BRIDGEPORT, W.Va. – University of Charleston men’s soccer coach Daniel Smee has been named the Mountain East Conference Men’s Sports Coach of the Year, the league office announced Tuesday afternoon.
 
Smee, a four-time MEC Coach of the Year, guided UC to the NCAA Division II Men’s College Cup and an appearance in the national championship game. The Golden Eagles defeated Colorado State University Pueblo, 3-2, in the semifinals before falling by the same score to Lynn University in the title game to finish as the D-II national runners-up.
 
Smee is the third UC men’s soccer coach to receive the honor, following Chris Grassie in 2014-15 and Dan Stratford, who won twice (2017-18 and 2019-20).
 
Charleston finished 22-2-1 on the season, including 13-1 in MEC play and 14-0 at home. Under Smee’s direction, UC captured the MEC regular season title, tournament championship, and Super Region I title. The Golden Eagles defeated Concord in the MEC championship and beat Concord and Franklin Pierce to advance to the College Cup at the Mecklenburg County Sportsplex in Matthews, North Carolina, in December.
 
Smee has won three consecutive MEC Men’s Soccer Coach of the Year honors, but this is his first time being named the MEC Men’s Sports Coach of the Year. Each men’s sport Coach of the Year honoree is automatically considered for the overall award, which is determined by a vote of institutional administrators and the conference office. 

MEC Men's Sports Coach of the Year Winners
2014-15: Chris Grassie (Soccer, Charleston)
2015-16: Monte Cater (Football, Shepherd)
2016-17: Jerrod Calhoun (Basketball, Fairmont State)
2017-18: Dan Stratford (Soccer, Charleston)
2018-19: Mike Jacobs (Football, Notre Dame)
2019-20: Dan Stratford (Soccer, Charleston)
2020-21: Danny Irwin (Wrestling, West Liberty)
2021-22: Danny Irwin (Wrestling, West Liberty)
2022-23: Ben Howlett (Basketball, West Liberty)
2023-24: Dwaine Osborne (Basketball, Charleston)
2024-25: Daniel Smee (Soccer, Charleston)