Mississippi State University

P.O. Box 6334 Mississippi State, MS 39762

Division 1 Mississippi Southeast

Public Large National competitor

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Coaches

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James Armstrong

James Armstrong was hired as the sixth head coach of the Bulldog soccer program on Jan. 18, 2019 after serving as an assistant and associate head coach at Auburn University for six seasons.

The 2022 soccer season was the most successful in Mississippi State University history. Coach James Armstrong was not only able to lead the Bulldogs to their first SEC toournament win, but their first NCAA tournament win, as well.

Multiple members of the team set season records in school history. Maddy Anderson recorded a school-record 9 shutouts and 0.64 GAA (Goals Against Average). Gwen Mummert set a program record with most field minutes recorded in a season (1,996).

The Bulldogs finished 12-6-4.

In 2021, the Bulldogs were able to tough out a few wins in Coach Armstrong's third season. The last game of the season, a win over #16 Ole Miss, brought the Dawgs their first win over a ranked opponent since 2018.

In Armstrong's third season, the team was able to share the goal distribution like never before. Five players were tied for the team high with most goals on the season (Onyi Echegini, Hailey Farrington-Bentil, Alyssa D'Aloise, Monigo Karnley, and Andrea Tyrell).

The Bulldogs finished 6th in the SEC West in 2021.

The 2020 fall season brought success for the Bulldogs amidst its challenges because of COVID-19. The Bulldogs finished its eight-game, conference-only regular season at 2-3-3 and reached the SEC Tournament for the second year in a row, the first time that has happened in school history. Armstrong and company captured the first Magnolia Cup against Ole Miss since 2012 and first win in Oxford since 2001, defeating the Rebels, 1-0. His squad found success with his first-years, including five of them in his starting lineups in five-straight contests and six matches overall. It was the first time since 2015 that at least five freshmen were starters in a match. Through seven matches, the Bulldogs tied the highest point total in school history with nine total points, and started the season undefeated through four games after a pair of draws and a pair of wins. The Dawgs had never started the Conference slate undefeated through four games prior to the season. Along with the trend of firsts, State had its first home win against LSU with a 2-1 finish, and it was the first win on campus by any Bulldog team since March 8 of 2020, a total 217 days. Goalkeeper Maddy Anderson named to the SEC All-Freshman Team as well as her earning a Defensive Player of the Week accolade in September. Monigo Karnley tied the MSU career record for game-winning goals in SEC matches with four.

In the spring portion of the season, the Bulldogs updated their record to 6-4-3, posting four-straight wins and three-straight shutouts, allowing just one goal overall. Onyi Echegini had a two-goal game against Louisiana, Karnley had a four-point game against Columbus State with a goal and two assists, and two Bulldogs in Marcella Cash and Hannah Telleysh scored their first career goals. Karnley also earned an SEC Player of the Week selection for the match with CSU. All players who suited up for the four spring matches saw playing time. Armstrong's team also had a record-number of players named to the SEC's Fall Academic Honor Roll with 23.

In his first year leading the Bulldogs, MSU ended a 15-year SEC Tournament drought, as Armstrong became just the second active SEC head coach to reach the conference tournament in his first year leading any program. State qualified with the third-highest SEC winning percentage in program history and its most points in the standings (12) since 2004 (16). The Bulldogs picked up points in 60 percent of their league matches, an all-time high. State finished the season at 8-8-3 overall.

MSU won more road games in conference play that season than they had in the previous three years combined, going 3-4-3 in the Southeastern Conference. It was the first time since 2015 that MSU won multiple SEC games outside of Starkville. State closed the regular-season on a three-match unbeaten streak in conference play, which is tied for the longest in school history.

Known for his teams’ offensive success, Armstrong posted school records for goals, assists and points in SEC play in his first season. Sixteen players recorded a point, the most since 2008 when 20 players did so.

The Bulldogs reeled in their fourth first team All-SEC selection in school history when MaKayla Waldner earned the honor as a midfielder. Waldner was also named the SEC Co-Scholar-Athlete of the Year and earned a spot on the league’s Community Service Team.

A renowned recruiter, Armstrong secured an impressive 2020 class following his first full season. Two state players of the year and two high school All-Americans will join the Bulldogs for his second season, and four of his eight fall signees were ranked according to TopDrawerSoccer.com.

While at Auburn, Armstrong oversaw some of the most productive offensive seasons in program history while working with the Tigers’ forwards and midfielders and serving as recruiting coordinator. In six years, Auburn totaled 215 goals. The Tigers’ 121 goals in Armstrong’s final three years were the most in a three-year stretch since 2000-02. Before his arrival, Auburn finished 181st in scoring in Division I, but climbed as high as 20th in 2016 and 31st in 2018.

