Men's Soccer News

Hudson named head men's soccer coach at Austin College

Following five years as the top assistant men’s soccer coach at his alma mater, Mark Hudson will leave Centre College to take the head men’s coaching position at Austin College, a Division III, Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference (SCAC) member, located in Sherman, Texas.

As an assistant coach at Centre, Hudson helped lead the Colonels to 60-21-8 overall record (71.9%) including 26 wins in the SCAC. He was also instrumental in helping several players earn conference and regional recognition during his tenure.

Hudson has coached at the club level in both Colorado and Kentucky and most recently was the head coach of the Lexington Football Club U-16 Premier team. Following graduation, the Danville native spent a year as an assistant coach at Washington & Lee University, where he helped guide the Generals to a 12-win season and a regular season conference championship.

A 1999 graduate of Centre, Hudson was a standout player for the Colonels during his playing career. He was a four-year letter-winner for Centre and was also a captain on the school’s first two NCAA Tournament appearances in 1997 and 1998.

Centre head coach Jeb Burch, a 1994 Centre graduate, has relied on Hudson over the past five years and said he will be missed not only by the men’s soccer program, but also by the Centre community.

“We are all very proud of Mark. His development and growth is not only a reflection of our program and myself, but also of our athletic director, Brian Chafin. There are a significant number of players under Brian who have gone into coaching and have been successful. I expect Mark to be no different,” Burch said.

“I feel this decision only reinforces what is being done at Centre College. Our continued success in men’s soccer has allowed Mark to become a worthy candidate and coach for Austin College,“ Burch added.

Chafin, who served as the head men’s soccer coach at Centre from 1989-2001, recruited and coached Hudson during his four years and also had nothing but praise for his former player and colleague.

“Mark has done an excellent job over the past five years and will be deeply missed. I am pleased that Mark has been given the opportunity to run his own program and feel he will do an excellent job for Austin College. I feel a real closeness to Mark since he is from Danville, played for me, and worked for us as a colleague. I want to join in wishing him the best as he begins a new phase of his career as a head coach,” Chafin said.

This past fall, Austin completed its first fall season in the SCAC, finishing the 2006 season with a 9-9 overall record and a 5-4 mark in the SCAC. Centre defeated Austin back on November 3, 3-2 in Danville, Ky. Hudson will not have to wait long to return to Danville. Austin will play Centre Sunday, October 28, 2007 at 2 p.m. in Danville, Ky.