The Barton Community College Board of Trustees approved at Tuesday's Board meeting in the hiring of Mike Brown to take over as head coach for the men's soccer team.  

Brown comes to Barton after spending the previous four years as an assistant coach at the NPSL, NCAA and NJCAA levels.  Most recently Brown served as a Director of Coaching for Arkansas Rush and the Director of Player Development for the Little Rock Rangers (NPSL). 

Before those positions Brown spent the previous two years at NCAA Division I University of Central Arkansas as an Assistant Coach.  At UCA Brown directed multiple operations including academics, equipment, travel, individual training and was involved daily in the recruiting process.

Beginning his collegiate coaching career at Iowa Western Community College in 2012, Brown served as the program's recruiting coordinator during a time in which the program went 42-1-1 and winning the 2013 NJCAA National Championship with an unblemished 25-0 record. Over Brown's time at Iowa Western, he coached and recruited 34 student-athletes that went on to play at four-year institutions.

Brown currently holds a Premier Diploma and Goalkeeping Level 2 Diploma from the NSCAA. He also holds his USSF D License. He graduated in 2012 from Benedictine College with a Bachelor of Arts in International Business and in 2013 with a Master of Science in Sports Administration.

The position hire replaces Aaron Avila who accepted the head women's soccer position at Newman University earlier this spring.   Concluding the 2015 season as the conference runner-up and No. 17 national ranking at 14-2-1, Brown inherits a signed incoming class of freshman, as well as, a group of talented returners headlined by all-conference and all-region selections Lucas Alves on the front line and goalkeeper Bruce Turner.  The Cougars will also return strength in the middle with all-conference performers Sergio Ribeiro and Grayson Carroll in front of Kota Endo on the back line.