Coach Potteiger enters his seventh year as head coach of Lee men’s soccer. During the past six seasons his Flames have posted nothing but winning records. Potteiger’s clubs have quickly become highly respected teams in powerful GSC and DII play, finishing the 2022 season at 9-4-2.

The Flames suffered a heart-breaking 2-1 defeat to Christian Brothers in the quarterfinal round of the 2022 GSC Tournament that ended the season. Eemeli Makela earned All-GSC, All-South Region and DII Third Team All-American honors, Jeremy Bischoff was All-GSC, All-South Region and an All-American Scholar while freshman Fabian Navarro was voted to the All-GSC team.

After the 2020 season was also completely wiped out due to the COVID-19, the 2021 Flames came burning back with a 13-5-1 record and recorded several team marks, It became the first team to post 13 wins since Lee moved forward to DII, also added the most conference wins (7), most goals scored - with a full DII schedule (36), fewest goals conceded (10), highest goal differential (1.7). The season ended with the heartbreaking loss to rival West Florida, 2-1 in the GSC Tournament finals.

The 2019 team placed fourth in the Gulf South Conference regular-season standings, then the Flames defeated top-seeded Mississippi College in the semi-final round of the GSC Tournament and whipped rival West Florida 1-0 to earn its first-ever GSC Tournament Championship. Potteiger’s club made its first trip to the NCAA DII National Tournament and fell to Queens University (Charlotte, N.C.) in the opening round after two overtimes and a 5-4 decision in penalty kicks.

Potteiger was a two-time All-American at Penn State University and former first assistant for the United States Naval Academy (2009-13). During his tenure at Penn State, Potteiger was selected All-Big 10 four times and captained the soccer team for three seasons, graduating with a 3.5 GPA.

He played professionally in the USL for several years and served as the top assistant under legendary coach Dave Brandt at the Naval Academy. Navy was a bottom 10 program in 2008 and rose to a Top 25 program by 2013 under Brandt’s leadership. 

Coach Potteiger began his head coaching career at NCAA Division III Gordon College (Wenham, Massachusetts) and for four years his teams posted an impressive 61-18-3 record. He took over a Gordon team that won only six games prior to his arrival in 2012 to 19 wins in 2013 and was named conference coach of the year. He directed the Gordon squad to its first two NCAA tournament wins.

Potteiger said, “Lee has been a great place for me and my family thus far, and a place that we have really felt a strong connection with right from the start. We have been able to build the program the right way over the last six seasons and were able to reap some of those rewards in 2019. 

"One of the great aspects of college coaching is that every team is quite unique and never the same as the previous season. The challenge is always building on the foundation of the program that has been laid by previous teams but recognizing it is a new season and a unique group and embracing that new challenge.”

Derek, and his wife Jennifer have four daughters, Alexis, Rylee, Abigail, Reese and a foster son Myan.

POTTEIGER SEASON-BY-SEASON 

Year 

School 

Record 

National Tournament Appearances

2013 

Gordon College 

19-3-0 

NCAA DIII Second Round 

2014 

Gordon College 

14-5-2 

2015 

Gordon College 

16-5-0 

NCAA DIII Second Round 

2016 

Gordon College 

12-5-1 

2017 

Lee University 

6-6-4 

2018 

Lee University 

9-7-3 

2019

Lee University

12-4-5

GSC Champions, NCAA DII First Round

2020  

Lee University    

1-2-2

Postseason Canceled Due to COVID

2021  

Lee University

13-5-1

2022   

Lee University

9-4-2

Total    

111-46-20

At Lee   

50-28-17