University of North Carolina Ashville Athletics
UNC Asheville Adds Skelton As Women's Soccer Assistant
08.16.2016 | Women's Soccer
Asheville, N.C.- The UNC Asheville athletic department is pleased to announce the hiring of Michael Skelton as an assistant coach in the women's soccer program. Along with Kyle Stewart, he will assist head coach Michelle Demko for the 2016 season.
"I am very excited and pleased that Mike decided to join our staff," Demko said. "He is a product of hard work, competitive mentality and investment which aligns with our soccer program. I think it's important when creating a winning culture to have people on board who understand first hand what it's like to be in a championship environment. Mike certainly brings that to the table and much more. He was an All-American for Lasell College and owns a number of school records including single season goals, single season points, career goals and career points. He was also a prolific hockey player growing up in New Hampshire, ranking third for points and still remains the all-time leader in assists. That type of competitive drive along with his tactical knowledge will immediately impact our program and help catapult us toward our program goals."
Skelton, a native of Conway, N.H., most recently coached a U-16 boys club team for the Mount Washington Valley Soccer Club, and he also served as the girls varsity soccer head coach at Kennett High School in North Conway, N.H. over the past two fall seasons. In his first year at Kennett, he led the program to the playoffs for the first time in eight years, and he followed that up with another playoff berth in his second year.
In addition to that, Skelton hosted his own six week skills clinic from October through December of this past year, and he was a program director at YMCA Camp Huckins from June 2014 to September 2015. He also held the position of Sportsfield Director at Camp Huckins from 2012-14, where he trained and worked individually with many Division I female athletes.
Prior to his coaching background, Skelton was an All-American soccer player at Lasell College in Newton, Mass., where he made the dean's list and earned a bachelor's of science in communications in May 2014 with a dual concentration in sports communication as well as multimedia and web design. Following the completion of his collegiate career, Skelton spent time playing semi-professional soccer in England.
"I am hoping to bring my passion for the sport and past experiences to aid the UNC Asheville women's soccer program," Skelton said. "As a student of the game entering whole-heartedly into the coaching world, my endless motivation and dedication to reaching my full potential as a coach can only benefit the team and UNC Asheville athletics."
The UNC Asheville women's soccer program will open its regular season on Friday evening at Greenwood Field beginning at 7 p.m. Last year's team finished 11-9 overall and advanced to the Big South Tournament quarterfinals.
