The Mustangs reward key architects of ACC championship season as Jaime Ibarra-Perez and Michael King rise to associate head coach roles.
SMU men’s soccer isn’t just celebrating banners, it’s building continuity. Fresh off the program’s first Atlantic Coast Conference championship, head coach Kevin Hudson has elevated Jaime Ibarra-Perez and Michael King to associate head coach positions.
The move locks in two of the driving forces behind SMU’s surge into the national spotlight.
If you’ve followed SMU men’s soccer the past two seasons, the promotions feel inevitable.
Ibarra-Perez, a former Mustang goalkeeper, has quietly reshaped SMU’s presence between the posts. Over the last two years, his keepers combined for 14 shutouts - seven in each season - anchoring a defense that has become one of the most disciplined units in the ACC.
Before stepping into coaching, the Dallas native started 57 matches in goal for SMU from 2010-13, earning 2012 Conference USA Player of the Year honors and helping guide the Mustangs to multiple conference titles and NCAA Tournament runs.
King’s impact has been just as significant.
Since joining the staff in 2021 as assistant coach and recruiting coordinator, he has helped assemble rosters capable of winning championships.
SMU claimed the 2023 American Athletic Conference regular-season title before elevating to ACC champions this past fall.
A former SMU defender (2012-16), King appeared in 60 matches with 49 starts and was part of a back line that produced 20 clean sheets during his playing career, including a 2016 NCAA Sweet 16 run.
The Mustangs reached the NCAA quarterfinals two seasons ago and followed it with an ACC title - a clear sign that the program isn’t peaking, it’s ascending.
By promoting Ibarra-Perez and King, SMU men’s soccer signals stability, loyalty and belief in the culture they’ve built.
In today’s college soccer landscape, that continuity might be just as valuable as the trophies.