LEXINGTON, Va. – VMI Athletics announces that Men's Soccer Head Coach, Nick Regan, has stepped down from the position following the conclusion of the 2026 season to pursue other opportunities.
Regan has led the Keydets Soccer program to new heights during his tenure on Post. Directing the program since the 2022 season, he has become the second winningest coach in Institute history, and the first to host and win a postseason Southern Conference soccer match at Patchin Field. s
"Coach Nick Regan built a positive culture and a competitive program that represented VMI and earned the respect of the broader soccer community." said VMI Director of Athletics Jamaal Walton '07. "The recent SoCon tournament home victory is just one example of how Coach Regan has elevated the status of the men's soccer program. His impact on our cadet-athletes and his support for VMI will be truly missed. We wish Coach Regan and his family the very best and he will always be a part of the Virginia Military Institute family!"
Regan's tenure at VMI cannot be understated as he modernized the program into competitors in the Southern Conference. Making Patchin Field a fortress, Regan delivered a .429 NCAA win percentage at home, the highest in program history.
During the 2026 season, Regan recorded two SoCon victories for the first time in 25 years, hosted and won the first playoff game in school history and recorded the first postseason SoCon win since 2002. The Keydets scored 31 goals, the most in 22 years.
In 2025, the Keydets recorded their first SoCon win in 24 years, a 2-1 result over reigning SoCon champion ETSU and conceded just 10 goals during conference matchups, the least since 1982.
Regan led the Keydets in the 2024 season to the first 4-0 start at Patchin Field in school history. This allowed the Keydets to record a result in four straight matches, the first time since 2007.
In the 2023 season the Keydets recorded the most wins in 17 years, including the first win over an NCAA DI opponent in nine years (150 games), plus a key road victory against ASUN foe Queens. The 4-2 result was the largest away victory in 19 years.
During Regan's first season, the 2022 Keydets cut goals conceded by 43 percent and SoCon goals conceded by half to lay a foundation for the program over the next four seasons.
Under Regan, VMI men's soccer players earned seven Southern Conference Player of the Week awards from 2023 to 2026, a program record over any four-season span.
"First and foremost, I want to recognize the players, past and present, who believed in me, believed in our vision, and sacrificed on a daily basis to overcome adversity and deliver historic outcomes that have been recognized far and wide," Regan said. "I am immensely proud of each one of you. The achievements over the past five years are yours to cherish for the rest of your lives, and I am eternally grateful to have been on this incredible journey with you.
"Thank you to our former Athletic Director, Jim Miller, for taking a chance on an outside-of-the-box candidate. My sport oversight, Lenny Brown, for being by my side every step of the way, supporting my ideas and advocating for me and my players. This support was instrumental in every success over the past five years. To all the entire athletic department, Jamaal, the athletic support staff, the grounds crew, academic support, and everyone on The Hill, thank you for elevating our program and delivering a Division I experience to our players.
"Beyond the results, one of my proudest moments as Head Coach has been to reconnect with our alumni. I want to honor William Welch '22 for his and his family's extraordinary generosity and friendship, Jon Dano '96, Coach Stephen Ross '83, Alex Alston '92, Mark Hannan '94, Richard Daughtridge '97, Matt Ott '92 and all VMI Men's Soccer alums who have welcomed me with open arms and made me feel a part of this incredible brotherhood.
"Additionally, I want to recognize my assistant, Jacob Wyrick, for being as much a part of this success as anyone. We have shared some amazing times together. He is an exceptionally gifted coach and friend who I know will achieve big things in the game.
"To my wife, Rea, thank you for supporting me throughout this journey. Being the spouse of a coach isn't easy, I have missed more of Asher's soccer and hockey practices than I can count, worked long days and irregular hours, you have sacrificed so much to enable me to give my all to VMI Men's Soccer and make an impact on so many lives."
VMI Athletics is forever grateful for Coach Regan's contributions to the men's soccer program and wishes him and his family the very best in their future endeavors.
Information regarding the future leadership of the VMI Men's Soccer program will be announced at a later date. VMI will conduct a national search for the next leader of the men's soccer program.
