David Lilly - Men's Soccer Coach

David Lilly

Title:
Head Coach
Email:
lillyd@uab.edu

David Lilly enters his third season as the head coach at UAB.

In 2025, UAB finished with a 6-7-2 record, earning six wins for the first time since 2018 and posting its highest winning percentage (.467) since 2014. Head coach David Lilly and his staff also guided the Blazers to a 2-1 victory over No. 17 North Carolina, marking the program's first ranked win since defeating No. 18 Kentucky in 2021.

Under Lilly's leadership, UAB scored 22 goals, its highest total since 2022, and earned the program's first-ever victory over Temple with a 2-0 win. The Blazers also totaled 15 conference points, their most since 2014, and recorded ACC victories in consecutive seasons. Prior to that stretch, UAB had not defeated an ACC opponent since 2011.

Lilly spent one year as the head coach at ETSU in 2023 when the Buccaneers ranked atop the league in goals per game (1.47) and goals against average (0.755). Their 0.755 GAA ranked 10^th nationally.

Prior to becoming the head coach at ETSU, Lilly led his alma mater Milligan College to back-to-back NAIA Tournament appearances in 2020 and 2021. During his four seasons with the Buffs, he had an overall record of 42-26-3 and a conference record of 28-14-3. In his final two seasons at Milligan, he held a record of 27-6-1 and helped Milligan reach its highest-ever ranking at No. 9 during the 2021 season. He was named Appalachian Athletic Conference Coach of the Year in 2020.

Before his time at Milligan, Lilly served as an assistant coach at East Tennessee State from 2010-2017. The Buccaneers held an 81-49-27 record during that stint while reaching the NCAA Tournament three times. ETSU won two ASUN titles while also earning the program’s first at-large bid in 2016.

Lilly earned honorable mention NAIA All-America honors in 2005 and 2006 as a player at Milligan while also earning Region XII Player of the Year honors during his senior season. He led the Buffs to a Sweet 16 appearance in their first ever NAIA tournament during his senior season.

Following his collegiate playing career, Lilly signed professionally with the Carolina Railhawks of the USL-1 during the 2008-09 season. He has also played PDL for the Mississippi Brilla and West Virginia Chaos.

Lilly, a native of Coatbridge, Scotland, graduated from Milligan in 2007 with a bachelor’s degree in Business Management before earning his master’s in Business Administration from ETSU in December of 2012 and an additional Master’s in Kinesiology & Sport Management in December of 2014.