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Interim no more: FLC makes Kennedy its coach
Fort Lewis College men’s soccer coach Oige Kennedy led the Skyhawks to the Division II championship in his first year in charge. (photo by George Tanner/ColoradoSoccerNow.com)
Fort Lewis College President Brad Bartel and Athletic Director Kelly Higgins have removed the word interim from Oige Kennedy’s title, making him the official coach of the men’s soccer team, the school has announced.
The move was made at the most recent meeting of the vice president’s council and was based on a recommendation by Higgins.
“As I stated when he was hired as interim, he now has a chance to earn the position, and his performance this past fall had already clearly shown his abilities to me and Dr. Bartel, the men on the soccer team and our FLC soccer supporters,” Higgins said. “Now he’s shown the rest of the NCAA, and I expect he’ll continue to do so.”
Kennedy received word prior to the Division II championship game that the interim title would be removed. On December 5, Kennedy became the first coach in NCAA soccer history on any level to win a national championship in his first season as a head coach. The Skyhawks defeated Lees-McRae College 1-0 on December 5 at Pepin Stadium in Tampa, Florida, to collect their second national title in five years.
Kennedy was an assistant coach for Fort Lewis for the past four years and was offered the interim coaching position after Tim Hankinson left before the season to coach professionally in India.
Kennedy led the Skyhawks to a 24-1 record.
“I’m very honored to be a part of this winning program and to follow in the footsteps of coaches such as Gunn, Fishbein and Hankinson. To be only the fourth coach in Fort Lewis men’s soccer history is very exciting for me, and I’m really looking forward to the future of Skyhawk soccer, “ Kennedy said.
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