MSU Soccer Staff

John Birkelbach, Assistant Athletic Director/Soccer Coach

John Birkelbach returns “home” to join MSU as the men’s soccer coach and assistant athletic director. The Beckley native grew up playing YMCA soccer and attended Woodrow Wilson High School where he captained the 1997 team that lost 1-0 to Parkersburg in the state title game. Most recently serving as men’s soccer coach at Bluefield College, Birkelbach led the Bluefield, Virginia team to the United States Collegiate Athletic Association national title last season.

Birkelbach attended college at the University of Charleston (WV), where he obtained his undergraduate degree in Hospitality Management. During this time he started for the men's soccer team that was nationally ranked all four years and in 1999, went to the NCAA Division II Final Four in Miami, Florida.

In 2002, Birkelbach was hired as the graduate assistant for the men's soccer team at the University of Charleston and completed a master’s degree in business administration. He also worked as Assistant Director of Coaching for the University Soccer Club in Charleston, training and coaching select soccer teams that developed young players from Under 9s to Under 18s.

In 2003 and 2004, Birkelbach, a defender and midfielder, was a starter for the West Virginia Chaos, an amateur team in the Premier Development League (PDL). The league is designed as a feeder system for professional soccer teams in United Soccer Leagues (USL).

Phone 304.929.1403

Email  jbirkelbach@mountainstate.edu

Anthony Polk, Assistant to the Athletic Director/Assistant Soccer Coach

Isaac Kearns, Assistant Soccer Coach