Having already achieved a multitude of success in 16 seasons as a collegiate head coach, John Miglarese enters his first season as head coach of the UNCP men’s soccer program in 2015-16 after joining the athletics department in February 2016.
Miglarese joined UNCP after serving three seasons as the head coach at King in Bristol, Tenn. He also has previous head coaching stops at NAIA schools Covenant and John Brown, as well as a stint as the associate head coach at Gardner-Webb. In addition to his college coaching duties, he is currently serving as the head coach of the Premier Development League’s (PDL) Southern West Virginia King’s Warriors.
During Miglarese’s tenure (2013-15), King logged six all-conference selections and a pair of team academic awards from the National Soccer Coaches Association of America (NSCAA). The Tornado tallied a program-best win total during the 2014 campaign, including a 3-2 victory over Carson-Newman who had made an appearance in the national finals 10 months prior, as well as a 1-0 triumph over defending Conference Carolinas regular season co-champion Erskine. His stay in Bristol also included three trips to the conference tournament.
During Miglarese’s four seasons at John Brown in Siloam Springs, Ark., the Golden Eagles amassed a 40-30-6 cumulative record, including a trio of 10-win seasons and a runner-up finish in the Sooner Athletic Conference (SAC). The Golden Eagles rattled off 18 league victories and a quintet of ties during his stay, advancing through to the semifinals of the conference tournament in 2010, before suffering a heartbreaking penalty kick loss in the finals of the 2012 event. Miglarese earned SAC Coach of the Year recognition in 2011 after leading John Brown to its highest league finish in program history while, individually, 12 student-athletes earned all-conference honors under his watch.
Miglarese attained his first head coaching position at Covenant in Lookout Mountain, Ga., where he led the Scots to 38 wins and five ties over four seasons, including a 14-5-1 campaign in 2007 that culminated with conference and region titles, as well as a national ranking and a trip to the NAIA postseason. That incredulous season also earned the skipper his first conference and region coach of the year nods, as well as a nomination for national coach of the year laurels. Ten players earned all-conference recognition during Miglarese’s tenure at Covenant, including one that went on to be named an all-American.
He transitioned into the coaching world as an intern assistant coach with the men’s and women’s programs at Milligan in 2000, and stepped into a graduate assistant role at his alma mater, Georgia Southern, from 2001-03 where he was a part of the Eagles’ run to the Southern Conference tournament semifinals in 2001, as well as an impressive victory over NC State in 2002. Following his time in Statesboro, Ga., he moved on to Gardner-Webb as an associate head coach during the 2003 and 2004 campaigns under current head coach Tony Setzer. The Bulldogs engineered an 8-1/2 game turnaround from the 2002 (0-16-4) season to the 2003 (10-9-0) season to attain the recognition as NCAA Division I’s Most Improved team.
Under Miglarese’s watch, the Southern West Virginia King’s Warriors turned in a second place finish in the PDL’s South Atlantic Division in 2014 – the highest finish for the club in franchise history – and finished third last season. Six players on the roster have gone on to capture collegiate all-America laurels over the last two seasons, while two others have signed professional contracts. Several other players have been offered trials with various United States-based professional clubs.
Miglarese played four seasons at Georgia Southern (1996-99) under coach Kevin Chambers. He played in 47 career games (35 starts) for GSU between the pipes, logging 3,152 minutes of playing time to go along with a 2.40 career goals against average and 161 saves. He helped pace the Eagles to 35 wins and six ties during his collegiate playing career, including a 14-4-2 season in 1997 that culminated with a No. 14 national ranking.
He earned his national diploma from the NSCAA in 2002, and went on to earn his advanced national diploma (distinguished pass) from the association in 2003. He earned his NSCAA premier diploma in 2005 and, at the time, was one of the youngest coaches in the country to be awarded that distinguished certificate.
Miglarese earned both his bachelor’s and master’s degree in sport management from Georgia Southern in 2000 and 2002, respectively. He and his wife, Jessica, have three children – John Marshall, Isabella and Joseph.
