Tyler Sheikh, who spent three years at the helm of the Knox College men’s soccer team after being named to the post in February of 2015 after a successful season at fellow Midwest Conference member school Illinois College, was hired to lead the program once again in May of 2025. Sheikh built up a 39-10-9 (.750) overall record and a 22-2-4 (.857) record in Midwest Conference play during his first stint at Knox.
For the past three years, Sheikh has been the associate director of college counseling at The Frederick Gunn School in Washington, Connecticut, while serving as the head coach of the boys’ varsity soccer team as well as the girls’ varsity tennis squad. Under his leadership, the boys’ soccer team enjoyed its first winning season this past fall in over 15 years (7-6-4) and girls’ tennis enjoyed its best season in program history.
Sheikh spent four years as the head men’s soccer coach at Bates College (2018-21), amassing an overall record of 23-22-1. In 2019, he guided the Bobcats to their first winning record in the New England Small College Athletic Conference (NESCAC) since 2005 as the team received votes in the national poll during the season and finished the campaign with a 9-6-1 overall record.
In his final campaign during his first stint with the Prairie Fire, Sheikh guided the squad to the 2017 Midwest Conference regular season championship at 8-0-1 (its second straight undefeated MWC regular season). The Fire finished 13-3-4 overall and set a MWC record 12 shutouts (in 20 games) and also broke a modern era MWC record for goals allowed in regular season conference play (one goal in nine games), while simultaneously leading the MWC offensively with 3.44 goals per game. Sheikh mentored Phelipe Graske to the program’s fourth straight MWC Defender of the Year award and a second straight placement as first-team all-region and First Team All-MWC. Knox also placed First Team All-MWC midfielder, Rocky Plaza on the all-region team. Two more honorees were Second Team All-MWC members, Alessandro Benelli and Erick Karkut, the former also earning MWC Newcomer of the Year honors.
In 2016 the Prairie Fire finished with a 13-4-2 overall record and had their first-ever undefeated Midwest Conference regular season in the modern era at 7-0-2. The team relied on the MWC’s best defense which only allowed five goals in conference play. Sheikh coached Graske to his first MWC Defensive Player of the Year award as well as a spot on all-region first team, joined on the First Team All-MWC by Rocky Plaza. The team also garnered a third straight NSCAA Team Academic Award.
Sheikh helped the Prairie Fire continue its winning ways in his first season at Knox. The team scored the most goals in program history (ranking third nationally in goals per game) and third most in Midwest Conference history on route to a 13-3-3 record and a second straight appearance in the Midwest Conference tournament championship game. Sheikh coached Charles Edemba to his second straight MWC Defensive Player of the Year honor along with — for the first time in program history — two first-team all-region selections with fellow captain Nathaniel Logie joining Edemba. Sheikh also mentored Abdul Oganla and Graske to All-MWC teams along with Edemba and Logie. Lastly, but certainly not least, over half the team earned academic all-conference honors.
Prior to Knox in his lone campaign with Illinois College, Sheikh led the Blueboys to their first Midwest Conference Tournament berth since 1993. The team finished the 2014 campaign at 10-7-2 and its 6-3-1 MWC record matched the best in school history. Two First Team All-MWC selections played under Sheikh, Josue Hernandez and Andrew Matheney, another first since 1993.
Prior to Illinois College, Sheikh was the head men’s and women’s soccer coach at Mt. Aloysius College (Pa.) for two years. He built both programs from the bottom of the Allegheny Mountain Collegiate Conference and was named the 2013 Men’s Soccer Coach of the Year in his second season after leading the Mounties to their first-ever postseason appearance and first-ever postseason win. In his inaugural season at MAC, Sheikh recruited and coached two All-AMCC players, another first for the men’s program. In his second season with the men, Sheikh repeated the feat with the Mounties by earning three All-AMCC selections. On the women’s side, Sheikh took the program from zero wins before his arrival to a program record six wins.
Sheikh has also served as an assistant and head coach at the high school, ODP and club levels. A former player at NCAA Division I Quinnipiac University, Sheikh also has playing experience in the semi-professional ranks.
With education most important, Sheikh is a former high school history and civics teacher and has taught English overseas. He’s also taught Geography and Sports Studies courses at the college level as well. He holds multiple NSCAA diplomas as well as participating in the Master Coach and Soccer Leader program.
Originally from Connecticut, Sheikh and his wife, Alea, have two daughters.
