Press release...
Former Auburn associate head coach and current Mississippi State head coach James Armstrong has been named Auburn head soccer coach, Athletic Director John Cohen announced Tuesday. Armstrong, who was on staff at Auburn from 2013-18, returns to the Plains after taking Mississippi State to unprecedented heights since becoming head coach in 2019, leading the Bulldogs to the 2024 Southeastern Conference Championship and consecutive NCAA Sweet 16 appearances.
"My family and I are incredibly excited to return to Auburn University! I am deeply grateful to John Cohen, Jared Benko, Djenane Paul, and the search committee for offering us this amazing opportunity,” Armstrong said. “I look forward to connecting with the student-athletes and beginning this exciting new chapter for Auburn Soccer. War Eagle!”
Armstrong, who was appointed head coach of the Bulldog soccer program in January 2019, led the program to its first SEC regular season championship this season with a perfect 10-0-0 conference record, becoming only the fourth team in league history to accomplish the feat. The winningest coach in program history, Armstrong led Mississippi State to a 19-3-0 overall record in 2024, marking the highest win total in school history while finishing the regular season ranked in the top five nationally. For his efforts, Armstrong was named the 2024 SEC Coach of the Year.
In six seasons, he directed Mississippi State to a 62-35-18 overall record and a 36-20-11 conference mark, while leading the program to three consecutive NCAA appearances. In the past three years combined, Armstrong’s 43 overall wins were third among SEC schools and his 19 conference wins were the second most in the league.
“We are extremely excited to welcome James and his wife Casey and daughter Olivia back to Auburn, a place he called home for six years prior to his time building Mississippi State into an SEC Championship program,” Cohen said. “He is not only one of the top coaches in our conference, but one of the best nationally. James is an incredibly hard worker who has recruited and developed players at the highest level. We look forward to James competing for championships here on The Plains.”
While at Auburn, Armstrong served as an assistant and associate head coach, overseeing some of the most productive offensive seasons in the program's history. During his six seasons on the Plains, Auburn made the NCAA Tournament five straight seasons, advanced to the second round four times with a pair of Sweet 16 appearances and an Elite Eight in 2016, the program’s best postseason finish.
In his role with the Tigers, Armstrong worked with midfielders and forwards, helping the program score 121 goals from 2014-16, the most in a three-year stretch at Auburn in a dozen years. During the team's record-breaking 2015 and 2016 seasons, which saw Auburn advance to its first Sweet 16 and Elite Eight in consecutive years, the Tigers amassed 85 goals, which tied for the fourth most in a two-year span in program history.
In Armstrong's career on the Plains, he helped coach six attacking players to a total of eight first and second-team All-SEC honors and four SEC All-Freshman team honorees. Auburn also had a forward or midfielder named first team All-SEC in four straight seasons.
During his tenure at Mississippi State, Armstrong coached some of the best in the country as he had 10 players named to the United Soccer Coaches/NCSAA All-Region Team, 14 All-SEC team members, and placed 133 players on the SEC Academic Honor Roll.
Amstrong’s incredible 2024 season came on the heels of record-setting seasons in 2022 and 2023. The 2023 season featured back-to-back wins over ranked opponents while advancing to the SEC Tournament semifinals for the first time, culminating in the program’s first Sweet 16 appearance.
“I would also like to express my heartfelt thanks to the Mississippi State community for the unwavering support we’ve received during our time in Starkville,’ Armstrong said. “The relationships we've built with the student-athletes, staff, and fans will always hold a special place in our hearts."
In recognition of their exceptional leadership, the Mississippi State soccer staff was named the 2023 NCAA Southeast Staff of the Year by United Soccer Coaches. The team was also ranked 14th in the nation by both United Soccer Coaches and TopDrawerSoccer, marking the first end-of-season ranking in program history.
Academically, the team achieved a remarkable GPA of 3.65 for Fall 2023, the second best in program history. They led the SEC with 25 academic selections, and 15 student-athletes earned Top Dawg honors with perfect 4.0 GPAs.
The 2022 season was one of the most successful in the program's history to date as Armstrong led the Bulldogs to their first SEC tournament win and first NCAA tournament win. During the 2020 season, shortened by COVID-19, his squad made the SEC Tournament for the second consecutive year—a first in school history.
Armstrong's impact was immediate in his first year with the program in 2019, ending a 15-year SEC Tournament drought, becoming only the second active SEC head coach to achieve this feat in his inaugural season. Under his leadership, the team posted school records for goals, assists and points in SEC play, with 16 players recording points—the most since 2008.
Armstrong's coaching career began with Lonestar SC in Austin, Texas, where he helped establish the club and placed over 200 players in collegiate programs. He also worked as an equipment manager for the U.S. Soccer Federation, contributing to the U-19 Women’s National Team's victory in the inaugural FIFA U-19 Women’s World Cup in 2002.
A native of Yorkshire, England, Armstrong holds a bachelor's and master's degree in history and politics from the University of Edinburgh and has attended North Carolina for a study abroad program. He possesses a USSF A License and a National Youth License. Armstrong and his wife Casey, have one daughter, Olivia.
