NASHVILLE, Tenn. – Former United Soccer League Executive Mike Jacobs has been appointed as the first General Manager of Nashville MLS, where he will be in charge of roster construction for Music City’s MLS club, the club announced on Tuesday.

The current Vice President of Soccer Operations and Technical Director for Nashville SC, Jacobs will maintain his current role with Nashville SC and transition into his new MLS role in 2019. The experienced soccer veteran previously served as an Executive Vice President for the USL in Corporate Operations and League Development. 

“I am excited to announce Mike’s appointment as General Manager in the early stages of our club’s development,” said Nashville MLS CEO Ian Ayre. “Mike has significant experience in the U.S. Soccer industry both at the collegiate and professional level, and his varied expertise across the game is a key skill set as we embark on our Major League Soccer journey.

“In my experience, building successful teams is all about matching the best talent to the right opportunity. Mike’s knowledge of the U.S. soccer landscape and his creative approach to building a roster are crucial factors as we begin assembling a team and the associated infrastructure needed to create a successful soccer club.”

After arriving at Nashville SC in the fall of 2017, Jacobs constructed the club into a playoff team in its expansion season in the USL. He employed transfers, trades, loans and short-term and season-long free agent signings to create an immediately competitive roster. With the second-best defense in the league, Nashville SC was the only 2018 USL expansion team to make the 2018 USL Cup Playoffs.

Prior to his hire in Nashville, Jacobs was the Assistant Technical Director for Sporting Kansas City of MLS from 2015-17. He helped oversee the club’s U.S. Open Cup Championships in 2015 and 2017, in addition to Sporting KC’s CONCACAF Champions League appearance in 2016. He joined Sporting Kansas City from the USL, where his insight and experience helped shape the development of the league’s professional structure prior to the 2015 season.

Jacobs also served one year as the President of the National Soccer Coaches Association of America (NSCAA), now United Soccer Coaches, in 2015.

"It's been a lifelong ambition, the opportunity to serve in this capacity with the club," Jacobs said. "I think my experiences along the way have helped me prepare for what I'm doing now. Thinking about doing that now here in Nashville is a dream come true."

Jacobs, 47, spent more than a decade in the college ranks prior to joining the USL as the Head Coach for the University of Evansville Men’s team for nine seasons and as an Assistant Coach for Duke University.