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Michael Zion
Michael Zion was announced as head coach on April 25, 2014 after being an assistant with the program since 2010. Zion is now entering his seventh season as head coach. During his time with AU the Trojans have qualified for the NCAA National Tournament four occasions and reached the South Atlantic Conference Tournament Championship on five occasions. Zion has won 55 games in his six seasons as head coach and another 50 as an assistant coach.
Zion led the Trojans to a 12-4-2 record in the fall of 2022, which earned the team to being ranked No. 15 in the United Soccer Coaches National Poll, and a trip to the SAC Tournament Semifinals. Under Zion's watch, Alexandre Cox-Ashwood had a breakout season in which he scored 13 goals while dishing out four assists. He was named United Soccer Coaches (USC) National Player of the Week, SAC Astroturf Offensive Player of the Week, USC All-Southeast Region Team, USC Scholar All-Region Team, D2CCA Southeast All-Region First Team, All-SAC First Team, and AU Male Athlete of the Year. Martin Carpena, Harry Ward, and Agustin Ortiz also earned All-SAC honors. The Trojans won seven consecutive games towards the end of the regular season, before falling to Coker in the SAC Semifinals by a score of 1-0.
In an abbreviated 2021 spring season, Zion guided Anderson to a third place regular season finish in the South Atlantic Conference (4-1) and a trip to the SAC Tournament Semifinals. Overall for the season, the Trojans finished with a 5-2-1 record while being ranked as high as 22nd in the United Soccer Coaches National Poll. Harry Ward, Alexander Cox-Ashwood, and Tevin Lessey were all named to the All-SAC Second Team, while Agustin Ortiz and Andres Osorio were honorable mentions. Goalkeeper Gal Elyashiv was named the SAC Astroturf Defensive Player of the Week on March 24th. For the season, the Trojans had four clean sheets.
Zion led the Trojans to 12 wins and a spot in the SAC Tournament Finals during the 2019-20 season. Three Trojans were named to the All-SAC Tournamnet team (Martin Carpena, Vinny Veiga and Alexander Cox-Ashwood), while three Trojans earned South Atlantic All-Conference honors (Ryan Tyrer, Harry Ward and Alexander Cox-Ashwood) and two were selected to the All-Region Team (Ryan Tyrer and Harry Ward). Junior keeper Gal Elyashiv was awarded as the SAC statistical champion for Save Percentage (.809).
In 2018-19, Zion led the Trojans to the second round of the NCAA National Tournament, finishing with a record of 11-6-3. The Trojans lost a heartbreaking match to the eventual Southeast Regional Champions in double overtime. The Trojans also finished as runners-up in the South Atlantic Conference Tournament Championships. Five Trojans earned South Atlantic All-Conference honors (Jhon Vaca, Ryan Tyrer, Lucas Mostajo, Gal Elyashiv, and Lars Kaula) and four were selected to the Southeast Regional Team (Cam Emerson, Ryan Tyrer, Lucas Mostajo, and Lars Kaula). The team were awarded as the SAC statistical champions for goals against average (.750). Hero Sports ranked the Trojans, 22nd in the country at the end of the season.
In 2017-18 season, Zion led the Trojans to a 9-8-1 season, advancing to the SAC Conference Semi Finals. Anderson finished 6th in the SAC and had three players selected to the SAC All-Conference teams (Josh Calabria, Cam Emerson, and Thomas Joergsholm). The Trojans were recipients of the Fair Play award for the second time under Zion. In 2016-17 the Trojans finished with a record of 7-6-3. The winning season was impressive considering the Trojans had a strength of schedule ranked 15th in the country by Hero Sports. The team had an impressive non-conference record, winning matches against the 3rd and 4th place teams from Conference Carolinas, the 3rdh place team from the Peach Belt, and the 2nd place team from the Gulf South. In 2015-16 the Trojans finished the season with an 8-8-1 record. The Trojans were eliminate in the quarterfinals of the SAC Championships. Andre Carle, Eric Dahlbeck, and Ryo Ogawa were selected to the SAC All-Conference teams.
