Becoming just the fourth Head Coach in HPU men's soccer Division I history, Zach Haines arrived on the HPU campus February 12th, 2019, having spent the previous season with the University of Denver, and six seasons prior with the University or North Carolina-Wilmington.

54-25-13 Overall record in five seasons; 31-1-7 in the Big South Conference

HPU Record GPA for Men's Team: 3.56 in 2022; Above a 3.0 team GPA every semester in Haines’ tenure

2023 1st Round of the NCAA Tournament (Matched up against UNC Charlotte)

2022 2nd Round of the NCAA Tournament (Win over UNC in the 1st Round to advance to play at #5 Stanford)

2020 2nd Round of the NCAA Tournament (Secured bye to face defending National Champions - Georgetown)

2023 Big South Regular Season Champions

2023 Big South Tournament Champions

2023 Big South Coach of the Year

2022 Big South Tournament Champions 

2022 Big South Coach of the Year

2020 Big South Conference Double | Regular Season & Tournament Titles

54 Big South All-Conference selections in five seasons

Five straight Big South Tournament Final appearances

Three MLS Draft Picks in Four Seasons: Meyer, Rula, Trent (1st round)

Ranked in the Top 25 in each of the last 3 seasons

Ranked as high as 14th in the country in the 2020 season

19th Ranked Recruiting Class in Division I for 2023/TopDrawerSoccer.com

25th Ranked Recruiting Class in Division I for 2022/TopDrawerSoccer.com

23rd Ranked Recruiting Class in Division I for 2021/TopDrawerSoccer.com

12th Ranked Recruiting Class in Division I for 2020/TopDrawerSoccer.com

2020 End of Season Poll: #23 United Soccer Coaches, #22 in TDS, #23 CSN

3rd Highest Winning Percentage in the Country in 2020

In his fifth season (2023), Haines led HPU to its fifth straight Big South Championship game, resuting in a 1-1 draw with UNC Asheville but advancing on penalty kicks to secure an automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament. The Panthers then traveled to UNC Charlotte in the 1st round. Charlotte took that game 1-0. HPU finished 10-4-5 overall, with yet another undefeated Big South Regular season at 6-0-1. High Point landed 10 players on Big South All-Conference teams, and two who were honored with All-Region awards. 

In his fourth season (2022), Haines led HPU to program history once again with its fourth straight Big South Championship game, beating Campbell 2-0 to secure an automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament. The Panthers then traveled to UNC in the 1st round of the NCAA Tournament, and won 2-0 to advance to play #5 Stanford in the 2nd round. This was the first NCAA tournament win in program history, and the second NCAA 2nd Round appearance for Haines and HPU (2020-21 bye to face Georgetown). HPU finished 11-5-5 overall, with another undefeated Big South Regular season at 5-0-3. Haines added two more Power-5 wins over #7 Maryland and UNC on the road, to go along with a 2019 win at Duke. HPU landed 11 players on Big South All-Conference teams.

In his third season (2021), Haines led HPU to its third straight Big South Championship game. HPU went unbeaten in conference play 5-0-3, and had nine players earn Big South honors. The Panthers finished 8-7-3 overall, securing a third straight winning season.

Haines and the Panthers made program history in his second season (2020-21) as Haines led HPU to its first Big South Tournament Championship in program history, defeating USC Upstate, 3-1. Haines led HPU to a 12-2-0 overall record while going 8-0-0 in the Big South, an NCAA Tournament 2nd Round appearance, and a 3.44 Team GPA. The Panthers won the Big South Regular Season and Tournament to capture their first-ever Big South double. High Point received an automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament making its second ever NCAA Tournament appearance. High Point was undefeated at home in the spring season of 2021. The NCAA Second round finish is the furthest an HPU soccer team has made it in the NCAA Tournament. Under Haines in the Spring of 2021 HPU received its first-ever semifinalist for the Mac Hermann Trophy in MD Myers. In the spring of 2021 HPU was ranked in all four National Polls; as high as #14 in the country in 2020-21 Season. HPU finished the spring of 2021 with a final ranking of #23 in the U.S. in United Soccer Coaches Poll. Through two seasons Haines was 25-9-0 overall and had the highest win percentage of any active head coach in DI.

