Chris Hughes has been at the helm of the highly successful men's soccer program at Davenport University for 12 seasons following the end of 2023. In those 12 seasons, the Panthers have a record of 140-71-22 and won the 2014 NAIA National Championship while being the 2021 GLIAC Regular Season Co-Champions and 2017 GLIAC Tournament Champions.

GLIAC Era

After a surge toward the end of the regular season, the Panthers clinched home pitch advantage in the 2023 GLIAC Tournament and shutout Northern Michigan 3-0 in the first round, but fell in the second round to Purdue Northwest - capping their season with a 6-5-5 record. A handful of players were named All-GLIAC for 2023: Vitalis Takawira Jr. (First Team), Nic Baigrie (First Team), Andrew Dykstra (Second Team), Faheem Patel (Second Team), and George Deveau (Honorable Mention). Dykstra also recieved D2CCA All-Midwest Region Second Team honors, with Patel being named CSC Academic All-District.

DU was one match away from securing their second conference championship in 2022, but a 3-2 loss to Saginaw Valley State in the GLIAC Tournament cut their run short and finished the season with 8-8-3 record. Matt Whelan was an accoladed player in 2022, garnering First Team All-GLIAC, D2CCA First Team All-Region, D2CCA Second Team All-American, and United Soccer Coaches All-Midwest Region First Team. Eoin Broughan received First Team All-GLIAC, D2CCA Second Team All-Region, and United Soccer Coaches All-Midwest Region Third Team.

The 2021 season saw the program reach new heights as co-champions of the GLIAC and punch their ticket to the NCAA Division II Tournament for the first time. The Panthers compiled a record of 11-8-1 and lost in the first round of the NCAA Tournament on a neutral field against Lewis. The team also advanced to the title game of the GLIAC Tournament before falling to Parkside with whom they shared the regular season crown. The team rebounded from an 0-3 start with a five-match win streak including a 3-2 overtime win at No. 14 Parkside. At the conclusion of the season, a trio of players (Daire O'Riordan, Cian Quinn, and Matt Whelan) were named First Team All-GLIAC. Quinn and Whelan also earned Second Team All-Region and O'Riordan was Third Team All-Region.

The 2020 season provided its challenges as the team ended up playing their entire season during the spring 2021. Adding to the lingering COVID-19 restrictions was that the Panthers faced a rash of injuries that led to a 4-5-1 record. DU played strictly GLIAC teams going 3-4 during the season which placed sixth in the standings. The team got healthy at the right time as they entered the GLIAC Tournament and advanced all the way to the championship game hosted by SVSU. In the end, DU could not overcome Ashland in the finals but battled to that impressive runner-up finish. Daire O'Riordan was named First Team All-GLIAC at the conclusion of the season.

The program got back to their winning ways during the 2019 campaign as the Panthers finished with a 10-8-1 record including a 9-4-1 mark in the GLIAC. The Panthers finished in third place in the conference and opened league play with five straight shutout wins. They would go on to post seven shutout wins out of their nine in the GLIAC. DU avenged two regular-season losses against Ashland with a 2-1 win in the GLIAC Tournament quarterfinals at home on Nov. 11. The season came to an end in the semifinals with a 3-2 loss against Saginaw Valley State. Lasse Pico Kjeldsen was named GLIAC Defensive Player of the Year and he and three teammates were also named All-GLIAC First Team (Daire O'Riordan, Matt Whelan, Eoin Broughan). Whelan and O'Riordan were also named All-Region by United Soccer Coaches.

In the team's second year competing in the GLIAC, the Panthers battled through significant injuries and went 3-12-2. The schedule was tough right off the bat for the Panthers. They earned a hard-fought draw against #19 Maryville (Mo.) in their very first game of the season. The team played a very competitive schedule and nine of their losses were by one goal including five in overtime. Chris also earned his 100th career win against Ashland on Sept. 21. Hughes coached First Team All-GLIAC Stephen Carroll, Second Team-All GLIAC in Brogan Shrimpton, and All-GLIAC Honorable Mention Daire O'Riordan.

Hughes accepted a new challenge in 2017 as the Panthers moved into the Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (GLIAC) and as a provisional member of NCAA Division II. The Panthers finished 12-6-1 and placed fourth during the regular season. The team entered the GLIAC Tournament with something to prove and won three straight games to claim the tournament championship. Included in those wins were a 3-1 win over No. 22 Northwood in Midland and a 1-0 win over No. 24 Saginaw Valley State in the championship. Hughes coached GLIAC Offensive Player of the Year in Brogan Shrimpton and GLIAC Defensive Player of the Year in Stephen Carroll. Shrimpton and Carroll were also named D2CCA First Team All-Midwest Region and Shrimpton was D2CCA First Team All-American ending the season with 19 goals.

NAIA Era

Hughes guided the 2016 team to a record of 20-2-3 and a final ranking of No. 3 in the NAIA. The Panthers finished second in the WHAC regular season (9-0-2) and were runner-ups in the WHAC Tournament. They received an at-large bid into the NAIA National Tournament and proceeded to advance to the semifinals before being eliminated on penalty kicks after a 0-0 stalemate through 110 minutes. The team captured four wins and two ties against nationally-ranked teams. In total, the team had six NAIA Scholar Athletes and senior TJ Ifaturoti was named CoSIDA First Team Academic All-American. Ifaturoti and senior Jake Love were also named to the NAIA All-American teams.

