Jan. 14, 2015 Inside LMU Men's Soccer | LMU on Facebook |
LOS ANGELES - Fourteen years of service coaching LMU soccer comes to a close for men's soccer Associate Head Coach Mathes Mennell as he has been pegged to direct the UNC Asheville men's soccer program, the Bulldogs' athletic department announced Wednesday.
"UNC Asheville has made a fabulous hire in Mathes Mennell," said LMU Head Coach Paul Krumpe. "He did a fantastic job here at Loyola Marymount and will develop a wonderful program at Asheville. he is an excellent recruiter and does a great job coaching on the field. He is the most organized person I've ever met."
After serving as an assistant coach at the United States Air Force Academy in 1996-1997, Mennell came to LMU as the men's assistant coach in June of 1998 until February of 2000. He then rejoined the coaching staff at Air Force as an assistant coach for the Falcons men's soccer team from 2000-2002.
Upon his return to LMU in 2002, the men's soccer team won two West Coast Conference Championships (2010, 2013), made five NCAA Tournament appearances (2002, 2003, 2004, 2009, 2013) and, in 2003, received the #13 seed and a first round bye.
In his role as coach of the goalkeepers, Mennell has continually guided the LMU net minders to the tops of the WCC. In 2013, Paul Blanchette was named the WCC Goalkeeper of the Year and set the then single-season GAA mark with a paltry 0.82.
This past fall, the Lions posted nine shutouts, tying the all-time program record which was set in 2002 while the four losses also tied the program low (also set in 1980, 2002 and 2013). Mennell's goalkeepers posted a 0.68 GAA, lowering the program single-season record for the second straight season.
Two of his former charges, Shaun Kalnasy and Patrick Lane, have gone on to play professionally, with Kalnasy signing with Chivas USA in 2005 and Lane signing with Cercle Brugge in the Belgian First Division in 2008.
In addition to his work within the Athletics Department, Mennell was also an instructor in the LMU Leadership Institute, which is a three component program, open to all students, that includes a curricular, co-curricular and capstone experience based on the Social Change Model of Leadership Development.
A search for Mennell's replacement will begin immediately.
