UPike introduced Oliver Hewitt Fisher as its new men's soccer coach during a press conference Thursday night. Hewitt Fisher was introduced to players, fans and media Thursday night.
Pikeville University has hired a men's soccer coach who has had tremendous success at the conference and national tournament levels.
Oliver Hewitt Fisher, who led WVU Tech to three NAIA national soccer tournament appearances, has been hired by UPike Director of Athletics Corey Phipps.
Hewitt-Fisher had an impressive record of 81-22-13 in six seasons at the University of Beckley, West Virginia. During that time, he led the Golden Bears to the national tournament in 2019, 2020 and 2023. He has also been named River States Conference Coach of the Year in four of the past five seasons.
“When I found out I was going to be AD and hire a men's soccer coach, I had one candidate in mind. Thankfully, we were able to nab him,” Phipps said. “Coach Hewitt Fisher is a quality coach, but more importantly, he is a great person who is a quality role model for our student-athletes, both football players and the general public.
“We are excited to welcome him to campus.”
In 2023, the Golden Bears opened the season 1-4-1 and did not lose after that until the national championship. They finished with a record of 14-5-2 and won the River States regular season and tournament titles.
During his time at WVU Tech, Hewitt-Fisher has coached 39 first- or second-team all-conference players and 63 academic all-conference selections. He coached the River States' Player of the Year in 2019, Defensive Player of the Year in three different conferences, including the last two, and the league's Rookie of the Year last year.
Hewitt Fisher was also a standout on the field at the University of Rio Grande, where he played in the Mid-South Conference. He was a first-team All-American selection in his 2012 year and was also an NAIA scholarship athlete.
During his playing career, he recorded 35 goals and 34 assists in 81 games. His Red Storm team competed in four national tournaments, reaching the national quarterfinals twice and the national semifinals in 2009.
He played six seasons as a semi-professional footballer, representing his native Wales in the Under-17 and Under-19 teams, before switching to coaching.
Hewitt Fisher moves to Pikeville with his wife Stevie and children Theo and Eden. He holds a bachelor's degree in biology and a master's degree in athletic coaching and leadership.
He is also a USSF D license holder.