Former Auburn associate head coach and current Mississippi State head coach James Armstrong has been named Auburn head soccer coach, Athletic Director John Cohen announced Tuesday. Armstrong, who was on staff at Auburn from 2013-18, returns to the Plains after taking Mississippi State to unprecedented heights since becoming head coach in 2019, leading the Bulldogs to the 2024 Southeastern Conference Championship and consecutive NCAA Sweet 16 appearances.
"My family and I are incredibly excited to return to Auburn University! I am deeply grateful to John Cohen, Jared Benko, Djenane Paul, and the search committee for offering us this amazing opportunity,” Armstrong said. “I look forward to connecting with the student-athletes and beginning this exciting new chapter for Auburn Soccer. War Eagle!”
Armstrong, who was appointed head coach of the Bulldog soccer program in January 2019, led the program to its first SEC regular season championship this season with a perfect 10-0-0 conference record, becoming only the fourth team in league history to accomplish the feat. The winningest coach in program history, Armstrong led Mississippi State to a 19-3-0 overall record in 2024, marking the highest win total in school history while finishing the regular season ranked in the top five nationally. For his efforts, Armstrong was named the 2024 SEC Coach of the Year.
In six seasons, he directed Mississippi State to a 62-35-18 overall record and a 36-20-11 conference mark, while leading the program to three consecutive NCAA appearances. In the past three years combined, Armstrong’s 43 overall wins were third among SEC schools and his 19 conference wins were the second most in the league.
“We are extremely excited to welcome James and his wife Casey and daughter Olivia back to Auburn, a place he called home for six years prior to his time building Mississippi State into an SEC Championship program,” Cohen said. “He is not only one of the top coaches in our conference, but one of the best nationally. James is an incredibly hard worker who has recruited and developed players at the highest level. We look forward to James competing for championships here on The Plains.”
While at Auburn, Armstrong served as an assistant and associate head coach, overseeing some of the most productive offensive seasons in the program's history. During his six seasons on the Plains, Auburn made the NCAA Tournament five straight seasons, advanced to the second round four times with a pair of Sweet 16 appearances and an Elite Eight in 2016, the program’s best postseason finish.
In his role with the Tigers, Armstrong worked with midfielders and forwards, helping the program score 121 goals from 2014-16, the most in a three-year stretch at Auburn in a dozen years. During the team's record-breaking 2015 and 2016 seasons, which saw Auburn advance to its first Sweet 16 and Elite Eight in consecutive years, the Tigers amassed 85 goals, which tied for the fourth most in a two-year span in program history.
In Armstrong's career on the Plains, he helped coach six attacking players to a total of eight first and second-team All-SEC honors and four SEC All-Freshman team honorees. Auburn also had a forward or midfielder named first team All-SEC in four straight seasons.
During his tenure at Mississippi State, Armstrong coached some of the best in the country as he had 10 players named to the United Soccer Coaches/NCSAA All-Region Team, 14 All-SEC team members, and placed 133 players on the SEC Academic Honor Roll.
Amstrong’s incredible 2024 season came on the heels of record-setting seasons in 2022 and 2023. The 2023 season featured back-to-back wins over ranked opponents while advancing to the SEC Tournament semifinals for the first time, culminating in the program’s first Sweet 16 appearance.
“I would also like to express my heartfelt thanks to the Mississippi State community for the unwavering support we’ve received during our time in Starkville,’ Armstrong said. “The relationships we've built with the student-athletes, staff, and fans will always hold a special place in our hearts."
In recognition of their exceptional leadership, the Mississippi State soccer staff was named the 2023 NCAA Southeast Staff of the Year by United Soccer Coaches. The team was also ranked 14th in the nation by both United Soccer Coaches and TopDrawerSoccer, marking the first end-of-season ranking in program history.
Academically, the team achieved a remarkable GPA of 3.65 for Fall 2023, the second best in program history. They led the SEC with 25 academic selections, and 15 student-athletes earned Top Dawg honors with perfect 4.0 GPAs.
The 2022 season was one of the most successful in the program's history to date as Armstrong led the Bulldogs to their first SEC tournament win and first NCAA tournament win. During the 2020 season, shortened by COVID-19, his squad made the SEC Tournament for the second consecutive year—a first in school history.
Armstrong's impact was immediate in his first year with the program in 2019, ending a 15-year SEC Tournament drought, becoming only the second active SEC head coach to achieve this feat in his inaugural season. Under his leadership, the team posted school records for goals, assists and points in SEC play, with 16 players recording points—the most since 2008.
Armstrong's coaching career began with Lonestar SC in Austin, Texas, where he helped establish the club and placed over 200 players in collegiate programs. He also worked as an equipment manager for the U.S. Soccer Federation, contributing to the U-19 Women’s National Team's victory in the inaugural FIFA U-19 Women’s World Cup in 2002.
A native of Yorkshire, England, Armstrong holds a bachelor's and master's degree in history and politics from the University of Edinburgh and has attended North Carolina for a study abroad program. He possesses a USSF A License and a National Youth License. Armstrong and his wife Casey, have one daughter, Olivia.
