MONROE, La. – ULM Director of Athletics Scott McDonald has announced the hiring of Sean Fraser as head soccer coach. Fraser's hiring is pending approval by the Board of Supervisors for the University of Louisiana System.
"We had a tremendous number of applicants for our soccer head coaching position," McDonald said. "Sean quickly separated himself from the other applicants in his preparation, presentation and coaching experience. His expectation of winning championships match our expectation for this program."
Fraser, a native of Durham, England, spent the last three seasons as the head women's soccer coach at Lincoln Memorial University in Harrogate, Tennessee. Fraser elevated the Lady Railsplitter program over his three seasons, winning seven games in his first season in 2017 before finishing 14-5-2 in 2018 and 17-5 in 2019, advancing to the NCAA Tournament in each of his last two seasons.
"There's so much potential here," Fraser said. "We have winnable resources and a fantastic new facility. I just felt that whenever I came here and spoke to (Executive Associate Director of Athletics) Todd Dooley, we connected and had a good chat about where the program has been, what it's done, but also what they want to do. I just felt like it was a really good fit for the next phase of my career."
Fraser said several people helped him earn the opportunity at ULM.
"I would like to recognize Matthew Green, the athletic director Lincoln Memorial, because he hired me and gave me my first head coaching opportunity in the NCAA," Fraser said. "Before that, Chris Grassie, who was the head coach at the University of Charleston, he gave me an opportunity in the NCAA as an assistant coach. I'd also like to thank Todd Dooley and Scott McDonald for being so hospitable, welcoming and really honest and up front about what this opportunity is. I'd also like to say thanks to the players that I've had at LMU the last couple of years. They've been fantastic."
In 2019, Fraser led the Lady Railsplitters to their second consecutive South Atlantic Conference tournament championship. LMU finished the regular season tied for fifth in the SAC, but knocked off fourth-seed Catawba, regular season SAC champion Lenoir-Rhyne and second-seed Wingate to claim the title and advance to a second-consecutive NCAA Tournament. The Lady Railsplitters then topped UNC Pembroke in the NCAA Division II Southeast Regional quarterfinals before having their eight-game winning streak end in the semifinals against Flagler. Jessica Cravero, Maria Hernandez and Ermelinda Pantaleao were named First Team All-SAC, while Thenia Zervas was named Honorable Mention All-SAC. Cravero, Zervas and Pantaleao were also named to D2CCA All-Region teams.
In 2018, Fraser was named SAC Coach of the Year as LMU finished 14-5-2 with an appearance in the Division II Sweet 16. The Railsplitters finished 7-3 in the SAC regular season before winning the conference tournament to advance to the NCAA Tournament. The team finished the season ranked No. 18 in the United Soccer Coaches DII poll. Mariana Diaz, Itzel Ballesteros, Alyssa Berry and Cravero were named First Team All-SAC, while Febienne Loetscher and Hernandez were named to the second team. Cravero, Ballesteros and Berry were also named to the CCA All-Southeast Region team.
"Anyone who watches my LMU team the last two years, there's a lot of tactical flexibility in the system that we play," Fraser said. "You can compete with any team in any style because it has so much tactical flexibility. If we need to sit in the low block, we can sit in the low block and be patient. If we need to press high, we can press high out of possession. If we need to be a possession team, if we need to be a counter-attacking team, we can do that. The key thing isn't the system. The key thing is finding the right players to fit the system."
In the classroom, Fraser's 2019 team placed 19 student-athletes on the South Atlantic Conference Honor Roll, with the team posting a 3.38 grade point average.
Prior to arriving at LMU, Fraser spent one season as an assistant coach at the University of Charleston in Charleston, West Virginia. Fraser helped the Golden Eagles to a 19-3-2 record and an appearance in the NCAA Division II National Championship game.
Fraser has a wealth of international coaching experience, serving as a phase coach for the Middlesbrough FC Centre of Excellence in Middlesbrough, England. He served as the head coach of the women's U17 team and head coach of the Regional Development Center for male players. During his time coaching in England, he coached Lucy Bronze and Demi Stokes, who went on to participate in the 2019 Women's World Cup for England.
Fraser started his collegiate coaching career at Midland University in Fremont, Nebraska, where he was head coach from 2011-15. In his four seasons, he posted a 53-25-6 record with the Warriors, including an 18-2-2 mark in 2013.
Fraser played collegiately at Bethel University where he earned his bachelor of science degree in physical education in 2008 and added his master's degree in education in 2011 while serving as a graduate assistant coach. He has added a master's in business administration from Southwestern College and a master of science in leadership from the University of Charleston.
Fraser also coached at the Sunderland AFC in England from 2005-07, was Director of Coaching at the Paris Soccer Club in Paris, Tennessee, from 2008-11 and is licensed by UEFA (A, B and C License), NSCAA Goalkeeping Diploma, NSCAA Director of Coaching Diploma, NSCAA Premier Diploma, FA Youth Module (1, 2 and 3) and FA Futsal Level 1.
Fraser and his wife, Taylor, have a daughter, Daisy Jo.
