CARY, N.C. (Dec. 30, 2019) – North Carolina FC has rounded out its coaching staff ahead of the 2020 USL Championship season with the hiring of assistant coach Mike McGinty, the club announced Monday. A former goalkeeper who enjoyed an eight-year professional career from 1994-02, McGinty is familiar with North Carolina both as a player and coach.



McGinty, who most recently served as goalkeeping coach with the U.S. at the 2019 FIFA U-17 World Cup, joins John Bradford (assistant coach) and Nic Platter (goalkeeping coach) on head coach Dave Sarachan’s staff. McGinty, a Wake Forest University alumnus, replaces Clint Peay, who departed his post at NCFC in November to become the inaugural head coach of Revolution II in USL League One.



“When you look at Mike’s resume, he’s a guy who’s accumulated a lot of good experience as a head coach and an assistant coach,” Sarachan said. “Mike is a dedicated hard worker who’s very good at his craft and spends a lot of time studying the game. He’s a guy who is a valuable asset to our staff with his experience.”



From 2010-17 as head coach at Saint Louis University, McGinty compiled an 81-56-14 record and was named the Atlantic 10 Conference Coach of the Year three times (2012, 2013, 2016) as the Billikens twice reached the NCAA Tournament (2012, 2014) and won the 2012 A-10 Tournament championship. During his stint at SLU, McGinty coached NCFC forward Robert Kristo, who led the Billikens in scoring from 2011-14.



“I know the club and what it’s done over the years,” McGinty said of NCFC. “The people at the club were most important to me. Curt (Johnson) is someone I’ve known for a number of years, and I’ve known Dave Sarachan for a number of years. There was a real comfort level with the people leading the group, and for me and my family, it was too good to pass up. It’s a club that does things the right way with the right people.”



After starring at Wake Forest from 1991-94, the former All-ACC goalkeeper embarked on an eight-year professional career that included stints with the Greensboro Dynamo (1995-96), Richmond Kickers (1997-01) and D.C. United (2002). While still active as a player, McGinty’s coaching career began with him serving as an assistant at Wake Forest (1995-96) before moving on to Virginia Commonwealth University, where he was the goalkeeping coach in 1997.



From 1998-09, McGinty served on head coach George Gelnovatch’s staff at the University of Virginia, first as an assistant before becoming associate head coach. During his time with the Cavaliers, UVA won the NCAA Tournament Championship in 2009, reached a pair of College Cups and earned four ACC titles.



A veteran coach with an array of diverse experiences, McGinty has also spent extensive time practicing his craft at the national level. From 2001-02, he served as an assistant with the U.S. U-17 and U-18 National Teams, respectively, and also worked with the U-17, U-20 and Paralympic National Teams from 2018-19.



McGinty joins the NCFC staff as the club continues to build its roster ahead of the 2020 season. The team’s current squad includes forward Robert Kristo; midfielders Ben Speas, Nazmi Albadawi, Steven Miller, Graham Smith and Pecka; and defenders Sam Brotherton, Alex Comsia, Caleb Duvernay and Conor Donovan.



Season tickets for North Carolina FC’s 2020 season are on sale now. Click here to learn more about season tickets or call the Coastal Credit Union Box Office at 919-459-8144 to speak with a ticket representative.