Wells College Hires New Men’s Soccer Coach
Wells College Athletics Director Lyn LaBar is pleased to announce that Michael Paolini is the college’s new men’s soccer coach. In addition to coaching men’s soccer, Paolini will oversee event management of spring sport contests, assist with management of athletic and physical education facilities, and teach a course within the department of physical education.
“I am very excited that Mike will serve as Wells’ first men’s soccer coach,” said LaBar. “As we evaluate how we can best move forward with developing our overall inter-collegiate athletic program, it was crucial for us to secure an individual who has the energy, motivation and drive to begin from scratch our men’s program. As an assistant coach at LeMoyne, Mike was involved extensively with recruiting, coaching and development of the total student-athlete. I am confident that our men’s soccer program and those young men associated with our program will benefit greatly from his leadership.”
Paolini comes to Wells from LeMoyne College in Syracuse, where he was the assistant soccer coach. He helped lead the Dolphins to playoff berths in each of his four seasons. Paolini played four years of soccer at Plattsburgh State, captaining the squad his junior and senior years. He was an All-American, graduating with a bachelor of science in Hotel, Restaurant, and Tourism Management in May of 1999. Since graduation, he has served as the soccer director at the Central New York Family Sports Center in Baldwinsville, New York. He now serves as director of the Junior Salty Dogs Futbol Club, and is owner and director of Pao’s Soccer School of Excellence in Syracuse. Mike has played professionally with the New Hampshire Phantoms.
“It is a real honor to be selected as the first men’s soccer coach at Wells College,” says Mike. “This is a transition period for the college and it is a good one. I am happy to be a part of such a strong institution that really seems to be dedicated to the students.” A four-year starter at Plattsburgh, Paolini was named first team all-SUNYAC, all-region and team Most Valuable Player.
Men’s soccer at Wells will play the 2005-06 season at the club level and will elevate to varsity in 2006-07. Starting out as a club program will allow Paolini time to develop a recruiting base upon which to build before elevating to varsity status in 2006.
“The main goal at first for me is to get the name of the college out to the parents and students in high schools,” says Paolini. He plans to achieve this through intensive recruiting activity. “I did recruiting when I was at LeMoyne College, and with all the national contacts I made playing professionally, I’ve got a broad range of future recruiting possibilities. Many of my days will be spent on the road, using the networks I have established to make sure that potential student athletes know what Wells College can offer them. All I have to do is get recruits to Aurora, and I fully believe they will fall in love with the campus as I did!"