The Charleston Battery will host Augie Night on August 11 to honor Head Coach Mike Anhaeuser and celebrate his 25 years with the Club.
The celebration will include a Mike Anhaeuser bobblehead giveaway, a red wine special in the Three Lions Pub, beer specials on the concourse, and a jersey presentation at half time of the Battery’s match vs. Atlanta United II. All former Charleston Battery players will be invited to the match as special guests of the Club to help in honoring Coach Anhaeuser.
Anhaeuser joined the Battery as a player one year after the Club’s inception in 1993. He played from 1994-1998, making over 100 appearances and winning the 1996 league championship. Anhaeuser ranks tenth all-time in appearances (115) and third all-time in assists (17) for the Battery. As a player, Anheuser worked a day job in research and development for Blackbaud and coached youth soccer in the Lowcountry.
After retiring from playing in 1999, Anhaeuser moved into an assistant coaching role under Alan Dicks and Chris Ramsey. Ramsey and Anhaeuser led the Battery to the 2003 A-League Championship, defeating the Minnesota Thunder in the Final at then Blackbaud Stadium.
Anhaeuser took over the head coaching role after Ramsey’s departure in 2004. In his second year as head coach, Anhaeuser was named USL-1 Coach of the Year after taking the Battery to the semifinals of the league playoffs and the third round of the U.S. Open Cup. Anhaeuser also won USL Coach of the Year in 2010.
The Battery reached the U.S. Open Cup Final under Anhaeuser in 2008, defeating two Major League Soccer teams along the way. That year, Anhaeuser was given the general manager role and has overseen all soccer operations since. As head coach, Anhaeuser has beaten six MLS teams in the Open Cup and is the last lower division manager to reach the Final.
After leading the Battery to league championships in 2010 and 2012, Anhaeuser was inducted to the USL Hall of Fame. Anhaeuser has managed more than 430 matches for the Battery, making the playoffs in 11 of his 13 seasons as head coach.
“We’re looking forward to celebrating Mike next month,” said Charleston Battery Chairman Eric Bowman. “To reach the 25-year mark with any company is a huge accomplishment, but to do it in professional sports with the same club is extremely rare. Mike has had unrivaled success in this league and has played a huge role in making our Club what it is today. His impact in Charleston reaches far beyond the Battery; he’s always made it a priority to give back to the community and he instills that in everyone around him. The Battery and the community are very lucky to have him.”
At the halfway point of his 14th season as head coach, Anhaeuser has the Battery in third place in the USL Eastern Conference. They’ll head to Pennsylvania this weekend to take on the second-place Pittsburgh Riverhounds.
Augie Night will begin when gates open at 5:30 PM on August 11. General Admission tickets are $13 in advance and at the gates to represent the #13 jersey Anhaeuser wore as a player. Tickets are on sale now and can be purchased at https://www.www.charlestonbattery.com or by calling 843-971-GOAL.
