Pete Watkins Named Head Men’s Soccer Coach at St. Mary’s

SMU Sports Information Office – 3/10/2011

WINONA, Minn. — Pete Watkins has been named the new head coach for men’s soccer by Saint Mary’s University.

Watkins comes to Saint Mary’s after spending the last eight seasons as the head men’s soccer coach at Aurora University, where he compiled a 101-48-13 record.

“I am excited to have coach Watkins join the Saint Mary’s University community,” SMU athletic director Nikki Fennern said on Thursday. “He brings an outstanding Division III men’s soccer coaching record and a wealth of experience to our program.

I’m confident he will build a soccer program in which student-athletes experience growth and success, both on and off the field, and join us in advancing the mission of the university.
Pete Watkins

Pete Watkins comes to St. Mary's with a 101-48-13 record at Aurora after taking over a team that was 1-19-0 in 2002.

Watkins took over an Aurora program that went 1-19-0 — and was winless in conference play — in 2002. During his eight years at the helm, the Spartans earned two Northern Illinois-Iowa Conference regular-season titles, one conference tournament crown and appeared in five conference tournament title games. Aurora, which earned its first-ever NCAA tournament appearance under Watkins’ reign in 2006, has appeared in the NCAA regional rankings in 2005, 2006 and 2010, while also earning NSCAA regional recognition every year since 2005.

“I really enjoyed my time at Aurora, and leaving was not an easy decision,” said Watkins. “In researching Saint Mary’s, almost every alum I met in Chicago or spoke to on the phone started their description the same way: ‘Saint Mary’s is a special place … .’

“The chance to coach from that platform and contribute to that mission is such an honor, I could not turn down the opportunity,” Watkins added. “The facilities and setting are great — the people are even better. Learning about the vision that Nikki Fennern, the president and the administration have for the program, it made it crystal clear where I needed to be.

“Our family can’t wait to be there.”

Watkins inherits an SMU program that went 2-16-0 last season, and he’s eager to hit the ground running.

“My first objective is to attract quality student-athletes that fit the mission of Saint Mary’s University, young men who will compete for us for four years and graduate from SMU leaving behind a great legacy on and off the field,” explained Watkins. “The second objective is to become competitive in the MIAC and get to the top third of the league consistently.

“By achieving the first objective, we can greatly affect the second.”

As a player, Watkins earned All-St. Louis Athletic Conference accolades in his junior and senior seasons at MacMurray (Ill.) College and was a starting midfielder on the Highlanders 1993 NCAA tournament team. Watkins earned Adidas Academic-All American honors during his senior season and earned MacMurray’s Bill Wall Award for Leadership in Athletics.

Watkins completed his master’s degree in recreation administration from Aurora University in 2005. He has earned the highest NSCAA coaching level possible, the Premier Diploma, awarded in 2005.

Prior to coming to Aurora in 2003, Watkins spent five years at Ferris State University, founding the women’s soccer program in 1999. He also previously served as the head women’s soccer coach at Northwestern State University, an NCAA Division I institution in Natchitoches, Louisiana, where he was awarded the 1997 Southland Conference Coach-of-the-Year award.