Deer Named Assistant Women’s Soccer Coach at USC Aiken

AIKEN, S.C. – Fifth-year head women’s soccer coach Sue Vodicka announced the hiring of Hank Deer as an assistant women’s soccer coach on Monday, July 27.

Deer joins the USC Aiken women’s soccer program after coaching the North Augusta girls varsity soccer program since 2005. 

“I feel very blessed to have someone of Hank's level of experience and success joining our program,” remarked Vodicka. “He did a great job building the North Augusta program. I especially appreciate his commitment to academics as well as athletic excellence. His energy and enthusiasm will make a great impact on our program.”

Deer guided North Augusta to new heights during his four seasons with the program. He led North Augusta to a 44-30 record overall in his four years in charge, collecting a winning season in each of his four seasons at the helm.

Deer guided North Augusta to its first ever winning season in his first season in charge in 2005. From that point forward, North Augusta continued to become even more formidable and people began to take notice. 

The Augusta Chronicle took notice of his work by naming him the 2007 South Carolina Girls Coach of the Year. Just one year later in 2008, he helmed a North Augusta squad that was region 4-AAAA runner-up. For his work with his 2008 team, Deer was selected the region 4-AAAA girls Coach of the Year.

Five of Deer’s student-athletes from his teams are playing college soccer in the upcoming season with three of the five joining the USC Aiken women’s soccer program.

Deer has been working in the school systems in the state of South Carolina since 1989. In addition to coaching soccer, he has also coached football and track. In fact, in 2001 when Deer was the head varsity track coach at Silver Bluff High School in Aiken, S.C. he was chosen as the Aiken Standard Track Coach of the Year.

Deer has coached football at North Augusta (2003-2008), Silver Bluff (2000-2003), Ridge Spring-Monetta (1999-2000 and 1994-97), McCormick (1997-1999) and Midland Valley (1992-94). He has been a part of two state championships, serving as the defensive backs coach on Silver Bluff’s state title teams in 2000 and 2001.

Deer played college soccer at Lander. He graduated from USC Aiken’s fellow Peach Belt Conference institution in 1987 with a bachelor’s of science in Physical Education. He obtained his master’s of science in Sport Management from the United States Sports Academy in 2000.

In addition to his responsibilities with USC Aiken women’s soccer, Deer will be teaching Biology at South Aiken High School in the upcoming year.