DES MOINES, IOWA – Pat Flinn, a coach who has been part of championship soccer programs throughout his life, has been named head men's soccer coach at Drake University, Director of Athletics Brian Hardin announced Wednesday, Jan. 5.
 
Flinn just completed his third year as head coach at the University of Chicago. In 2021, he guided the Maroons to a 16-6-1 record and the season culminated in the program's fourth-ever appearance in the NCAA Division III national semifinals. Through two seasons as head coach at UChicago (the Maroons did not compete in 2020 due to COVID-19), Flinn's teams recorded a 28-8-6 record, including an 11-3 mark in University Athletic Association (UAA) play, and twice qualified for the NCAA Tournament.
 
"I'm thrilled to welcome Pat, Lindsey, and their boys to Drake University and Des Moines," Hardin said. "Over the past seven years, Pat has helped build tremendous soccer programs at two private Midwest universities. He's familiar with what it takes to be successful in the Missouri Valley Conference and he has an excellent track record of developing young men on and off the field. The future is bright for our men's soccer program."
 
While leading the UChicago program, Flinn coached two All-Americans, nine all-region performers, two UAA defensive players of the year, and 13 all-conference players. His teams in 2019 and 2021 combined to register 23 shutouts and the 2019 Maroons were UAA champions and advanced to the second round of the NCAA Tournament.
 
"My family and I would like to thank Brian Hardin, Megan Franklin, and everyone else involved in the search for trusting me to lead the Drake men's soccer program," Flinn said. "Drake attracts student-athletes that excel on and off the field; our team culture, recruiting, and commitment to developing players will reflect the values and ambition of the university. I see so much potential in this program and Drake athletics, as well as what Des Moines has to offer our family. Lastly, I want to thank The University of Chicago for trusting me to lead their men's soccer program. I will forever cherish the time I spent in Hyde Park at UChicago and look forward to becoming a lifelong fan of the program."
 
Prior to UChicago, Flinn was an assistant coach and the recruiting coordinator for Loyola Chicago, spending the 2017 and 2018 seasons with the Ramblers. The 2018 Loyola team reached the Missouri Valley Conference championship match for the first time in school history. During his time at Loyola, he had three recruits earn MVC all-conference honors, produced the 2018 MVC goalkeeper of the year, and in both 2017 and 2018 the Ramblers produced their first-ever Major League Soccer Draft picks. The student-athletes Flinn recruited helped lead Loyola to the 2019 MVC Championship and NCAA Tournament.
 
Flinn spent 2014-16 as the assistant coach at UChicago where he helped guide the Maroons to a 41-12-7 record. In the three seasons prior to Flinn's arrival, UChicago compiled a 26-17-9 record. From 2014-16, UChicago won two UAA titles and qualified for the NCAA tournament all three years, twice advancing to the second round and once to the round of 16. Flinn was part of the UAA Coaching Staffs of the Year in 2014 and 2016, as well as the 2016 National Soccer Coaches Association of America Central Region Coaching Staff of the Year.
 
He also served as an FC United Soccer Club head coach for the 1999 Boys Team in Illinois from 2014-2018. The club was crowned Illinois State Cup Champions in 2017 and 2018, won the 2018 U.S. Youth Soccer Region II Championship and finished fourth at the 2018 U.S. Youth Soccer National Championship.
 
A native of Roswell, Ga., Flinn holds a United States Soccer Federation B License. He previously served for four years as Technical Director at Vestavia Hills Soccer Club in Birmingham, Ala., where his teams won three state championships.
 
Prior to his collegiate coaching tenure, Flinn played for Duquesne University from 2004-2007. He was a part of two Atlantic 10 Conference regular-season championships and was a captain his senior year. Flinn graduated from Duquesne with a bachelor's degree in business administration.
 
Flinn and his wife, Lindsey, have two sons, Jack (4) and Aaron (2).
 
What they are saying about Flinn:

"Pat's passion for his teams is unmatched.  What his teams have accomplished to this point is a result of how much he cares about his players, and how driven he is to get the most out of everyone. The Drake players, alumni and community should be thrilled. Pat is going to bring a whole new energy to the Drake soccer program, and it is going to be fun to watch." --Michael Babst, Davidson Head Men's Soccer Coach
 
"What an outstanding hire for both Drake University, and the men's soccer program. In Pat you're getting not only an incredible coach and recruiter, but an outstanding person who cares deeply about his family, student-athletes, and role within the University. Pat will do it the right way, and with a tireless work ethic. Pat knows the Missouri Valley Conference and based on my experience with him, it's not a matter of if Drake wins an MVC championship, it's just a matter of how soon." –Neil Jones, Loyola Head Men's Soccer Coach
 
"Pat is a fantastic coach. He is passionate about his players, a relentless recruiter and has made every program that he has touched better. Drake and its alumni should be excited. They have gotten one of the best coaches around. His familiarity with The Valley from his time at Loyola Chicago should serve him well. I am excited to see him continue to build on the successes he has had at the University of Chicago now as the head coach at Drake." –Brian Plotkin, Army Head Men's Soccer Coach
 
"I am super excited for the Drake Bulldog Soccer family. In Pat Flinn you are getting a quality coach whose competitive fire will make an impact from day one. I have known Pat since I coached him in high school, and I knew the day where he landed a D1 job was inevitable. To do so at a quality institution like Drake, is fortuitous for both program and coach." – Rocky Harmon, Executive Director of Vestavia Hills Soccer Club and Co-Executive Director of Hoover-Vestavia Soccer