Belmont Abbey College Head Women's Soccer Coach Mike Lynch came to the Abbey in 2011 with a clear mission to graduate leaders of character and compete for championships. Since his arrival fifteen seasons years ago, he has compiled 180 wins, 80 losses and 32 ties (.671 win %), competing in 13 conference tournament Final 4's and 11 conference tournament championship final games, winning 6 conference regular season and tournament championships, and competing in 4 NCAA postseason tournaments. Numerous individuals have received postseason honors including 82 all-conference, 46 all-region, and 5 All-America honors.
The team has also been recognized by the United Soccer Coaches for excellence in academics (13 years in a row) and sportsmanship/ethics (12 years in a row). For the 2018-19 academic year, United Soccer Coaches bestowed the prestigious Pinnacle Award (one of only 22 college programs in the country), recognizing top performance in academics, sportsmanship/ethics and winning percentage match performance. Conference Carolinas, too, recognized the program's commitment to sportsmanship and fair play with 6 Conference Carolinas Women's Soccer Messick Sportsmanship Awards.
Lynch played college soccer at the United States Air Force Academy, earning all-league and all-region accolades and served as Team Captain his senior year. After graduation, he competed for the active duty USAF Soccer Team in 1984 and 1985, and was selected to the United States Armed Forces Team in 1984. He earned the US Soccer Federation National “A” Coaching license in 1992 and the NSCAA “Premier” Diploma and US Soccer Federation National “Youth” Coaching licenses in 2010. Lynch has been heavily involved in youth soccer since 1985, coaching Olympic Development Program (ODP) and select club soccer teams in Ohio, Colorado, Missouri, Nebraska, and North Carolina. In 2025, Lynch was inducted into his Fairborn High School Athletics Hall of Fame.
Prior to coming to the Abbey, Lynch also held head coaching stints at Nebraska Wesleyan University (NCAA DIII) and Truman State University (NCAA DII), and as an assistant coach at the United States Air Force Academy (NCAA DI). Lynch earned a Master of Science degree from Central Michigan University. In addition to the college coaching profession, Lynch served as an officer in the United States Air Force and also worked as a pharmaceutical sales manager for Pfizer, Inc. In 2009, Lynch founded WINning Coaching LLC, a company specializing in developing leadership, performance and virtue in business and sport.
In 2017, Lynch was appointed as the United Soccer Coaches D2 Women’s College representative and the United Soccer Coaches Chair of the Faith-Based Coaches membership group. In 2023, Lynch was elected to the United Soccer Coaches Board of Directors serving for two years. Lynch served three terms on the NCAA Regional Advisory Council and in 2026, appointed to the NCAA D2 Soccer National Committee. He has authored numerous articles and participated on podcasts for United Soccer Coaches Soccer on next level tactical training sessions, data analytics, heading safely, the negatives of tactical fouling, coaching education, coaching profession, and sport properly directed (coaching body, mind and soul and the relentless pursuit of sportsmanship and ethics).
Growing up a military “brat,” Lynch lived all over the United States. He followed his father’s footsteps into the Air Force, marking his family’s six straight generations of military service dating back to the US Civil War. Lynch is married and has three children. Lynch, an avid runner until undergoing bilateral hip resurfacing surgeries in 2009, has completed several marathons, including the Boston Marathon in 2004.
Updated 3/26/2026