In his first season (2019) with the Panthers, Haines led HPU back to the Big South Championship match with a 13-7-0 record, the most successful season in the first year of a head coach in High Point men’s soccer history and saw Keegan Meyer taken 43rd overall in the MLS SuperDraft, the Purple and White’s first SuperDraft pick in program history. The Panthers won a marquis game at Duke as well as finishing 7-1-0 in the Big South Conference.

Acting as the Pioneers' Assistant Coach and Recruiting Coordinator, Haines helped Denver to a 15-4-2 record on the year, as the side reached as far as the second round of the NCAA Tournament. Under Haines the Pioneers reached as high as No. 3 in the United Soccer Coaches top-25, finishing the year at No. 15 overall. DU finished 2018 as both Summit League Tournament and Regular Season Champs, while boasting the No. 15 scoring offense in all of Division I soccer (2.00).

A native of Jamestown, N.C., Haines spent six years of his coaching career at UNCW before going to Denver, holding the position of Associate Head Coach for three seasons. The Southwest Guilford HS grad helped lead the Seahawks from a 7-11-1 record in his first season, to a 13-5-2 finish, and an NCAA Tournament At-Large bid, in his third year. During his time in Wilmington, UNCW received a pair of NCAA Tournament At-Large Bids, advancing to the second round of the championship in both appearances, as well as two CAA Championships.

The Seahawks received a ranking in the top-25 during each of Haines' last five seasons at UNCW, thrice defeating his alma mater North Carolina as well as four wins in a row versus in-state foe Duke. While in Wilmington, 25 players competing under Haines received All-Conference honors and eight earned All-CAA rookie recognition. 

Haines has made a habit of recruiting and producing professional talent with eight of his players at UNCW signing pro contracts between 2012-2017. In 2019 at the University of Denver, two players under Haines' tutelage were selected in the Major League Soccer Superdraft, including NCAA leading goal scorer Andre Shinyashiki (No. 5; Colorado Rapids) and Pioneer defender Scott DeVoss (59th; Orlando City). Haines also coached 2016 MLS pick Colin Bonner (45th; FC Dallas), during his tenure with UNCW, and recruited Vancouver Whitecaps Homegrown signing, Sean Melvin, as well as Atlanta United draft pick Phillip Goodrum, and Seattle Sounders draft pick Danny Reynolds.

Before his successes at the D1 level, Haines also led a Triangle Futbol Club team to the 2011 USL Super-20 National Championship semifinals as a head coach and has also handled coaching duties with North Carolina ODP (Olympic Development Program) and East Chapel Hill High School.

Haines played for Southwest Guilford High School before competing collegiately at North Carolina. As part of the No. 4 recruiting class in the country in 2004, he spent two years playing for the Tar Heels before being forced to take a medical release due to injury in 2006, and later spent time as a Volunteer Coach for UNC in 2009. 

What They're Saying:

Denver Head Coach Jamie Franks: 

"We are very happy for Zach and the High Point University community, but sad for our student-athletes here in Denver.  Zach's knowledge and passion for the game will be sorely missed.  His love for the game is contagious and positively impacted the team and program during his time here.  Zach's ability to recruit, scout opponents, and on field coaching helped us tremendously over the past year.  On behalf of the program, we want to wish Zach only the very best of luck at High Point." 

UNCW Head Coach Aiden Heaney: 

"Zach Haines is one of the brightest young coaches in the country. He is extremely knowledgeable, tactically astute, and will demand excellence from his players. He has high standards on and off the field and will challenge his players to be the best version of themselves that they can be. I am certain he will build on their recent successes. Great hire High Point!"

Creighton Head Coach Johnny Torres: 

"Over the years I have had the opportunity to work with Zach at multiple levels. He is a passionate individual that takes his job personally. His ability to formulate and convey a successful formula for both on the field and in the classroom to a group of young men is a valuable asset! Looking forward to see Zach and High Point continue their upward trend!"