Michael Callahan enters his fourth season with the George Mason men’s soccer program for the 2025 season.
Callahan joined the Patriots after spending 2021-2022 as a Volunteer Assistant with Virginia Commonwealth University.
In 2024, Callahan helped guide the club to a 13-4-1 overall record and a 6-1-1 mark in Atlantic 10 play and claimed the A-10 regular season championship for the first time in program history. George Mason won four straight matches to start conference play and posted six regular season victories in the A-10 for the first time since joining the league in 2013, and earned the top seed in the Atlantic 10 Championship.
The Patriots climbed to 13th in the United Soccer Coaches Association poll last season, the first time in 10 years that George Mason has earned a national ranking.
George Mason finished the 2024 A-10 regular season third in goals (33) and goals per match (2.2) and tied for the third-fewest goals allowed (17).
On their home pitch, the Patriots finished the regular season 7-1-0, with victories over Delaware (4-2, Aug. 30), Bucknell (1-0, Sept. 3), Howard (4-3, Sept. 7), William & Mary (1-0, Sept. 24), George Washington (5-2, Sept. 28), Loyola Chicago (2-1, Oct. 9) and St. Bonaventure (Oct. 26). On the road, George Mason went 5-2-1 with wins at Navy (2-0, Aug.22), UNCW (1-0, Sept. 10), Massachusetts (2-1, Sept. 21), La Salle (2-1, Oct. 5) and Saint Joseph's (4-1, Oct. 19).
George Mason finished the season receiving votes in the United Soccer Coaches poll and was the first Division I program to post 13 victories. The Patriots recorded at least 13 wins in a season for the first time since the 2008 campaign.
Six Patriots claimed Atlantic 10 post-season honors at the conclusion of the 2024 season, including freshman midfielder Martim Sereno, who was selected to the 12-member All-Rookie Team. Sereno was also named Virginia Sports Information Directors (VaSID) Rookie of the Year and Second Team Midfielder.
Graduate student Mark Gonda and sophomore Quentin Clain were named All-Conference Second Team forwards, sophomore James Eliuda was tabbed All-Conference Second Team midfielder and graduate student Luis Maestre and senior Javi Sanchez earned All-Conference Second Team defender honors.
The six players are the most that the Patriots have had selected to the Atlantic 10 All-Conference Team.
Among other VaSID postseason honors, graduate student Marek Gonda was selected First Team Forward, Eliuda was named First Team Midfielder, Clain was tabbed Second Team Forward and both Maestre and Sanchez were named Second Team Defense.
Callahan played at North Carolina (2005-2008) where he graduated with a B.S. in Economics in 2009. He was selected to the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) ALL-Freshman Team in 2005 and was a three-time member of the ACC Academic Honor Roll.
In 2008, Callahan earned All-American and Academic All-American honors while playing for the Tar Heels. Callahan was team captain his senior year and helped the club reach the national championship game.
After his collegiate career, Callahan played 166 matches over eight years professionally in the United Soccer League. He joined the expansion Austin Aztex FC (2009-2010) and then signed with the Richmond Kickers (2011-2016). He was club captain and player/assistant coach his final season with the Kickers.
Following his successful career as a player, Callahan continued with Richmond as an assistant coach from 2016-2018.
A native of Cary, N.C., Callahan played club soccer for CASL and attended Green Hope High School.
Callahan was the head coach and club administrator for the Richmond United Development Academy and ECNL (2017-2022).
