FAIRMONT, W. Va. - The University of Charleston men’s soccer coach Daniel Smee has been named the 2025-26 Mountain East Conference Men’s Sports Coach of the Year, the league office announced Tuesday afternoon.

Smee, a six-time MEC Coach of the Year, led Charleston to its sixth straight NCAA Sweet Sixteen as the program finished with a record of 17-1-4.

Charleston was ranked No. 1 by the United Soccer Coaches during weeks nine and ten of the 2025 season.

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).

Under Smee’s direction, Charleston captured the MEC regular season and championship titles. UC swept the MEC Men's Soccer awards with senior Sam Newell named as the MEC Offensive Player of the Year, senior Franco Tradatti as the MEC Defensive Player of the Year, newcomer Martin Echarren as the MEC Freshman of the Year and Smee as the MEC Coach of the Year. In all, eleven Golden Eagles earned All-MEC honors.

Charleston boasted four All-Americans in senior Kostantinos Parisis, sophomore Joao Silva, Newell and Tradatti.  Additionally, the Golden Eagles were honored as the Atlantic Region Staff of the Year by the United Soccer Coaches.

The MEC Men’s Coach of the Year is selected 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)
2025-26: Daniel Smee (Soccer, Charleston)