Bio

Rhys Thomas enters his second year as part of the Mars Hill University men's soccer coaching staff.

Thomas arrived at Mars Hill following two successful seasons (2022–2023) as an assistant coach at Carolina University in Winston-Salem, North Carolina. During his tenure, the Bruins compiled an impressive 28-5-4 record and earned national rankings of No. 8 and No. 5 in the NCCAA in consecutive years.

A native of Cambridge, England, Thomas began his collegiate playing career at St. Charles Community College in Missouri. As a standout performer, he served as team captain during his sophomore season and earned First Team MCAC All-Conference and All-Region XVI honors.

He then transferred to Carolina University, where he was a three-year captain. Thomas earned All-Regional honors twice and capped off his playing career with All-American recognition in his senior season.

In addition to his collegiate coaching experience, Thomas coached with North Carolina Triad Rush, a prominent youth club based in Winston-Salem.

Thomas holds a Bachelor’s degree in Health and Physical Education from Carolina University (2022) and earned his Master’s degree in Management from Mars Hill University in 2025.

In his first season at Mars Hill, Thomas helped guide the Lions to a historic 2024–25 campaign. The team finished with a 10-4-5 overall record and a 6-2-3 mark in South Atlantic Conference (SAC) play, earning an at-large bid to the NCAA Division II National Championship for the first time since 2012. Under the staff’s guidance, the program achieved numerous accolades, including six SAC All-Conference selections and a host of regional and national honors.

Senior forward Peter Plougmand was named the 2024 Division II Conference Commissioners Association (D2CCA) Ron Lenz National Player of the Year and the SAC Offensive Player of the Year, finishing the season with 25 goals and 6 assists. He, along with several teammates, earned All-Region, All-America, and Scholar All-America honors, marking a milestone year for the program in both athletic and academic achievement.