University of North Georgia Men's Soccer

After his first complete season as the full-time head coach and an interim season the year prior, Anel Lilic returns to the pitch for his third season as the head coach of UNG men’s soccer. After Lilic led the 2023 squad to a season of firsts where the Nighthawks posted a 9-8-2 overall mark and 5-3-2 record in Peach Belt Conference play, resulting in his promotion to full time head coach, he upped the ante in 2024. With an 8-6-3 record in the regular season and a 6-3-1 mark in conference matches, Lilic and the Nighthawks finished in second place in the PBC for the second time in program history and first time since 2016. UNG went on to advance to the PBC Tournament Semifinals for the second year in a row and the first time in back-to-back seasons since 2008. After having five PBC All-Conference selections and the Freshman of the Year for the first time in program history in 2023, Lilic mentored another quintet of all-conference selections in 2024 including PBC Freshman of the Year Jorge Sandoval.  Sandoval and sophomore Aram Lara were also named to the United Soccer Coaches Southeast All-Region Team in 2024, marking the program’s first all-region winners since 2018. North Georgia's nine wins in 2023 were the most in the previous six seasons for the UNG men's soccer program and marked only the third winning season since 2011. Lilic led the team to a late-season four-match winning streak marking the first time the Nighthawks were victorious in four straight matches since a program-record 10-match winning streak that dates back to the 2004 season. The streak was highlighted by a late 2-1 home win over No. 16 Clayton State. Under Lilic's direction, the Nighthawks finished unbeaten (7-0-1) in home matches at the UNG Soccer Field at Lynn Cottrell Park in 2023.  Prior to his time at UNG, Lilic worked with Atlanta United as a goalkeepers coach in the Regional Development School after a stint with Georgia Southern's women's soccer program. Prior to that, Lilic served as head coach at Flowery Branch High School, working with the girls' soccer program. In his two-year tenure at FBHS, the Lady Falcons were 41-4-2 and reached the state semifinal and state championship.     Lilic also served as a head coach for several age groups on the boys' side at Gwinnett Soccer Academy (GSA) and is a goalkeeper coach with the Olympic Development Program (ODP). Collegiately, he worked in Dahlonega as a graduate assistant and volunteer assistant with the UNG men's soccer for six years beginning in 2013. Lilic moved to Georgia from Sarajevo, Bosnia. He played collegiate soccer at Emmanuel College where he earned All-Region honors. Updated: June 2025

Mcilroy joins the Nighthawks for his first season as an assistant coach after spending the previous two years as a graduate assistant at Clayton State (CSU).  With the Lakers, Mcilroy helped the program finish as Peach Belt Conference Regular-season Champions in both 2023 and 2024 with a PBC Tournament title in 2023 as well. During Mcilroy’s time in Morrow, Ga., the Lakers went 28-8-5 and made two appearances in the NCAA Tournament marking the program’s first return to the NCAA postseason since 2010. In 2023, CSU was bounced in the Second Round of the tournament. When the Lakers returned to the dance in 2024, Mcilroy helped guide the team to a tie for the deepest postseason run in program history as they lost to eventual National Champion Lynn in the Elite Eight.  Mcilroy is also in his third year as a club coach at AFC Lightning with the U15 and U16 boys teams. He was also added to the coaching staff for Apotheos FC in the National Premier Soccer League (NPSL) in Atlanta for the last two seasons.  Mcilroy’s collegiate coaching career started in Oklahoma City at Southern Nazarene where he was a graduate assistant for the 2022 season in which the Storm were crowned Great American Conference Regular-season and Tournament Champions, solidifying the first NCAA Tournament appearance in program history.    Prior to his coaching career, Mcilroy had a successful playing career from 2017-21. He started his playing career at the University of Mary where he played in 23 matches and knocked in five goals. Mcilroy then transferred to Quincy for the next two seasons. In 32 matches, he scored a pair of goals and added an assist. He then used his final season of eligibility to play at Clayton State. In his one season with the Lakers, Mcilroy notched a pair of assists in 19 matches as a starting center back. Updated: August 2025

Alex Wright has joined the University of North Georgia men’s soccer staff for the 2023 season. Prior to his time at UNG, Wright coached club soccer at the Lanier Soccer Association (LSA) and Gwinnett Soccer Academy.   During his time at LSA, Wright led the most successful girls’ team in club history, a 2005 team that became Lanier’s first team to achieve Regional Premier League status.   After leaving for the Gwinnett Soccer Association, Wright took charge of the 2007 ECNL boys’ team in 2020. Wright led the team to the Southeast Region title in his first year in charge, going unbeaten that season and qualifying for the ECNL Nationals. His 2007 team was able to send three players to the Atlanta United Academy after that season, with Adyn Torres and Nathan Gray recently signing professional contracts at 15 years old.   As a player, Wright played central midfield at Emmanuel. Wright was a three-time All-Conference standout and still holds program records in all-time points (102), goals (31) and assists (40).