Amherst Soccer Club
COACHES
Dimitri Elias
Director of Operations
Dimitri Elias grew up playing soccer for Hampshire United from a young age. He went on to play Varsity Soccer at Souhegan High School where he was a stellar defender. Dimitri went on to play football and lacrosse at Anna Maria College, before transferring to Franklin Pierce University where he also played football and made it back onto the soccer field with the club program. Dimitri started coaching at Hampshire United in the Spring of 2015 and has been coaching year-round for the club since 2017.
Diego Thielen
Director of Coaching
Diego Thielen is an assistant coach for the Franklin Pierce University (FP) men’s soccer program, winner of the 2022 and 2023 D2 National Championship, and part of the 2023 NCAA Division II National Staff of the Year. Before joining FP, he was an assistant at Lenoir-Rhyne Univ (LRU), where he helped coach back-to-back National Tournament appearances and a South Atlantic Conference (SAC) Championship. In addition to his assistant duties at LRU, he was an assistant for the USL-Two’s Otters FC, gaining experience coaching semi-professional soccer. Before LRU, Diego served as an assistant at Ohio Valley University, where he helped guide the team to Div. II’s “Sweet Sixteen” in the NCAA National Tournament and was recognized as Midwest Region Staff of the Year. Diego played for Ohio Valley Univ. where he was honored with GMAC All-Freshman team and All-ECAC Second Team and was a member of the 2017 Great Midwest Athletic Conference Championship team, and the 2018 Midwest Region Championship team for the Fighting Scots. Coach Diego is a native of Barquisimeto, Venezuela.
Mark Smith
Dir. Early Development Program
U8-U10 Travel
Mark Smith played soccer at Phillips Academy Andover and started his youth soccer coaching career in 1993 in Waltham, MA. He has coached soccer in NH for the Amherst Soccer Club, the Nashua World Cup Soccer Club, the Inti Soccer Academy, and the Hampshire United Soccer Club. Since 2011, he has served as Hampshire’s Early Development Program (EDP) Travel Director, serving the U9 and U10 player pool. In addition, since 2017 he has coached BU11 and BU12 teams in the club’s competitive program winning the BU11 NH State Championship in the Spring of 2019. Coach Mark holds USSF National C, USSF National Youth, NSCAA Director of Coaching, and NSCAA Goalkeeper Level 1 coaching licenses.
Maggie Dix
Dir. of Early Development Program Non-Travel
Maggie Dix soccer career started in the Amherst Soccer Club Tots Program and continued through U19 with Hampshire United. After Hampshire, she played for the University of Rochester Women’s Club Soccer Team. Maggie runs the club’s Early Development Program (EDP) non-travel portion. She has coached in EDP, and at the Hampshire United summer camp for many years, and also is the head coach of the Souhegan Varsity Girls Ice Hockey Program.
Chelsea Robege
Dir. of Tots
Combining her D1 college soccer experience, and love of small kids, Coach Chelsea brings pure magic to the ASC Tots program. Seeing our tiniest players captivated by Coach Chelsea’s energy is amazing. As a standout local club player and Souhegan HS player, Chelsea went on to play midfield at UMASS Lowell for Elie Monteiro during Lowell’s transition to Division 1.
Elisabeth Larson
Liz grew up playing soccer in Massachusetts on a variety of town, club, school and ODP teams – most likely against Sarah Barret, a fierce rival in a neighboring town. Liz played Division III for Wellesley College where she was received Academic All-American honors her final two years. She has coached for HU and the Amherst Rec Department since 2009 and is also on the Board of Directors for Hampshire United.
Shawn Burke
Shawn Burke grew up in New Hampshire playing competitive soccer during his childhood at both the club and high school levels. Over the past four years, Shawn has coached a variety of youth sports ranging from Baseball and Basketball to Soccer.
Shawn has been coaching in our EDP Travel program for the past 3 years.
Russ Matthews
Russ Matthews spends significant time on a soccer field as a coach, ref, and parent. His 17 years of coaching started as a volunteer coach with the Milford community Athletic Association (MCAA), for which he led as co-director of soccer for 3 years and was one of the first travel coaches for Milford FC. Russ has been coaching with Hampshire United for 8 years, coaching both boys’ and girls’ teams from U11 -U18. He currently is the girls Milford High School Varsity. In his 7 years, he has reached the playoffs 6 times and taken the team to the Div. 2 state finals in 2018 and the semifinals in 2019. In 2018 Russ was named “Large High School Coach of the Year” for the state of NH by the US Soccer Coaches Association and the same year the NH Telegraph gave him the same honor for the Souhegan Valley Region.
Elie Monteiro
Elie Monteiro was named the third head coach in Southern New Hampshire University’s women’s soccer program in 2014. He returned to his alma mater after 12 successful seasons as head women’s soccer coach at former Northeast-10 rival UMass Lowell. In 12 seasons at UMass Lowell, Monteiro built the River Hawks into a perennial contender in the Northeast-10 Conference, while in his final season (2013) he guided UML’s transition to the Division I ranks and the America East Conference. Between 2005 and 2011, UML made five NCAA appearances, culminating in an 11-6-4 mark and an appearance in the East Region title game in 2011. A two-time NE-10 Coach of the Year, Monteiro was honored in 2005 and again in 2009. He started his collegiate coaching career as an assistant with the women’s program at Franklin Pierce University from 1997-99, helping guide the Ravens to a pair of Division II national championships. A two-year standout for then-New Hampshire College in 1994 and 1995, Monteiro helped the Penmen to a 30-6-2 record and an NCAA appearance in 1995. Elie coaches the high school age girls for Hampshire United.
Michaella George
Michaella has been playing sports her whole life. As a child, she played travel soccer into her teen years where she branched off to volleyball and basketball in HS. Now with 3 boys with the love for soccer, she has been coaching in Rec leagues since 2020. This is her first year with HUSC and is very excited to see all the kids develop.
Elizabeth Downing
Elizabeth Downing grew up in Weare, NH. She played on various club teams locally and went on to play varsity soccer at John Stark Regional High School prior to her college career at Rivier University, where she led the team as captain. Elizabeth started coaching youth soccer in high school and coached in Wakefield, MA before joining Hampshire United.
Mark Stec
Mark Stec grew up playing club soccer for the Wyckoff Torpedoes in NJ where he also earned his referee patch as a teenager. His high school career included a NJ state title with the Ramapo High School varsity boys, and a county-level track title for the 110 High Hurdles. Mark joined Hampshire after many years of coaching for MCAA. He continued to coach at MCAA and still works to unite our local soccer community.
Sarah Barrett
She is also on the Board of Directors for Hampshire United and coaches the Amherst Middle School girls team.
Molly Dix
Molly Dix grew up playing soccer in Northern Virginia before moving to Vermont. She played for the U18 VT Olympic Development Program prior to her playing time at the University of Rochester where she was part of back-to-back NCAA national championship teams. Molly has coached in VT, NC, and at various ages for Hampshire. She is also on the Board of Directors for both Hampshire United and Amherst Soccer Club.
John Linton
John Linton played competitive soccer throughout his childhood years at the club and high school levels. John started coaching in 2011 with the Cainhoy Athletic Soccer Club in South Carolina and from 2014 for Amherst Soccer Club and Hampshire United. John has coached teams up to U12 and is active with Hampshire’s Early Development Program and as a member of the Board of Directors.