CHARLESTON, W. Va. – Daniel Smee has officially been named the Head Coach of the Golden Eagles men's soccer program, as announced by Dr. Bren Stevens. Smee earns the promotion after spending the three previous seasons as an assistant under head coach, Dan Stratford, who has been selected to lead the West Virginia University Men's Soccer program.
"I am extremely honored to announce Dan Smee as our next head men's soccer coach. Dan is a brilliant soccer technician, and his ability to build remarkable and lasting relationships with our players has been extraordinary.' Said, Dr. Stevens. 'Coach Smee has been a vital contributor to the successes that our program has enjoyed as one of the premier teams in collegiate soccer."
Daniel Smee will be entering his fourth season with the Golden Eagles, this time as head coach. In 2019 the Golden Eagles boasted a 22-2-1 record, earning the Mountain East Conference Regular Season title, the Mountain East Conference Tournament title, the NCAA Super Region 1 Championship, and hoisted the NCAA Division II Men's Soccer National Championship trophy for the second time in three seasons.
"It's not often that a succession plan works as designed," said University of Charleston President Martin Roth. "Dr. Stevens and I are delighted that Coach Smee is poised to lead our championship program. Dan has been a vital part of UC men's soccer recruiting, training, player and leadership development. I am confident he will continue to help our student athletes succeed on the field, in the classroom, and with their careers."
Smee is looking ahead to the spring and continuing his work with the players. "I am thrilled to have been given this position and the opportunity to lead this elite program," said Smee. "I am ready to work to ensure we continue its' unrivaled recent successes. I'd like to thank Dr. Stevens and Dr. Roth, for the opportunity."
During the 2018 season, the Golden Eagles finished the season 18-1-2, with their 29th Conference Championship. In 2017 the Golden Eagles boasted at 21-1-2 record, a MEC regular-season championship, NCAA Atlantic Regional championship, and the 2017 Division II National Championship.
A native of Newcastle, England, Smee played soccer professionally in the Scottish Premier League for Gretna FC from 2006-2008. Following his time there, Smee won a National Championship with Tyne Metropolitan College in the UK before pursuing a collegiate career in the USA, where he would spend three seasons at WVIAC Conference rival, West Virginia Wesleyan. Smee would go on to be a three-year captain, an eight-time representative on the Dean's List, and both an athletic and academic All-American. Furthermore, Smee was named to the All-Conference and All-Region squads in all three seasons that he played.
Following his graduation from West Virginia Wesleyan College, Smee pursued a Masters in Parks and Resource Management at Slippery Rock University. While earning his master's degree, Smee began his coaching career, serving as the Men's Soccer Graduate Assistant for the fall of 2013 and 2014 seasons and serving as the Interim Head Coach for the spring semester in between.
Upon graduation from Slippery Rock, Smee moved to the Charleston area to coach youth soccer. He returned to college coaching that summer, landing a position as the Men's Soccer Assistant Coach at Lees-McRae College for the 2015 season. Following a successful season, Smee chose to move on and volunteered at the University of Charleston in the spring of 2016 before heading back to West Virginia Wesleyan in the fall.
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