in our coaching faculty in terms of background, experience and appreciation of the importance of the educational opportunity that Stag Soccer affords to CMS student-athletes,” said Sutton. “Matt inherits a program that is sound in terms of talent and tradition and I expect him to continue to build on that foundation while putting his own stamp on the men’s soccer program.”
Before coaching at Knox, Edwards spent one season at Amherst College as an assistant coach. During that season, Amherst won the highly-competitive NESCAC championship and reached the Elite 8 of the NCAA Division III Championships, setting a program record with 16 wins. Prior to Amherst, Edwards spent four seasons at Springfield College (Mass.) where he served as the associate head coach from 2007-2011. Edwards also worked as the assistant director of Alumni Relations during his time at Springfield College.
Edwards graduated in 2009 from Springfield College with a master’s degree in advanced level coaching. A native of Southampton, England, Edwards coached at the highly-respected youth academy for Southampton F.C., working with future professional players such as Gareth Bale, Theo Walcott, and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain. Before moving to the United States while in England, Edwards completed his undergraduate work at the University College, Chichester, in England, where he earned a bachelor's degree in sports and coaching science in 2005.
Edwards holds the Union of European Football Associations (UEFA) B License in coaching, along with the NSCAA Premier Diploma in coaching and several other soccer coaching certifications.
Edwards becomes the CMS men’s soccer team’s sixth head coach. He follows Dan Calichman who in September, stepped down to take an assistant coaching position in Major League Soccer.