Former MLS player Calum Mallace joins Loyola Chicago coaching staff

CHICAGO – Loyola University Chicago head men’s soccer coach Neil Jones announced the addition of Calum Mallace to his coaching staff. An eight-year professional, Mallace, who most recently spent time at Northwestern University, will serve as an assistant coach with the Maroon & Gold.

“We are extremely excited to have Calum join our staff, and we welcome him and his wife, Jordan, into the Loyola Soccer family,” Jones said.  “I’ve gotten to know Calum well over the past year and a half, and have had numerous conversations with people within college and professional soccer who I hold in the highest regard.  There were two consistent themes from those calls, Calum will work extremely hard for your program, and your student-athletes will enjoy being around and learning from him.”

“It is an absolute pleasure to accept this role as assistant coach at such an amazing school,” Mallace commented.  “I would like to thank Head Coach Neil Jones, Assistant Coach Graham Brennan, Director of Athletics Steve Watson, and Deputy Athletic Director Holly Strauss-O’Brien for trusting me with this fantastic opportunity.  We have a great group of young men here and I can’t wait to get to work and win some championships. Go Ramblers!”

Mallace began his stint with the Wildcats in January 2020, assuming the role of Director of Player Development before being promoted to assistant coach just six months later.  During his time in Evanston, Ill., he oversaw in the development of a pair of All-Big Ten Conference honorees in Ugo Achara, Jr. and Rom Brown.

Prior to joining the coaching ranks, Mallace, a native of Torphichen, Scotland, enjoyed an impressive professional career that included stops with Major League Soccer’s (MLS) Montreal Impact (2012-17), Seattle Sounders (2017), and Los Angeles FC (2018), making 85 appearances during his MLS career.  The 20^th overall pick in the 2012 MLS SuperDraft by the Impact, Mallace also spent the 2019 season with Austin Bold FC of the USL Championship.

A two-time All-BIG EAST Conference selection during his time at Marquette University, Mallace racked up 13 goals and 13 assists across 69 career appearances for the Golden Eagles.  As a senior, he was tabbed a Second Team All-American by College Soccer News in addition to being named the BIG EAST’s Midfielder of the Year.

“It’s not every day you get to add a seven-year MLS professional player to your staff, and on top of that, someone who has been coached by two of the USA’s best coaches in Bob Bradley (Los Angeles FC) and Jesse Marsch (Red Bull Leipzig),” Jones concluded.  “We are thrilled to get Calum on board, and to see him on the field with our team this season.”

Fresh off making its third straight trip to the Missouri Valley Conference Championship title game this past spring, Loyola is slated to return 21 letterwinners this fall, a group that includes six All-MVC honorees, highlighted by reigning MVC Player of the Year and Midfielder of the Year Billy Hency.