Central Michigan University Athletics
Soccer
Peter McGahey
- Title:
- Head Coach
- Email:
- peter.mcgahey@cmich.edu
- Phone:
- (989) 774-1985
In five seasons in charge of the Central Michigan soccer program, Peter McGahey has built a solid program with an emphasis on defense, leading the Chippewas to a combined 26-23-7 Mid-American Conference record.
In 2017, led by junior Lexi Pelafas, the Chippewas flexed their offensive muscle, finishing tied for second in the league with 31 goals and second in the conference with 89 points.
Pelafas continued her meteoric rise in program lore, scoring 13 goals in 2017, one year after she set program standards with 16 goals and 35 points. She enters her senior year atop CMU’s career scoring list with 33 goals and 71 points. Pelafas twice scored two goals in a game in 2017, becoming the first Chippewa to notch two hat tricks.
The McGahey-led Chippewas again earned a slew of academic honors in 2017 as nine of his charges earned Academic All-MAC honors. In McGahey’s five seasons, 35 Chippewa soccer players have been named to the squad.
McGahey was named the fifth head coach in program history on Jan. 9, 2013. In 2016, he guided CMU to a 15-3-3 record, tying for the third-most victories in the 20-year history of the program. It was CMU’s most victories since 2012. The Chippewas finished 6-2-3 in MAC play in 2016, placing second in the West Division and third overall. CMU’s 15 victories were a league high, and the Chippewas advanced to the MAC Tournament semifinals, bowing to eventual champion Kent State.
Goalkeeper Kristen Knutson recorded nine shutouts, the fourth-highest total for a single season in program history, and her 15 victories are the second most for a season in Chippewa history.
Three Chippewas were named to the All-MAC team, one earned a nod to the MAC All-Freshman squad, and two Chippewas earned a spot on the MAC All-Tournament Team, and two were named to the Great Lakes All-Region Team.
That the Chippewas have been highly competitive in the MAC during McGahey's reign is due in part to the rugged non-conference schedule CMU annually faces as a lead-in to the conference campaign.
McGahey came to CMU after a highly successful five-year run at Minnesota State, where his teams finished a combined 74-21-13 (.755 win percentage) and appeared in the NCAA Division II Tournament four times.
McGahey was named the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference (NSIC) Coach of the Year in 2012 after leading the Mavericks to a program-best 17-1-5 record, including 14-0-1 in league play as they claimed their first regular-season NSIC championship and became the first team in that conference to go unbeaten in league play since 2008.
The Mavericks also claimed their first-ever Central Regional Championship that season, advancing farther in the NCAA Tournament than any team in program history.
McGahey helped 30 Minnesota State players earn All-NSIC honors, while five Mavericks earned nine separate All-American honors athletically and academically under his watch.
McGahey's defenses were among the best in the country at Minnesota State, ranking in the top 25 nationally in goals-against average in four of his five seasons.
The Mavericks' offenses were just as impressive under McGahey, as they led the NSIC in goals scored in each in his final two seasons. Minnesota State ranked 15th in the country in 2012 with 2.52 goals per contest.
Prior to his time at Minnesota State, McGahey spent 2007 as an assistant coach at South Dakota State, and was an assistant at Central Oklahoma in 2004, helping the Broncos claim the Lone Star Conference regular-season championship.
In 2005-07, McGahey served as the Technical Director for the Colorado Fusion Soccer Club, playing a leading role in the merger of the Denver Soccer Club and the Colorado Sting FC, which resulted in the club's increase from 2,400 to 5,000 youth players.
McGahey served as the state director of Coaching and Player Development for the Oklahoma Soccer Association from 2001-05, leading the technical programs for approximately 40,000 youth players. His work gained him the knowledge to write with Dr. Pater Pierror "The Soccer Coach's Guide to Working with Players and Parents,” which was published in 2004.
McGahey played four seasons at Denver from 1992-96. He received his bachelor's degree in communications from Denver and then his master's in physical education from Ball State University in 2005. He earned his Doctorate from Minnesota State in Educational Leadership with an interest on experiential learning, self-efficacy and coaching efficacy.
