Alex Schmidt

Alex Schmidt enters his first season on the Highlanders' men’s soccer staff.

Schmidt spent the previous four years at the helm of the Alliance University (formerly Nyack College) men's soccer program, a NCAA Division II program in New York City. During the 2019-20 season, the men's soccer program took its first steps as part of a rebuilding process with nine new faces finishing the season with a 2-14-2 overall record. "Year one was always going to be a transition year to lay a foundation for the years to come. There have been a lot of improvements on the field and in the classroom during a difficult season, but the guys never gave up and realized that this is all part of the bigger picture” Schmidt said.

AU finished the spring of 2021 regular season 4-1, earning them a first-round home playoff game, as well as the first-ever national ranking by the United Soccer Coaches (No. 24) after a 3-0 start into the season. AU had three players named to the Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference (CACC) All-Conference team in Javier Fernandez, Mitchell Reed, and Max Meurer. Meurer was also named the CACC Goalkeeper of the Year.

Schmidt was named the CACC Coach of the Year as Alliance finished the 2021 season with a 9-9-1 record with a sixth-place finish in CACC play at 6-4-1. The Warriors earned three spots on the All-CACC postseason team before going 6-8-6 in 2022 and advancing to the conference final for the first time since 2011.

Off the pitch, 24 players were named to the CACC All-Academic team during Schmidt's tenure at AU. The 2021 team also won the CACC Team Academic Award, as well as the United Soccer Coaches Team Academic Award in 2021-22.

A four-year starter on the Warriors' soccer team, Schmidt was part of the 2011 CACC Championship season, as well as the program's historic NCAA Division II Regional Tournament berth. He holds a USSF C-License. Schmidt and his wife Larreya reside in Yorba Linda with their son Knox.