Armstrong helped produce four of the top eight single-season assist totals and two of the top seven single-season goal and point totals in program history. He coached six attacking players to eight All-SEC honor and four SEC All-Freshman selections. Additionally, three Auburn players earned All-American honors while he was with the program.

In his six seasons on The Plains, Auburn made the NCAA Tournament in five straight years, advanced to the second round four times, made two trips to the Sweet 16 and finished in the Elite Eight in 2016. The Tigers made the SEC Tournament every season.

Armstrong has also worked with the U.S. Olympic Development Program since 2011. He served as an assistant coach for Region III for four years, making trips to Germany, Italy and Costa Rica for international competition, before taking over as the head coach for the Region III team in 2015. He has since stamped Argentina and England into his passport.

His first coaching job came with Lonestar SC in Austin, Texas, where he helped establish the club in 2004. Armstrong advanced through its coaching ranks before becoming Lonestar’s ECNL Head Coach and Premier League Girls Director of Coaching. Under his leadership, the club placed more than 200 players in collegiate programs and was named one of the top 20 women’s clubs in the country.

Before he began coaching, Armstrong worked as an equipment manager for the U.S. Soccer Federation. He joined the U-19 Women’s National Team as they won the inaugural FIFA U-19 Women’s World Cup in 2002. The next season he worked with the senior national team that placed third in the Women’s World Cup hosted on home soil.

A native of Yorkshire, England, Armstrong earned his bachelor’s degree in history and politics from the University of Edinburgh in 2000 and a master’s in the same fields in 2001. He attended North Carolina for one year as part of the school’s study abroad program. He holds a USSF A License and a National Youth License.

Armstrong is joined in Starkville by his wife, Casey, and their daughter, Olivia.

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Nick Zimmerman

Nick Zimmerman joined the Bulldog soccer program on Jan. 23, 2019 after serving as an assistant coach at Columbus State University from 2015-18.

Zimmerman works primarily with the Bulldogs’ forwards and midfielders.

In 2022, Zimmerman's offense came alive. The Bulldogs attempted 282 shots and 123 shots on goal, both enough for 9th most in school history. Their 28 goals also crached the top 10 in school history. This was the first season the Bulldogs outscored their opponents by 5+ goals since 2018.

His third season with Mississippi State saw the Bulldogs' offense become a little more aggressive than the year prior, with 194 shot attempts. Of those 194, 88 shots were on goal.

The 2020 season, his second with the Bulldogs, was unusual as the program navigated playing during a global pandemic, but the team proved strong. At the finish of the 13-game season, the Dawgs front line out-scored their opponents, producing 1.38 goals per game and out-shot them with 12 shots per game. The spring portion of the season was especially successful, with 11 different players recording an assist on 11 goals in four matches. There were seven different goal scorers in the spring.

In his first season in Starkville, State set program records for goals, assists and points in conference play. The Bulldogs finished SEC play averaging 15.1 shots per game, which ranked fourth in the league.

His technical instruction paid off immediately for State’s younger forwards. Nine Bulldogs scored at least once in 2019, including six first-time scorers. Sixteen players recorded a point, which was the most since 20 players did so in 2008. Monigo Karnley and Hailey Farrington-Bentil became the first pair of Bulldogs to score multiple goals after not scoring any in the previous season since 2010.

During his tenure at Columbus State, Zimmerman helped build a top-three scoring offense in the nation. The Lady Cougars set a program record of 96 goals and led the nation with 4.0 goals per game in 2016. The following year, they improved to 4.05 goals per game.

His first season at CSU saw the Lady Cougars win a Peach Belt Conference regular season and tournament championship on their way to a NCAA Division II national championship appearance. The following year, CSU again won the Peach Belt championship and were national semi-finalists.

Most recently, the Lady Cougars won their fifth-straight PBC regular season championship, as well as a tournament championship. CSU went on to be Southeast Regional Champions, and the CSU coaching staff was named the Southeast Regional Staff of the Year.

Zimmerman helped coach 31 Peach Belt All-Conference award winners and 23 DII All-Region winners. Ten Lady Cougars earned DII All-American Awards and six won DII Scholar All-American Awards. Two players went on to win the Elite 90 Award given to the student-athlete with the highest GPA at each NCAA finals site. Most recently, he coached the Freshman of the Year in the Peach Belt Conference.

Zimmerman’s coaching experience is extensive, as he has assisted Region II, US Soccer NTC, and ID2 US Club Soccer. He has served on staff at elite camps at the University of Virginia and Florida State University. He was also the Georgia Girls’ Olympic Development Program (ODP) 2000 Team’s head coach.

As well as a serving as a coaching course instructor for the U.S. Soccer Federation, Zimmerman held a spot on the United Soccer Coaches NCAA Ranking and Awards Board. He currently holds a USSF “B” License.

