Ashley Holmes became the head coach at Florida Southern in April 2020, after spending six seasons as an assistant coach at his alma mater. Holmes served as an assistant under former head coach Ryan Sniegoski in 2013, and from 2015-16, Holmes remained on the staff when Jason Carlson arrived in 2017 and has now been a part of the men’s soccer program at Florida Southern for all but one of the last 12 years.

In the 2023 season, Holmes led the team back to the Sunshine State Conference post-season tournament after a year off. He coached the team against three top performers (#10 Lynn, #10 Rollins, and #7 Florida Tech) not allowing a single goal. The highlight of the season was against No.10 Rollins where FSC upset the Tars in shutout form for a 3-0 win. Holmes had one player earn All-SSC second-team honors in sophomore defender Ruben Linden. On the Academic side of the pitch, five were announced to the CSC Academic All-District for their success in the classroom as Felix Aakerberg, Luca Bernoth, Kristoffer Risnes, Jay Skelcher-Maxwell, and Felix Tonne were all named to the CSC Academic All-District. 

In the 2022 fall season, Holmes coached transfer standout Henri Tophoven who had a historic season. Tophoven ended his career with several honors including being named the Academic All-America Team Member of the Year, All-SSC First Team honors, D2CCA All-South Region honors, CSC Academic All-District honors, D2CCA All-American honors, and United Soccer Coaches NCAA DII Men's All-South Region Second Team honors. He was named the United Soccer Coaches Player of the Week as well as SSC Offensive Player of the Week scoring a hat trick against UAH. Tophoven went on to earn SSC Offensive Player of the Week back-to-back honors for a total of three, earning All-SSC First Team recognition. Along with Tophoven, junior keeper AJ Pearce garnered SSC defensive player of the week honors during a shutout against RV Tampa. And then joining Tophoven on the CSC Academic All-District were Wade Bohde, Daniel Miranda, and Felix Tonne whose efforts contributed to the team's success in the classroom and community to finish #5 on helper helper. 

During the 2021 season, Holmes coached three that would make it to the All-SSC Team with James Meehan and Edu Capote selected to the second team and Christoph Gums an Honorable Mention. Meehan went on to be named to the MLS SuperDraft 2022 Eligible Players List.

After the 2020 season was cut due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Holmes had his first year of competition in the 2021 season. Despite a full schedule of difficult competition in a powerhouse conference, the Mocs had six wins in Holmes' first year at the helm. An 8-0 rout of Eckerd on Senior Night highlighted the year as the Mocs nearly upset three nationally-ranked opponents during the regular season. Holmes and the Mocs finished fifth in the SSC to make it to the SSC Quarterfinals, where their season ended. 

One of the most decorated players in team history, Holmes spent five seasons with the Moccasins as a student-athlete from 2008-12, which included a medical redshirt year in 2009. During that time, he started all 54 games in which he played and was a 3-time First Team All-Sunshine State Conference defender. He is one of only three players in team history to make the All-SSC Team three times, was an NSCAA All-South Region selection in 2010, and was twice selected as the Mocs' Most Valuable Player (2010 and 2012). Well-known for his abilities as a center-back, Holmes also ranks among the highest-scoring defenders to ever play for the Moccasins. He totaled 11 goals and 23 points in his career and was their second-leading scorer as a redshirt junior in 2011 with six goals.

Holmes has the distinction of being the only Moccasin to serve as a team captain for four years. He was elected to that role as a sophomore in 2009, the year in which he redshirted, and continued to hold that title throughout the remainder of his career. He was also a leader in the classroom at Florida Southern, winning two NCAA Academic Achievement Awards, earning Academic All-Region honors in 2011, and a spot on the SSC Commissioner's Honor Roll in all five years on the roster, including his final season when he played as a graduate student.

ASHLEY HOLMES YEAR-BY-YEAR

YEAR

INSTITUTION

DIV.

RECORD

PCT.

SSC

2020*

Florida Southern

NCAA-II

0-0-0

.000

0-0-0

2021

Florida Southern

NCAA-II

6-8-3

.441

5-4-1

2022   

Florida Southern    

NCAA-II    

4-5-7    

.469

1-4-5

2023  

Florida Southern   

NCAA-II

5-6-6    

.471

3-3-4

 Career

15-19-16

.460

9-11-10

4 Seasons at Florida Southern

15-19-16

.460

9-11-10

* Season canceled due to COVID-19 concerns