In his first season as the head coach of the Black and Gold, Zion led Anderson to an eight-win season, headlined by a win over nationally-ranked Wingate. The Trojans claimed six South Atlantic Conference victories, including three on the road. Zion coached standout Lars Zimmermann in his final season as a collegiate player, as Zimmermann earned Capital One Academic All-America First Team honors, as well as NSCAA All-Southeast Region Third Team honors. Zion also placed four Trojans on postseason All-SAC Honors, headlined by Magnus Larsen's SAC Freshman of the Year award.
During his tenure as Anderson’s assistant coach, Zion has won 50 matches, while appearing in the NCAA National Tournament on three occasions. Zion has coached a two-time All-American, an all-region Player of the Year and nine all-region players.
In his final season as an assistant coach with the program, Zion led the Trojans to a fourth straight South Atlantic Conference Tournament championship, before falling to Queens, 2-0. Despite the setback in the title match, Anderson earned a berth into the NCAA Tournament, falling in the first round to eventual national runner-up, Carson-Newman. AU wrapped up the 2013 season with a 12-7-3 record and led Lars Zimmerman and Andre Carle to NSCAA all-district honors.
Despite a rough start to the 2012 season, Zion helped lead a late charge, as Anderson captured its third straight SAC Tournament championship, despite entering the conference tournament with a 4-10-3 overall record. The Trojans knocked off Lincoln Memorial, 1-0, to earn their third straight conference tournament championship. Zion coached Shu Ogawa and goalkeeper Lukas Hesse to NSCAA All-Southeast Region honors, while Zimmerman was picked to the Daktronics Second-Team All-Region.
In 2011, Zion assisted an AU team that finished the year 17-4 and closed its SAC schedule with a perfect 9-0 conference record. During the year, Anderson went on an 11-match winning streak, outscoring its opponents 29-5 during the span. In the postseason, Anderson claimed its second straight SAC Tournament championship, defeating Lenoir-Rhyne in overtime, 1-0, to claim the title. Zion coached four Trojans to the Daktronics all-region team, while Lasse Sohrweide earned All-America honors for the second straight season.
In his first season on the Trojan coaching staff, Zion helped lead the Black and Gold to a Sweet 16 appearance in the NCAA Tournament, after winning their first SAC Tournament championship. The Trojans closed the 2010 season with a 15-6-2 record and a 6-3 mark in their first season as members of the SAC. Anderson also finished 17th in the NSCAA rankings, while Sohrweide was named to the Daktronics NCAA Division II Men’s Soccer All-America First Team.
Zion, a four-year letter winner and two-time team captain from 2003-06, scored nearly two dozen goals, and recorded 21 assists. The native of Spartanburg, S.C., helped transform a Trojan squad that claimed just three wins in his rookie season into a perennial contender for conference titles. Anderson won a combined 27 matches over his final three campaigns.
Zion also played for the Palm Beach Pumas in the USL Premier Development League (PDL), Performance FC in the Premier Arena Soccer League (PASL) and Performance FC Phoenix (NPSL) of Greenville, S.C. He also spent a season with the London, England Kickers in the FA Futsal League.
Zion is currently an assistant coach with Greenville FC of the National Premier Soccer League (NPSL). Greenville FC most recently finished 2nd in the Southeast Region league standings. He has also worked with several of the local youth clubs (CESA/CASA) as both a coach and a director of coaching. He has been involved with the SC Olympic Development program for a number of years as both a head coach and an assistant coach.
Zion received his bachelor’ degree in kinesiology from Anderson University, SC following his collegiate career. In December of 2018, he completed his Master of Science in Recreation and Sport Science with a focus in Soccer from Ohio University and in conjunction with the United Soccer Coaches Association. The degree is the only one of its kind offered in the United States.
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