Chris Swift Hired as Head Men's Soccer Coach
Published: April 13, 2021
GREENVILLE, Ill. -- Greenville College has announced the hiring of its next head men's soccer coach. Following the April resignation of Bobby McColl, Chris Swift, a native of southern California, will assume the reigns of Greenville's three-time NCAA national tournament participant men's soccer program. Swift will also serve as GC's assistant women's soccer coach.
Coming fresh from a stint as an assistant women's soccer coach at two NCAA Division I institutions (Eastern Kentucky and Lamar University), Swift brings 11 years of coaching experience -- five at the collegiate level and six in high schools.
A 2006 graduate of Vanguard University in California, Swift holds four coaching certifications -- USSF "C" License, NSCAA National Diploma, USSF National Youth License, and NSCAA Regional Goalkeeping Diploma.
Swift joined the Eastern Kentucky Colonels after spending three seasons as an assistant coach at Lamar University in Beaumont, Texas. In his first year at Eastern Kentucky, the team finished 10-7-3, posting the first winning record in program history, and setting school records for overall wins, conference victories (six), goals, assists, points and shots. The Colonels went undefeated at home for the first time in program history, posting a home record of 8-0-1. The 2012 team also earned a fifth consecutive berth in the OVC Tournament, the longest active postseason streak in the conference.
Lamar improved all three years that Swift was a member of the coaching staff, culminating in 2011, when the Lady Cardinals enjoyed the most successful season in the five-year history of the program, setting school records for victories (eight) and conference victories (six) while earning the No. 3 seed in the Southland Conference Tournament. Six Lady Cardinals earned all-conference honors following the breakout season.
Swift used his connections in California to recruit several key members of Lamar's record-breaking 2011 team, including two all-conference selections.
Swift was also instrumental in Lamar's high academic standards while he was there, resulting in two Lady Cardinals being named second team Capital One Academic All-District in 2011.
Aside from recruiting and academics, Swift was also in charge of training, video breakdown, camps and community service while at Lamar.
Before arriving at Lamar, Swift was an assistant coach/goalkeepers coach at his alma mater, Vanguard University in Costa Mesa, Calif., from 2008-09. Swift played goalkeeper at Vanguard from 2002-06 and recorded 138 saves and four shutouts during his career. He earned his bachelor's degree in history and political science.
Swift also possesses several years of club coaching experience, serving as an assistant coach for the Slammers Football Club from 2004-06, the United Futbol Club from 2006-09 and as the goalkeepers coach for the Los Angeles Legends Football Club in 2009.
