Tim McClements Position: Head Coach

Tim McClements enters his second season as head coach of the SMU men's soccer program. McClements was named head coach of the SMU men's soccer program on July 23, 2008, becoming just the third head coach in the history of one of the most successful programs in the nation.

The 2008 season saw McClements guide SMU to a 10-6-2 record in 2008, leading the Mustangs to a ranking as high as No. 2 nationally.

McClements took over a program he has served for seven years during two stints as an assistant coach. Before returning to SMU in 2006, he was head coach at Vanderbilt University for four seasons, earning Missouri Valley Conference Coach of the Year honors in 2005.

"Coach McClements has all of the qualifications we were looking for in a leader for our nationally-ranked men's soccer program," Orsini said. "He has NCAA Division I head coaching experience and has recruited and developed student-athletes that have been successful both on and off the field, with several advancing to the pro ranks. He has helped shape our men's soccer program into the perennial power that it is today and will help us reach our fullest potential both now and in the future."

McClements has an extensive background that includes playing professionally and coaching at the highest levels of college soccer. He also has played for former Indiana head coach Jerry Yeagley and coached under former SMU head coach Schellas Hyndman. McClements was the head coach at Vanderbilt from 2002-06 and was named the 2005 Missouri Valley Conference Coach of the Year. In his first stint at SMU (2000-01), McClements helped guide the Mustangs to an undefeated regular season and a No. 1 NSCAA national ranking for most of the 2001 season. The Missouri Valley Conference regular season and tournament champion, SMU entered the NCAA Tournament as the top seed in the 64-team field and ultimately reached the quarterfinal round. A year earlier that program reached the NCAA College Cup Final Four.

In addition to his tenure at Vanderbilt, McClements also has served as the head coach at Eastern Illinois University and Baker (Kan.) University, and has been instrumental in recruiting top players to each school, including Ugo Ihemelu and Duke Hashimoto to SMU and Joe Germanese to Vanderbilt - each of whom ended up playing professionally in Major League Soccer.

"Tim is a great coach" said Ihemelu, now a defender with Major League Soccer's Colorado Rapids. "He obviously has a lot of soccer knowledge, and he relates to players very well, so he's a great teacher. The thing I remember the most is how hard players play for him. When he coached us, and when he coached against us at Vanderbilt, his teams were very well organized and passionate, and that's exactly how he is."

Prior to SMU, McClements was head coach at Eastern Illinois (1996-99). He was the head men's coach at Baker University (1995-96), where his teams were ranked among the NAIA's Top 20 and went 32-14 overall. He was also the Heart of America Conference Coach of the Year in 1995. In eight seasons as a head coach he has amassed a 84-98-12 record. McClements also has been an assistant on the staffs of Midwestern State University (1992-94) - the program was ranked No. 1 in NAIA - and Northern Illinois in 1991-92.

He played two years in the National Professional Soccer League, in 1989 with the Dayton Dynamo and in 1990 with the Chicago Power. In 1988, he played with New Jersey in the American Professional Soccer League. Before he joined the professional ranks, McClements attended Indiana University for two years. He was red-shirted as a freshman in 1983 when the Hoosiers were national champions and played for the 1984 team, which was NCAA runner-up. He completed his college career (1985-87) at Wheaton College, where he made two appearances in the NCAA Division III tournament.

In addition to all his practical experience, McClements carries a United States Soccer Federation A-License and has received a National Soccer Coaches Association of America Premier Diploma.

McClements and his wife, Karen, have a daughter, Paige, and a son, Ian.