Prior to his coaching career, Zimmerman was a four-year starter for James Madison University, where he earned All-Colonial Athletic Association (CAA) rookie team recognition, two All-CAA selections, and one All-Region honor.

After graduating with a Bachelor of Science in kinesiology and sports management, he was drafted by the New York Red Bulls in the third round of the 2009 MLS SuperDraft. He was then selected by the Philadelphia Union in the 2009 MLS Expansion Draft.

Zimmerman also played with Carolina Railhawks FC in the North American Soccer League (NASL), where he was named to the NASL Best XI 2012 and finished second in the league’s Golden Boot race with 12 goals. He most recently signed with the Wilmington Hammerheads of the United Soccer League in 2015.

The Tampa, Florida, native also played on the U.S. U-15 National Team in 2001.

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Brian Dunleavy

Brian Dunleavy was hired as an assistant coach on July 16, 2019, after spending six seasons as the head coach at Georgia Southern.

Dunleavy works primarily with State's defenders. In 2022, Dunleavy's defense finished with the most shutouts in a season (10) in school history. The defense also only allowed 9.7 shots per game this season. The 2022 season also marked the program record in Goals Against Average in SEC play, finishing the year with a 0.95 GAA. Through the first 13 games of the season, the Bulldogs' defense was the No. 1 ranked defense in the country. Center Back Gwen Mummert signed a professional contract in Iceland's Premier League for Tindastoll FC.

In 2021, the defense recorded four shutouts throughout the season, including one in conference play. Dunleavy's defense helped hold opponents to fewer shot attempts and fewer shots on goal than Mississippi State throughout the season. The solid defensive efforts helped the Bulldogs post an impressive 1.19 goals against average despite a rigorous non-conference and SEC schedule.

Throughout the 2020-21 Covid season, the defense finished their 13-game schedule, allowing just 10.6 shots per game and only 62 shots on goal. The back line held strong throughout the season, but particularly in the spring when only one goal was allowed over four matches, with three-straight shutouts.

In his first season, MSU allowed just 12.5 shots per game, which ranks fourth in program history. The Bulldogs allowed fewer than 13.0 shots per game in three straight seasons, including four of the last five years.

His defenders posted 12 points in 2019, including two players who scored their first career goals.

In addition to organizing and preparing detailed scouting reports for upcoming opponents, Dunleavy also assists in helping create the non-conference schedule. In 2022 he helped Mississippi State reach its second NCAA tournament while finishing the season with an RPI of 33.

Dunleavy also serves as the liaison to MSU's academic support staff. During his time in this role, the program has earned the highest GPA in team history. During the 2021-22 academic year, the program earned the best GPA for all women's programs in the MSU athletic department.

During his tenure at Georgia Southern, the Eagles won 41 matches, making him the second-winningest head coach in program history. Dunleavy led the Eagles to the Sun Belt Conference semifinals in 2014 and 2017 and was an assistant when GSU won the Southern Conference tournament in 2012.

His 2014 squad posted the program's best record and highest conference finish since 2002, going 11-6-2 and finishing third. That season, Dunleavy also guided the Eagles to their highest standing in the final RPI while two players earned first-team all-conference honors and one made the league's second team.

As a head coach, Dunleavy oversaw teams that earned five all-conference selections and four NCSAA/United Soccer Coaches Team Academic Awards. Before being promoted in 2013, he spent two seasons as an assistant for the Eagles.

In that time, the Eagles made their first conference tournament appearance since 2007, won their first conference title, made their first NCAA Tournament appearance and posted their first winning season since 2002. While serving as an assistant, Dunleavy also worked as a staff coach with the Georgia Olympic Development Program and Southeast Region ODP.

Dunleavy spent two years coaching at Division II Saint Leo University in Dade City, Florida, where he worked with the men's soccer program. Dunleavy was responsible for opponent scouting and the team's conditioning program. While at Saint Leo, the Lions posted a 15-15 overall record.

Before his time with Saint Leo, Dunleavy was the head men's soccer coach at the College of Mount Saint Vincent, an NCAA Division III institution in the Bronx, New York, where he spent a year directing the Dolphins.

Dunleavy enjoyed a four-year playing career at Hofstra University (1999-02). Following his playing career, he joined the staff at his alma mater as an assistant coach in 2003. He helped the program win back-to-back Colonial Athletic Association Championships, which garnered NCAA Tournament appearances in 2004 and 2005.

He holds an NSCAA National Coaching Diploma and graduated with his Bachelor of Arts in English and American Literature from Hofstra University.

A native of Levittown, New York, Dunleavy is joined in Starkville by his wife Janine, their sons Owen and Cole, and daughter Mara.