Carlsbad High School Head Football Coach Oliver Soukup is heading to Eastern New Mexico University after one season guiding the Cavemen.
Soukup was hired as the defensive coordinator for the Greyhounds Monday, Greyhound Head Coach Kelly Lee announced in a press release from Eastern New Mexico University (ENMU).
Lee and Soukup coached together at ENMU from 2012 through 2015, per the release.
More:Former NMSU Aggies assistant Oliver Soukup hired as Carlsbad Cavemen football head coach
“Coach Soukup is one of the finest coaches I have ever worked with, and we are ecstatic to have him back coordinating our defense,” said Lee. “I am so excited that our players get to be coached and mentored by such an outstanding individual.”
Soukup coached the Cavemen to 5-6 record during his first season as head coach in Carlsbad in 2022.
Carlsbad lost to Farmington in the opening round of the 6A playoffs 34-33 in November.
Carlsbad Municipal Schools (CMS) superintendent Dr. Gerry Washburn was sad to see Soukup leave for the college ranks.
“He did a good job for us, we will be starting the search soon,” he said.
Washburn said Soukup will wrap up his teaching duties in May unless the school district finds a replacement in the next four months.
He did not have a timeline on when a replacement would be hired.
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“We appreciate the hard work he put it in,” Washburn said.
In addition to coaching the Cavemen to the playoffs, Soukup had five had players named as New Mexico High School Coaches Association (NMHSCA) All-State honorees.
Soukup was an assistant head coach at New Mexico State University in Las Cruces from 2015 to 2021 before named Cavemen head coach in February 2022.
While coaching the Aggies, Soukup was a finalist for the 2019 National Linebacker Coach of the Year.
Soukup started coaching in college at Concordia University in 2004. He also coached at New Mexico Military Institute in Roswell in 2011.
“I figured he would get back in the college game at some point,” said Artesia High School head coach Jeremy Maupin. “I wish him well.”
The Bulldogs edged the Cavemen 30-27 Aug. 19 in Soukup’s first game as a high school head football coach in 2022.
More:Cavemen enter 2022 season with new coach and big goals
Mike Smith can be reached at 575-628-5546 or by email at [email protected] or @ArgusMichae on Twitter.
