University of North Carolina Ashville Athletics
Photo by: Adrian Etheridge
UNC Asheville Names Giordano Men’s Soccer Interim Head Coach
02.07.2020 | Men's Soccer
ASHEVILLE – UNC Asheville director of athletics Janet R. Cone has named Mick Giordano interim head coach of the men's soccer team, effective Friday, February 7. He will remain in this role through the 2020 season.
"We are excited to have one of our soccer alumni take the reins of our men's program," Cone said. "Mick's passion for UNC Asheville and our soccer program along with his recent experience as head coach of the very successful Asheville City SC team will serve him well as our new coach.
"Whether as a Bulldog student-athlete or assistant coach, Mick has demonstrated that he is a Champion and Leader on and off the field, and we look forward to having him at the helm."
Prior to being elevated to interim head coach, Giordano spent the past two seasons as an assistant coach for the Bulldogs, while also serving as the team's recruiting coordinator. He helped the Bulldogs double their win total from 2018 to 2019, while increasing their Big South Conference victories by three last season.
The past two seasons served as Giordano's second stint as an assistant coach for Asheville. After playing overseas in Germany during 2014, Giordano returned to his alma mater for his first collegiate coaching stop. The 2015 Bulldogs won seven games and earned a spot in the Big South tournament.
Giordano served as an assistant coach at Wake Forest during the 2016 season in which the Demon Deacons won 19 games, including the ACC Tournament Championship. The Deacons advanced all the way to the national championship game that year.
He spent the 2017 season as the associate head coach at Wofford, aiding the Terriers as they earned a trip to the Southern Conference tournament.
"I'm extremely excited, fortunate and blessed, and I want to say thank you to AD Cone for this opportunity," Giordano said. "I think one of the big things coming into it, as an alum, is getting this group to buy into a hard-working, blue-collar mentality and becoming extremely difficult to play against.
"I look forward to get going with recruiting and day-to-day activities, and working with the boys as we chase a Big South title."
In addition to his work as a collegiate assistant coach, Giordano has also served as the Asheville City SC men's head coach since 2018. In his first two seasons, he led Asheville City to two playoff berths, two playoff victories and an appearance in the conference championship match.
As the team transitioned to the USL League Two, Asheville City president Ryan Kelley signed Giordano to a two-year extension as head coach and also named him sporting director with responsibility for all on-field activities in October of 2019.
Giordano, a 2013 graduate of UNC Asheville, started two seasons in the midfield as a student-athlete for the Bulldogs. He started in seven of his 11 appearances as a junior and started 17 matches as a senior. He finished third in minutes and recorded two assists in his final campaign, in which the Bulldogs secured eight victories.
Giordano played with the South Carolina United Bantams of the PDL between his junior and senior seasons. He was also a key fixture and captain of the Triangle FC U20 teams in the summers of 2010 and 2011, helping them reach nationals in each of their respective seasons. In 2011, he propelled TFC to a fourth-place finish at nationals.
"We are excited to have one of our soccer alumni take the reins of our men's program," Cone said. "Mick's passion for UNC Asheville and our soccer program along with his recent experience as head coach of the very successful Asheville City SC team will serve him well as our new coach.
"Whether as a Bulldog student-athlete or assistant coach, Mick has demonstrated that he is a Champion and Leader on and off the field, and we look forward to having him at the helm."
Prior to being elevated to interim head coach, Giordano spent the past two seasons as an assistant coach for the Bulldogs, while also serving as the team's recruiting coordinator. He helped the Bulldogs double their win total from 2018 to 2019, while increasing their Big South Conference victories by three last season.
The past two seasons served as Giordano's second stint as an assistant coach for Asheville. After playing overseas in Germany during 2014, Giordano returned to his alma mater for his first collegiate coaching stop. The 2015 Bulldogs won seven games and earned a spot in the Big South tournament.
Giordano served as an assistant coach at Wake Forest during the 2016 season in which the Demon Deacons won 19 games, including the ACC Tournament Championship. The Deacons advanced all the way to the national championship game that year.
He spent the 2017 season as the associate head coach at Wofford, aiding the Terriers as they earned a trip to the Southern Conference tournament.
"I'm extremely excited, fortunate and blessed, and I want to say thank you to AD Cone for this opportunity," Giordano said. "I think one of the big things coming into it, as an alum, is getting this group to buy into a hard-working, blue-collar mentality and becoming extremely difficult to play against.
"I look forward to get going with recruiting and day-to-day activities, and working with the boys as we chase a Big South title."
In addition to his work as a collegiate assistant coach, Giordano has also served as the Asheville City SC men's head coach since 2018. In his first two seasons, he led Asheville City to two playoff berths, two playoff victories and an appearance in the conference championship match.
As the team transitioned to the USL League Two, Asheville City president Ryan Kelley signed Giordano to a two-year extension as head coach and also named him sporting director with responsibility for all on-field activities in October of 2019.
Giordano, a 2013 graduate of UNC Asheville, started two seasons in the midfield as a student-athlete for the Bulldogs. He started in seven of his 11 appearances as a junior and started 17 matches as a senior. He finished third in minutes and recorded two assists in his final campaign, in which the Bulldogs secured eight victories.
Giordano played with the South Carolina United Bantams of the PDL between his junior and senior seasons. He was also a key fixture and captain of the Triangle FC U20 teams in the summers of 2010 and 2011, helping them reach nationals in each of their respective seasons. In 2011, he propelled TFC to a fourth-place finish at nationals.
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