WILMINGTON, North Carolina – UNCW men's soccer alum and professional coach Austin MacPhee continues to ascend to the highest levels of association football as an assistant at Aston Villa F.C. of the English Premier League.
MacPhee, who is also an assistant for the Scotland Men's National Team, has worked the last four years as a set-piece specialist coach for Villa. A UNCW midfielder from 1999-2002, MacPhee has helped the English club rise to the UEFA Champions League next season for the first time in over 40 years.
A top lieutenant for Aston Villa Head Coach Unai Emery, MacPhee helped the club finish fourth in the Premier League in 2023-24 with a club record 68 points across 38 games (20 wins).
MacPhee played 41 games across three seasons for the Seahawks, including two years under the guidance of UNCW Head Coach Aidan Heaney. The Kirkcaldy, Scotland, native scored six goals and collected three assists in his time in the Port City, including a career-high four goals with two penalty kicks in 2002 while earning a degree in Psychology.
"Austin is working beside one of the top coaches in the world in Unai Emery. What they have been able to accomplish this season has been spectacular in making it into the Champion's League next season," said Heaney. "We follow all of Villa's games and it's very cool to see Austin on TV every week and support him from afar."
One of the first UNCW players to turn professional under Heaney's tutelage, MacPhee spent his five-year professional playing career between AFC Dacia Unirea Braila in Romania and FC Kariya in Japan.
MacPhee soon began coaching where his stints have included Scottish clubs Cowdenbeath F.C., St. Mirren F.C. and Heart of Midlothian F.C., along with Danish team FC Midtjylland. He has also been an assistant with the Northern Ireland National Team and assisted Mexico during the 2014 World Cup before his current duties with Scotland.
"This summer is massive for Scotland and Austin will play a major role in how their team does in the European Championships next month," continued Heaney. "An exciting summer ahead!"
