Coaching Experience
• Head Coach, Flagler College (2022-present)
• Assistant Coach, Flagler College (2020-21)
• Graduate Assistant Coach, Bloomsburg University (2018-19)
• Volunteer Assistant Coach, Barry University (2017)
Education
• B.S., Business Administration, Barry University, 2014
• M.A., Sport Management, Barry University, 2017
Coaching at Flagler
Thomas Coombes was named the head coach on Nov. 15, 2022 after serving as an interim head coach on June 3, 2022. He is in his fifth year with the Flagler men's soccer program having served as an assistant coach to Chris Kranjc for two seasons.
In 2024, Coombes guided the Saints to the Peach Belt Conference Tournament title with a 2-1 win at Clayton State University. Flagler went on to play in the NCAA Division II National Tournament for the first time since 2013. The Saints had six players named to the all-conference team and Max Gottwald was tabbed as the league's defensive player of the year. Gottwald also earned United Soccer Coaches All-America honors while four players took home all-region accolades. Miles Shanley and Jesse van Krimpen received academic all-conference honors. Flagler finished the season with a 12-5-3 overall record and a 6-3-1 mark in conference play, good for second place.
Coombes coached the Saints to a 6-8-4 overall record in 2023 and a 4-4-2 mark in the Peach Belt Conference. Under his guidance, Flagler reached the semifinals of the conference tournament. Six Saints earned all-conference honors and Jackson Kirila was named the PBC co-Defensive Player of the Year. Seven players earned academic all-conference accolades while six received acadmic all-district honors.
He guided the Saints to a 10-4-3 overall record and an 8-2-2 mark in the PBC in 2022. Coombes helped four players earn all-conference honors while George Winser was named the PBC Freshman of the Year and Tirso Trueba the PBC Defensive Player of the Year.
Prior to Flagler
Coombes came to the Ancient City from Bloomsburg University of Pennsylvania where he served as a graduate assistant for the past two seasons (2018 and 2019). He helped six Huskies earn All-Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference honors, including five in 2019. Some of his responsibilities at Bloomsburg included recruiting both domestic and international student-athletes as well as planning and executing practices for the team and individuals.
He also served one season (2017) as a volunteer assistant coach at his alma mater, Barry University in Miami Shores, Florida.
Coombes, a forward, was a four-year starter for the Buccaneers (2012-16). He ranks fourth all-time at Barry with 33 career goals scored and is sixth in points with 82. Coombes earned D2CCA All-America honorable mention accolades in 2016. He also received D2CCA All-South Region honors and was a CoSIDA Academic All-America® third-team selection as a senior. Coombes was a two-time All-Sunshine State Conference pick.
Personal
He earned his bachelor's in business administration from Barry and earned his master's in sport management, also from Barry.
| Thomas Coombes' Coaching Record |
| Year |
Institution |
Conf. Record |
Overall Record |
Honors |
| 2022 |
Flagler |
8-2-2 |
10-4-3 (.676) |
PBC Tournament final |
| 2023 |
Flagler |
4-4-2 |
6-8-4 (.444) |
PBC Tournament semis |
| 2024 |
Flagler |
6-3-1 |
12-5-3 (.675) |
PBC Tournament champs, NCAA D2 Tournament berth |
|
Career Record |
18-9-5 (.641) |
28-17-10 (.600) |
|
