Presbyterian College

Presbyterian College Athletics
503 South Broad Street Clinton, SC 29325

Division 1 South Carolina Southeast

Private Very Small National competitor

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Coaches

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Nick Finotti

Nick Finotti (fin-nah-tee) was announced as head coach of the Presbyterian College Blue Hose men’s soccer program on January 24, 2023. Finotti has over 20 years of coaching experience including the last four years as an assistant coach at Wofford, as the Blue Hose’s next men’s soccer head coach. He becomes the third head coach in the program’s Division I era.

“Among a highly competitive pool of candidates Nick clearly met each of the criteria desired of our next Head Men’s Soccer Coach, those criteria being: A strong fit with the College, a history of success, a principled leader, and possessing core personal values that are consistent with PC’s core values,” Acunto said. “I am excited for Nick and our exceptional group of men’s soccer student-athletes to continue to build upon the success of the program and to regularly compete for, and win Big South Conference championships.”

“I would like to thank Athletic Director Rob Acunto, Senior Associate Athletic Director Dee Nichols, the Selection Committee, and every staff and faculty member who was involved in this process,” Finotti said. “I am honored and humbled to be chosen to lead this program and to represent Presbyterian College in the absolute best possible manner. From the first call to my campus visit, it was quite clear that our vision, purpose, and care regarding the men’s soccer program and players were aligned, and I am beyond eager to begin our journey together."

During his time at Wofford, Finotti helped recruit and coach two players that were named Southern Conference Freshman of the Year, ten All-Southern Conference selections, and 11 Southern Conference All-Freshman team selections.

Since 2009, he has also served as the head coach of the South Region United States Olympic Development Program. In that role, he was responsible for identifying, evaluating, and coaching the best players in the South Region of the United States.

Prior to joining the Wofford coaching staff, he had spent 15 years (2005-19) as the co-director of the boys’ ECNL program at the Carolina Elite Soccer Academy. While at CESA, he was head coach of three teams and coached over 200 players that would play college soccer and eleven players that went on to play professional soccer. He led teams to four USYS Premier League Championships and 16 South Carolina state championships.

From 2002-07, he spent five seasons as head coach at Northwestern and Greenville High Schools. He won 118 games, and five region championships while making two appearances in the state championship game. He earned South Carolina Coach of the Year honors twice and was a five-time Region Coach of the Year selection.

Finotti began his coaching career with three seasons as an assistant coach at Lander University from 2000-02. During his time at Lander, he coached two All-Americans and helped guide the team to the 2001 National Quarterfinals.

The Sumter, South Carolina native graduated from Coker College in 1998 with a degree in education and earned a master’s degree in education from Lander in 2004. He played college soccer at Methodist, where he played an integral role on a team that reached the 1995 Division III National Championship game, and The Citadel.

Finotti holds a USSF Coaching “A” License and a United Soccer Coaches Advanced National Diploma.

Finotti and his wife, Allie, have a daughter, Halie (23), and a son, Micah (20).

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Kyle Hughes

Kyle Hughes is in his first season as an assistant coach and recruiting coordinator with the Presbyterian Blue Hose men’s soccer program. Hughes’s eight-year college coaching career has included stops at Mars Hill and Spartanburg Methodist and most recently this past season as an assistant coach at Gardner-Webb.

“I am pleased to welcome Kyle Hughes to our program as an assistant coach and recruiting coordinator,” Presbyterian Head Coach Nick Finotti said. “Kyle and I have known each other for 20 years, and I have long admired his professional path, tireless work ethic, and broad experience. Our values and vision align perfectly, and Kyle will prove to be a valuable member of the athletic department and our coaching staff, as well as an instrumental teacher and mentor for our players.”

In his one season at Gardner-Webb, the Runnin’ Bulldogs finished fifth in the Big South Conference while compiling seven wins on the season. He coached players that earned First Team and Honorable Mention All-Big South Conference honors as well as being named to the league’s All-Academic team.

Prior to the 2022 season at Gardner-Webb, Hughes was the associate head coach at Mars Hill University (2020-21) for two years. He helped guide the Lions to two trips to the SAC Tournament which included a double-overtime loss in the 2021 SAC Tournament Championship game. He coached some of the league's top talent, Hughes also significantly contributed to the success of forwards Kevonte Willoughby-Williams and Peter Plougmand, a Lions duo that combined for 20 goals and 12 assists in 2021 en route to Willoughby-Williams earning SAC Freshman of the Year honors and both players were named Second Team All-SAC.

Before his time at Mars Hill, Hughes spent five seasons on the coaching staff at Spartanburg Methodist College, where he helped the Pioneers compile a 64-28-4 record. In 2015, he began his collegiate coaching career at SMC as an assistant coach for two seasons before being named head coach in 2017, a position he held for three seasons. During his tenure, Hughes led Spartanburg Methodist to the NJCAA Region 10 Conference Tournament every season, while also notching an NJCAA Division 1 Southeast District appearance in 2018.

Hughes has also served as a staff coach at the Carolina Elite Soccer Academy (CESA) and United FC.

A native of Greenville, South Carolina, Hughes played collegiate soccer at Spartanburg Methodist College and North Greenville University. He earned a Bachelor of Science in Public Health from Southern New Hampshire University in 2012.

“First, I would like to thank Coach Nick Finotti and Director of Athletics Rob Acunto for the opportunity to join Presbyterian College as the assistant men’s soccer coach,” Hughes said. “I have known Coach Finotti for a number of years and seen the work he has done with soccer in the state of South Carolina. With my experience as a former head coach and associate head coach, I look forward to helping guide the Presbyterian to a bright future within Division I Men’s Soccer."