COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. – University of Colorado Colorado Springs head men's soccer coach Lewis Wilcox announced on Tuesday afternoon the hiring of former graduate assistant Joe Mellars as the full-time assistant coach of the Mountain Lion men's soccer program ahead of the 2026 campaign.
 
"I'm delighted to officially welcome Joe as a full-time assistant with the program," said Wilcox. "Over the last couple of seasons he has been a really important member of our staff, consistently going above and beyond to give our student-athletes a great experience. His contributions over the last two seasons have exceeded expectations and he is very deserving of this promotion. He is proud to represent the Mountain Lions, and I am personally very grateful for the work he puts in to making this an elite program. We're looking forward to another great year together."

Mellars is set to enter his third season with the Mountain Lions after spending the past two years as a graduate assistant coach for the program. The UCCS men's soccer team has achieved unprecedented success during Mellars' first two seasons on staff, compiling a 26-9-9 overall record while capturing the program's first RMAC regular season and tournament championships, earning a pair of appearances in the NCAA Division II Men's Soccer Tournament, and advancing to the third round of the national tournament for the first time in program history.

"UCCS has become home, and I'm incredibly thankful for the opportunity to continue serving this program," said Mellars. "I'd like to sincerely thank Lewis Wilcox, Nathan Gibson, Alex Koehler, Heather Sutton, and the rest of the Athletic Administration for their trust and support. I'm excited to continue working alongside an outstanding coaching staff as we build on the success and culture of our program. Most importantly, I'm looking forward to helping our student-athletes grow both on and off the field while continuing to push our program forward. It's a great day to be a Mountain Lion!"

Prior to arriving at UCCS, Mellars served as the head coach for Real Salt Lake Arizona's 2008, 2009, and 2010 boys' teams from 2022-24 and played a key role in developing multiple players who advanced to compete at higher levels of soccer. He also worked as an assistant coach with McMinn United from 2021-22, helping guide the 2013, 2014, and 2015 girls' teams, including a state cup championship-winning side in 2022.
 
A native of Wales, Mellars had a distinguished playing career representing Wales Colleges and Schools at U18 and U19 levels in international fixtures and tournaments, including the Roma Caput Mundi and Centenary Shield. Collegiately, he competed for Tennessee Wesleyan University before completing his undergraduate studies and soccer career at Ottawa University Arizona, where he earned a Bachelor of Arts in Exercise Science in 2023. Mellars continued his education at UCCS in the fall of 2024, pursuing his Master of Business Administration while serving in his graduate assistant role on the Mountain Lions' coaching staff.
 
Mellars will officially begin his role as the assistant coach of the UCCS men's soccer program on August 1.
 
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