PRESQUE ISLE, Maine — Trevor Parent, who coached the University of Maine at Presque Isle women’s soccer team for six full seasons and to an 0-4 record to begin the current campaign, has resigned.
Parent said he stepped down due to a “professional opportunity at Northern Lighthouse, Inc.,” a non-profit organization offering mental health services which is based in Presque Isle. He began his new duties Monday, Sept. 17.
UMPI Athletic Director Dan Kane confirmed Parent’s resignation took place on Friday, Sept. 14, just prior to the team’s weekend trip to Vermont. Kane said Parent was willing to stay on and coach the Sept. 15 and 16 games played in Vermont.
The team compiled an overall record of 27-65-4 during Parent’s tenure, according to the University of Maine at Presque Isle website. The Owls played in two quarterfinals, two semifinals and one conference championship during his tenure.
Parent said he was privileged to have been able to coach “over a dozen Academic All-Americans, an NCAA Div. III scoring champion, and three United States Collegiate Athletic Association All-Americans.”
In addition to his coaching responsibilities, Parent also served as the university’s athletic retention and recruitment coordinator, but Kane said those duties will be passed along within the athletic department staff.
Keli Marston (Courtesy of UMPI)
Prior to taking the women’s head coaching job in 2012, Parent was an assistant coach for the Owl men’s team for three seasons. He played soccer at UMPI under coach Alan Gordon.
Kane said Keli Marston, who is the fitness and wellness director at Gentile Hall on the UMPI campus, will coach the remainder of the season. She is a 1998 graduate of UMPI and was a 2007 inductee into the Owls’ Athletic Hall of Fame. Marston played soccer, basketball and softball and ran cross country during her collegiate career.
Her husband, Aaron, another former UMPI soccer standout, will assist Marston.
“A coaching change in the middle of the season can be tough,” Kane said, “but I met with Keli and Aaron Sunday and they agreed to come on board for the rest of the year.
“The players have a lot of respect for them and are enthusiastic,” he added. “Keli and Aaron began practices earlier this week and so far it’s been going really well. We even had a couple more [players] join the team.”
Kane said the Marstons are unable to make the trip for this weekend’s games, which are against Northern Vermont-Lyndon in Vermont Saturday and against Fisher College in Boston Sunday, so Kane will step in as the coach for those two matches.
He said a national search for a new coach will begin following the season.
