UNCW’s Paul Cairney named mid-atlantic coach of the year for women’s soccer

WILMINGTON, NC (UNCW) — After guiding the UNCW women’s soccer team to a record-setting season, Head Coach Paul Cairney has been named as the Mid-Atlantic Region Coach-of-the-Year by the National Soccer Coaches Association of America (NSCAA).

The eight Regional Coach-of-the-Year selections advance to the ballot for the National Coach-of-the-Year award, which will be announced on Wednesday, Dec. 16, during the NSCAA Coach-of-the-Year Show.

“I want to thank our assistant coaches – Megan Novak, Matt Glaeser and Steve Elliott – for their work during the off-season and throughout the season,” Cairney said. “Megan, Steve and Matt all played an integral role in our success and I share this award with them. Moreover, strength coach Adolfo Rivera and athletic trainer Stacy Downar also played important roles in keeping our team strong, healthy and ready to play.

“We are only as good as the players we have and this honor is about our team,” Cairney added. “While it is gratifying to be recognized by my peers, this award is for our team and what they accomplished this year.”

In his 20th season as head coach at his alma mater, Cairney piloted the Seahawks to a school-record 15 wins and a third-place finish in the Colonial Athletic Association standings. The Seahawks, who ended the year with a 15-7-1 record, led the CAA in goals (50), assists (41) and points (141) and ranked second in the league with 10 shutouts.

The three-time CAA Coach-of-the-Year led the Seahawks to the program’s first at-large to the NCAA Women’s Soccer Championship and their first postseason win with a 2-0 upset at No. 16 South Carolina.

Cairney, a 1993 UNCW graduate, has coached his teams to a 196-177-22 record in 20 years, including a winning record in 9 of the last 14 seasons.