Mike Lichten

  • Title
    Head Football Coach (Defensive Coordinator)
  • At UNE Since
    Spring 2016
  • Phone
    602-2620
  • Hometown
    Newton, Mass.
  • Email
    football@une.edu
  • Education
    New Hampshire '08, Ohio '16
  • 10th year as UNE Head Coach (2025); 25-33 after 6 seasons [Year-by-Year]
  • 15th year as NCAA head coach
Mike Lichten was tabbed as the head football coach of UNE's new program early in 2016, and developed the team through an eight-game pre-varsity schedule with 80 student-athletes in the fall of 2017. The Nor'easters improved their overall record each season from 2018 through 2024, going from 2-7 to 6-4. The program's first-ever win was on October 6 with a last-second field goal to defeat conference foe Curry College, 44-42.

UNE doubled its win total in year two of action (2019), posting 4-6. There was no competition in 2020, and the Nor'easters recorded a 4-5 mark 2021. In 2022, with a roster of 120 student-athletes, UNE turned in a 5-5 overall record and was 3-3 in Commonwealth Coast Conference (CCC) action, which was good for a tie for third place in the standings.

The Nor'easters then had a pair of three-game win streaks in 2023, starting 6-1 around a double-overtime setback.

Check out this December 2020 Spotlight on Lichten...

Lichten came to UNE following five seasons as head coach at Becker College [NCAA III], where he led the Hawks to a program-record seven wins (7-3) in 2015 and earned the distinction of Eastern Collegiate Football Conference (ECFC) Coach of the Year for his efforts. He was the primary coordinator on all three sides of the ball during those years, guiding special teams for the last three, the offense in 2012, and the defense in 2011, coaching 49 all-conference selections along the way. Before taking charge, he served as assistant coach and defensive coordinator in 2010.

Prior to Becker, Lichten spent two campaigns at Northeastern University [NCAA I-FCS], working as the Wide Receivers Coach (2009) and the Secondary Coach (2008).

He graduated from the University of New Hampshire in 2008 with a bachelor's degree in history, and followed that with a master's degree in coaching education from Ohio University in 2016.

Lichten and his wife, Molly, live in Saco with their young sons Finn and Bowen.

Previous Head Coaching:
Becker College (2011-15) / ECFC Coach of the Year (2015)

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(updated July 2025)