Valparaiso University Men's Soccer Camps

Head Coach Mike Avery

Mike Avery will enter his second season at the helm of the Valparaiso men’s soccer program in 2008 after starting a turnaround in the program in 2007.

In his first season on the Crusader bench, Avery brought in 22 newcomers on his 32-man roster for the 2007 campaign. Valpo proceeded to enjoy one of the finest defensive seasons in school history, as goalkeeper Ryan Schwarz set a program record for single-season goals against average, and the team allowed just 28 goals, the third-fewest in a single campaign in program history.

Avery arrived at Valpo from the University of Louisville, where he was the top assistant under head coach Ken Lolla in 2006. While with the Cardinals, he helped the program to its first Big East Conference Tournament berth. He also served as the program's recruiting coordinator.

Before heading to Louisville, Avery was an assistant for six seasons at the University of Notre Dame, where the Fighting Irish won a pair of Big East titles in 2003 and 2004. Notre Dame made five straight NCAA Tournament appearances, including two trips to the Sweet 16. Avery helped recruit and coach 11 All-America selections, four M.A. C. Hermann Trophy semifinalists, and the 2006 NCAA Division I Hermann Award winner, Joe Lapira.

Prior to his stint at Notre Dame, Avery spent three seasons as the director of soccer at Cal State University, San Bernardino. While there, he served as the head coach of both the men's and women's varsity teams. In his three years as men's coach, Avery led the Coyotes through a successful rebuilding campaign.

Avery began his head coaching career at Bethel College [Ind.], where he guided the program for three seasons. He led the men's team through a rebuilding process, finishing with a 43-20-6 record, including an 18-4-2 mark in 1996. He was named the Mid Central Conference Coach of the Year and NCCAA Regional Coach of the Year in both 1995 and 1996, and in his final season with the Pilots, 1996, he led the men to a #1 national ranking in the NCCAA poll as well as a #11 ranking in the NAIA poll, both firsts for the program. In addition, he guided the women’s squad in 1996, its inaugural season.

Avery played at Westmont College in Santa Barbara, Calif. from 1986-1989 where he was a two-time honorable mention All-American and four-time All-Conference and All-Far West selection while helping lead the Warriors to three NAIA national tournament appearances. He received his degree in physical education in 1990 from Westmont and went on to play professionally both in the United States and abroad, enjoying stints with Real Santa Barbara, Askims IK (Sweden), and serving as a player-coach with the Indiana Invaders. Avery received his master's degree in kinesiology from Midwestern State in 1994.

Avery and his wife, Carin, currently reside in Valparaiso. They have one son, Alex Roddy, born in 2003.