VMI Director of Athletics Dr. Dave Diles announced Friday the hiring of Chris Haught-Thompson as the new head coach of the VMI women’s soccer program.
The name is familiar to program supporters as Haught-Thompson served as an assistant to recently departed head coach Chris Bergmann for the 2015 and 2016 seasons. He returns to VMI after serving for two seasons as the head coach of the women’s soccer program at Knox College in Galesburg, Illinois.
“This is the perfect outcome for VMI women’s soccer,” Diles said. “Coach Haught-Thompson contributed substantively to our program during his time here as an assistant coach. However, he has gained invaluable experience as a head coach at Knox College and he provided his own vision for VMI women’s soccer that clearly demonstrated his ability to continue our competitive progression.
“VMI is fortunate to welcome him back and we are gaining a gifted coach and someone of great personal values with deep friendships and relationships at the Institute.”
At Knox College, Haught-Thompson led the Prairie Fire to a 27-11-5 record over two seasons, winning two MWC regular season and two tournament championships to earn berths to the 2017 and 2018 NCAA D-III Tournaments. Named the 2018 MWC Coach of the Year, he led two All-Region and seven All-Conference players including a two-time Defensive Player of the Year and 2018 Newcomer of the Year.
He was in charge of running all areas of the program including budget management, recruiting, scouting and training. Haught-Thompson also developed the camp system at Knox including a high school prospect camp and a youth summer camp.
As an assistant at VMI from January 2015 to February 2017, he helped the Keydets to a 14-25-2 record over the two seasons as he assisted Bergmann in all facets of practice, game and travel preparation. Haught-Thompson gained valuable experience with scholarship management and other administrative duties as well as recruiting, in-game evaluation, scouting opponents and designing off-season fitness regiments.
“I’m so excited to be coming back to VMI,” said Haught-Thompson. “It’s a place I hold in such high regard and a team I loved working with. It has made such progress in the years that I was here and in the years since and I relish the opportunity to continue to raise the bar. “I want to thank Dr. Diles and the search committee for a great process and the opportunity to be the head women’s soccer coach at VMI.”
Prior to coaching his first stint at VMI he served as the assistant men’s soccer coach at Lake Forest College in Lake Forest, Illinois, for three seasons (2012-2014). He also served as an assistant on the women’s soccer team at Lake Forest during his third year at the school. On top of coaching at Lake Forest he served as a head coach for the Lincolnshire Lightning Soccer Club in nearby Lincolnshire.
He is USSF licensed.
Haught-Thompson earned a Master of Science in Sports Management from California University of Pennsylvania in 2015 and a Bachelor of Arts in psychology from Lake Forest College in 2012.
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