A native of Denver, McGahey and his wife Dawn have two children, Ella and Will.
In 2017, led by junior Lexi Pelafas, the Chippewas flexed their offensive muscle, finishing tied for second in the league with 31 goals and second in the conference with 89 points.
Pelafas continued her meteoric rise in program lore, scoring 13 goals in 2017, one year after she set program standards with 16 goals and 35 points. She enters her senior year atop CMU’s career scoring list with 33 goals and 71 points. Pelafas twice scored two goals in a game in 2017, becoming the first Chippewa to notch two hat tricks.
The McGahey-led Chippewas again earned a slew of academic honors in 2017 as nine of his charges earned Academic All-MAC honors. In McGahey’s five seasons, 35 Chippewa soccer players have been named to the squad.
McGahey was named the fifth head coach in program history on Jan. 9, 2013. In 2016, he guided CMU to a 15-3-3 record, tying for the third-most victories in the 20-year history of the program. It was CMU’s most victories since 2012. The Chippewas finished 6-2-3 in MAC play in 2016, placing second in the West Division and third overall. CMU’s 15 victories were a league high, and the Chippewas advanced to the MAC Tournament semifinals, bowing to eventual champion Kent State.
Goalkeeper Kristen Knutson recorded nine shutouts, the fourth-highest total for a single season in program history, and her 15 victories are the second most for a season in Chippewa history.
Three Chippewas were named to the All-MAC team, one earned a nod to the MAC All-Freshman squad, and two Chippewas earned a spot on the MAC All-Tournament Team, and two were named to the Great Lakes All-Region Team.
That the Chippewas have been highly competitive in the MAC during McGahey's reign is due in part to the rugged non-conference schedule CMU annually faces as a lead-in to the conference campaign.
McGahey came to CMU after a highly successful five-year run at Minnesota State, where his teams finished a combined 74-21-13 (.755 win percentage) and appeared in the NCAA Division II Tournament four times.
McGahey was named the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference (NSIC) Coach of the Year in 2012 after leading the Mavericks to a program-best 17-1-5 record, including 14-0-1 in league play as they claimed their first regular-season NSIC championship and became the first team in that conference to go unbeaten in league play since 2008.
The Mavericks also claimed their first-ever Central Regional Championship that season, advancing farther in the NCAA Tournament than any team in program history.
McGahey helped 30 Minnesota State players earn All-NSIC honors, while five Mavericks earned nine separate All-American honors athletically and academically under his watch.
McGahey's defenses were among the best in the country at Minnesota State, ranking in the top 25 nationally in goals-against average in four of his five seasons.
The Mavericks' offenses were just as impressive under McGahey, as they led the NSIC in goals scored in each in his final two seasons. Minnesota State ranked 15th in the country in 2012 with 2.52 goals per contest.
Prior to his time at Minnesota State, McGahey spent 2007 as an assistant coach at South Dakota State, and was an assistant at Central Oklahoma in 2004, helping the Broncos claim the Lone Star Conference regular-season championship.
In 2005-07, McGahey served as the Technical Director for the Colorado Fusion Soccer Club, playing a leading role in the merger of the Denver Soccer Club and the Colorado Sting FC, which resulted in the club's increase from 2,400 to 5,000 youth players.
McGahey served as the state director of Coaching and Player Development for the Oklahoma Soccer Association from 2001-05, leading the technical programs for approximately 40,000 youth players. His work gained him the knowledge to write with Dr. Pater Pierror "The Soccer Coach's Guide to Working with Players and Parents,” which was published in 2004.
McGahey played four seasons at Denver from 1992-96. He received his bachelor's degree in communications from Denver and then his master's in physical education from Ball State University in 2005. He earned his Doctorate from Minnesota State in Educational Leadership with an interest on experiential learning, self-efficacy and coaching efficacy.
A native of Denver, McGahey and his wife Dawn have two children, Ella and Will.
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