Ben Freakley

Ben Freakley

Ben Freakley enters his third season as head coach of the VMI men’s soccer team. In his first two seasons, the former head coach of Erskine College (SC) has led the Keydets to a noticable improvement, going from just two wins his first year, to six in 2007.

The 2007 team posted the program’s best Big South finish, while playing a great deal of freshmen. In fact, Freakley has recruited a pair of talented, deep freshman classes, including 2007’s class, which featured three players named to the Big South All-Freshman Team.

Freakley was named the new head coach of the VMI men's soccer team on February 21, 2006, joining the VMI staff after spending two seasons as head coach at Erskine College (SC).

In 2005, Freakley (pronounced FRAKE-lee) led the Division II Erskine Flying Fleet to a 9-7-1 record. In just his first season with the program, Freakley guided the Flying Fleet into the Carolinas-Virginia Athletics Conference (CVAC) post-season tournament for the first time in his players’ careers.

Freakley currently works with the National Soccer Coaches’ Association of America (NSCAA) as an instructor and State Technical Coordinator in Virginia and is also a Region 1 Olympic Development Program staff member and coach.

Furthermore, he recently served on the South Carolina Youth Soccer Association (SCYSA) state staff as a head coach for several ODP state teams.

He holds several coaching licenses, including a USSF “A” License from the United States Soccer Federation as well as a Premier National Diploma from the NSCAA. For the NSCAA, he also served as the State Technical Director in South Carolina (he now holds this position for the Commonwealth of Virginia).

Prior to his position at Erskine, Freakley was an assistant coach at College of Charleston. His primary responsibilities with the Cougars included fundraising, assisting with the teams' recruiting efforts, and monitoring the academic progress of his players. His first coaching experience came at his alma mater, Georgia Southern University, where he spent two seasons as the assistant men's soccer coach.

Freakley is a 2000 graduate of Georgia Southern University, where he received a Bachelor of Science degree in Public Relations and was a member of the men’s soccer team. Freakley also has a Master’s degree in Sports Management, which he received from Georgia Southern in May 2003.

Freakley currently lives in Lexington with his wife Melissa and son Benjamin, who was born this past June