Ashford University announced today that Richard Markham has joined the Athletics Department and will serve as the Head Men's Soccer Coach. Mick Regan will remain as the Head Women's Soccer Coach at the University.

Athletics Director Meg Schebler is excited about naming a Head Coach for each program. "This is an energizing time for the soccer teams at Ashford. Coach Regan has done an outstanding job balancing both teams the past five seasons. He has taken both teams to the top half of the conference and it's time to provide a Head Coach for each team in order to provide equity in the continued drive for conference championships for both teams," Schebler stated.

Coach Mick Regan, who has served as Head Coach for both teams since 2004 is looking forward to having Markham aboard. He stated, "Coach Markham is a well respected coach and is the right man to take the Men's program to the next level. I have known him for many years and am thrilled to be able to collaborate with him as we strive to bring unparalleled success to both the Men's and Women's teams."

Markham joins the staff with a solid coaching resume. He began his career as an Assistant Soccer Coach at Westmar University in LeMars, IA in 1993. He followed that with an Assistant Head Coaching position at Midwestern State University in Wichita Falls, TX. While there, his team qualified for the NAIA National Tournament, playing for the National Championship in 1995. Markham was named the Head Coach of the Sioux City Breeze, a USL Premier Development League team in 1997. He coached there for one season before being named the Head Men's and Women's Soccer Coach at Marycrest International University in Davenport, IA. He led the men's team to a Midwest Classic Conference Runner-up finish in 1997.

Markham also has extensive coaching at the High School level. From 2001-2003, he served as the Head Boy's Soccer Coach at Sioux City North, finishing his tenure there with three consecutive state tournament appearances and an overall record of 52-6-2. Markham then moved on to coach the girls' soccer program at Assumption High School in Davenport, IA and Head Boy's Soccer Coach at Geneseo High School in Illinois. He led both teams to unprecedented success. He coaches the Geneseo Explosion Club team as well as the Pleasant Valley High School girls' program.

"I am very excited about the opportunity to coach the men's soccer program at Ashford University. Coach Regan has done a fantastic job over the past 5 years building both the men and women's soccer programs into viable contenders in the Midwest Collegiate Conference. My goal is to build on that foundation and take it to the next level both on the field and in the classroom," Markham said.