Two-time United Soccer Coaches Central Region Staff of the Year (2021, 2022)
Michael Korman begins his fifth season as assistant soccer coach at Bemidji State in 2023. He was added to the staff on April 8, 2019, and is responsible for training goalkeepers, coordination of recruiting, and team logistics. The Bemidji State Soccer coaching staff of Jim Stone, Mike Korman and Julian Licata were recognized by the United Soccer Coaches as the Central Region Staff of the year after back-to-back NCAA Tournament bids in 2021 and 2022.
The Beavers took another leap forward in 2021 with a trip to the NCAA Division II Postseason Tournament Third Round, the furthest the program has advanced in the national tournament at that time. With a 19-2-3 record, Korman's goalkeepers totaled a then program-record 14 shutouts with a 0.77 goals against average, the fourth-best in program history, as he was part of the United Soccer Coaches Staff of the Year. He helped BSU to its second NSIC Regular Season Championship with an undefeated conference record of 13-0-2, the third undefeated conference season in program history, as part of 20 straight unbeaten matches to start the season. BSU ended its season No. 9 in the United Soccer Coaches Top 25 Poll to cap a nine-week run among the top 25 teams in the nation. Goalkeeper Alyssa Sumbaugh earned D2CCA All-Region and All-NSIC First Team honors, in addition to earning NSIC Goalkeeper of the Week honors once.
The success from 2021 carried right into the 2022 season that saw the Beavers continue to reach new heights. BSU made program history winning their first-ever NSIC Tournament title and then hosted the NCAA Regionals at Chet Anderson Stadium. Three more wins followed defeating Central Oklahoma, Minnesota State-Mankato and Emporia State to help vault the Beavers into their first-ever NCAA Quarterfinal appearance and first-ever NCAA Central Regional Championship. Korman helped guide the Beaver goalkeepers to a program-record 15 shutouts over 25 matches, the second most in Division II, and a 0.62 goals against average, the third-best in program history. He helped mentor Alyssa Stumbaugh who received her second-consecutive all-region bid as well as All-NSIC Second Team recognition.
Korman’s most recent soccer involvement comes from his time with Sport Contact USA, a collegiate soccer-specific recruiting service, where he was an evaluator. During his time at Sport Contact USA, Korman traveled around the country evaluating players and worked to help parents and players understand the steps needed to play soccer at the collegiate level.
Korman spent 2014 to 2017 as the assistant men’s soccer coach/goalkeeper coach at Saint Joseph’s College, a private, NCAA Division II, liberal arts college in Rensselaer, Ind. While at St. Joe’s, he was responsible for the development of recruiting plans throughout the Midwest and internationally, off-season and summer strength and conditioning programs and goalie training programs, while managing team logistics and equipment. He also implemented an academic program for members of the team to maintain a 3.0 GPA and assisted in philanthropy projects. In addition, Korman also served as SJC’s head coach for a portion of the 2014 season.
Korman started his collegiate coaching career in Decatur, Ill., at Division III Millikin University in 2012. As an assistant coach for the men’s program he assistant in the recruitment and retention of players, trained the goalkeepers on a daily basis, was responsible for analyzing game film, monitoring academic progress of student-athletes, and the management of team logistics and equipment inventory. During his three-year stay, the Big Blue nearly doubled their win total to 9-8-1 in 2014—the program’s first winning campaign in six seasons.
As a student-athlete, Korman was an NCAA Division II goalkeeper at Saint Joseph’s from 2007-2012.
Korman earned a degree in sport management from Saint Joseph’s in 2012 and the United States Soccer Coaches member since 2013 possesses a National Diploma and Goalkeeper I Diploma.