The program finished as a national quarterfinalist in the NAIA Tournament during the 2015 season with a record of 16-3-3. TJ Ifaturoti (First Team) and Jake Love (Second Team) were both named All-Americans by the NAIA and Hughes was named Wolverine-Hoosier Athletic Conference Coach of the Year.

The 2015 squad won the WHAC regular season title with a 10-0-1 record and advanced to the NAIA Quarterfinals with wins in the tournament over Purdue-Calumet (3-0) and Campbellsville (2-2, advanced 5-4 on PK's). The Panthers scored a total of 54 goals during the season which ranked 30th in the NAIA. The team also yielded just 1.09 goals per contest showing their dominance on the pitch by outscoring their opponent by 30 goals for the season. The team finished the season ranked No. 5 in the nation.

The year 2014 is one to remember for Hughes and the Davenport men's soccer program. With a schedule featuring seven opponents ranked in the NAIA Top 25, the Panthers record of 22-3-1 produced the school's first NAIA national title by a team as well as an appearance in the top of the rankings on two different occasions. Hughes also saw the nation's leading scorer Dzenan Catic win NAIA National Player of the Year and be drafted by the Philadelphia Union with the 31st overall pick of the Major League Soccer SuperDraft. Hughes was also named NSCAA/NAIA National Coach of the Year for guiding the program to the promised land.

The 2013 campaign for the program was a breakout one that saw them set almost every team record at the time, including wins (19) finishing with an overall mark of 19-3. Hughes guided the team to a regular season and tournament championship in the Wolverine-Hoosier Athletic Conference (WHAC) and a berth in the NAIA National Tournament. Hughes coached the WHAC Player of the Year in Dzenan Catic, who also received Honorable Mention NAIA accolades.

In 2012, Hughes guided the Panthers to an 9-8-1 record which was an improvement of five wins from 2011. 

Calvin Era

Over the 10 years guiding the NCAA Division III program at Calvin, Hughes posted an overall record of 154-48-22 that included seven Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association (MIAA) championships and national tournament appearances as well as a pair of national runner-up finishes. Hughes was named the Great Lakes Regional Coach of the Year in 2004 by the National Soccer Coaches Association of America.

A native of Mt. Clemens, Michigan and a graduate of Lutheran North High School, Hughes then went on to attend Calvin College where he was a two-time All-MIAA honoree. As a marking back on defense, Hughes was named Second Team All-MIAA in 1989 and to the 1st team in 1990. As a senior, Hughes helped anchor a Calvin defensive unit that allowed just six goals in 12 MIAA games on its way to a share of the MIAA title.

After graduating from Calvin he was a member of the Bill and Paul's Soccer Club for eight years. In addition, Hughes served eight years as Calvin's junior varsity men's soccer coach. Hughes graduated from Calvin in 1992 with a degree in business and communications. 

Personal

He currently works as a licensed residential real estate agent with the Coldwell Banker-AJS company.

Hughes and his wife, Heather, reside in Caledonia with their two sons - Kenzie and Caleb.

Chris Hughes Career Coaching Records

Season

W

L

T

Conference

National Tournament

Win %

@ Davenport

2021

11

8

1

T-1st (GLIAC)

First Round    

.575

2020

4

5

1

6th (GLIAC)

--

.450

2019    

10            

8

1

3rd (GLIAC)

--

.553

2018

3

12

2

7th (GLIAC)

--

.235

2017

12

6

1

4th (GLIAC)

GLIAC Tournament Champs

.632

2016

20

2

3

2nd (WHAC)

Semifinals (NAIA)

.800

2015

16

3

3

1st (WHAC)

Quarterfinals (NAIA)

.727

2014

22

3

1

2nd (WHAC)

Champions (NAIA)

.846

2013

19

3

0

1st (WHAC)

Opening Round (NAIA)

.864

2012

9

8

1

7th (WHAC)

--

.500

DU Totals

126

58

14

.669

@ Calvin

2011

19

6

2

1st (MIAA)

Finals (NCAA D3)

.704

2010

16

3

5

T-1st (MIAA)

Quarterfinals (NCAA D3)

.667

2009

17

4

3

1st (MIAA)

Finals (NCAA D3)

.708

2008

15

5

1

1st (MIAA)

Opening Round (NCAA D3)

.714

2007

14

5

2

1st (MIAA)

Opening Round (NCAA D3)

.667

2006

10

5

5

4th (MIAA)

--

.500

2005

17

4

2

2nd (MIAA)

Quarterfinals (NCAA D3)

.739

2004

18

2

1

1st (MIAA)

Sweet 16 (NCAA D3)

.857

2003

15

5

0

T-1st (MIAA)

--

.750

2002

11

8

1

4th (MIAA)

--

.550

Calvin Totals

152

47

22

.738

Overall Totals

278

105

36

--

.706