Men's Soccer Program

[bullsareit]

To drop any sport that has some history is ridiculous. Actually ---no sport should be dropped --- All olympic sports do well here ---- Title 9 is a crack of bull ----

Is this one of the best recruiting classes in the men's soccer program history? Who is doing all of the recruiting over there?

[Papa_Bull]

To drop any sport that has some history is ridiculous. Actually ---no sport should be dropped --- All olympic sports do well here ---- Title 9 is a crack of bull ----

Is this one of the best recruiting classes in the men's soccer program history? Who is doing all of the recruiting over there?

USF hired away the Asst Coach from then National Soccer Champion UConn, George Kiefer, who has brought a number of Top recruits to USF recently:

 George Kiefer

Head Coach

Second Season

Now entering his second season as head men's soccer coach at the University of South Florida, George Kiefer arrived in Tampa on June 21, 2002, the sixth head coach in the program’s 38-year history.

“George Kiefer displays everything we were looking for in a head coach,†said Barbara Sparks-McGlinchy, USF’s Senior Associate Athletic Director, who administrates the men’s soccer program.  Ã¢â‚¬Å“He’s an outstanding coach, an outstanding recruiter, and is well-respected in the national soccer community.  We feel like we’ve scored a hat trick with this hire.â€Â

Kiefer, 30, came to USF with seven years experience as an assistant coach, having assisted Ray Reid at Southern Connecticut State University from 1995-96 and most recently at the University of Connecticut from 1997 through the spring of 2002.  Tabbed by Reid as “one of the top up-and-coming coaches in the country,†Kiefer helped the two Connecticut programs achieve an extraordinary amount of success and is well positioned to do the same for USF.

A player-turned-coach, Kiefer played professionally with the Connecticut Wolves (USISL) from 1994-1995, and played his college ball for SCSU from 1990-1993, helping lead the Owls to two NCAA National Championships and four straight New England Collegiate Conference (NECC) Championships.  He is a USSF “A†licensed coach, and has been a Region I Olympic Development Program Assessor and a Connecticut Olympic Development Program Head Coach.  He earned his bachelor’s degree in corporate communications in 1994, and his master’s in physical education in 1997, both from SCSU.

Following a graduate assistantship at SCSU in 1994, during which the Owls made an NCAA Division II National Semifinal appearance, Kiefer joined Southern’s coaching staff full-time in 1995.  In just two seasons as an assistant, Kiefer helped lead the Owls to an NCAA National Championship in 1995, and an NCAA National Semifinal appearance in 1996.  He also coached six First-Team All-Americans, two of whom were named NCAA Division II Player of the Year, and one that was named CoSIDA’s Division II Player of the Year.  Two of these players, Mike Petke and Chris Houser, went on to play in Major League Soccer (MLS) for the New York/New Jersey MetroStars and the (former) Tampa Bay Mutiny, respectively.

In 1997, Kiefer followed Reid to UConn, where he quickly established himself as one of college soccer’s top recruiters.

“Kiefer’s eye for talent is a strength and is part of the reason that he is such a great recruiter,†said Reid.  Ã¢â‚¬Å“His organization, knowledge and enthusiasm are all important qualities that make him the coach that he is.â€Â

Under a dry spell with only one Big East Championship since 1989, the Huskies needed only one season under Kiefer’s recruiting guidance to reverse their Big East fortune.  After finishing seventh in conference play in 1997, UConn posted a first place regular-season finish in 1998, its first of four consecutive titles, and added a Big East Tournament Championship in 1999.  The Huskies were 40-12-2 (.759) in regular-season conference games and 7-4 (.636) in the Big East tournament from 1997-2001.

Above and beyond the Big East, Kiefer helped guide UConn to two College Cup appearances, including an NCAA semifinal bid in 1999 and an NCAA title in 2000.  The Huskies made it to the first and second rounds of the tournament in 1998 and 2001, respectively, and have now earned five straight tournament berths.  UConn posted an 82-24-6 (.759) overall mark from 1997-2001, including an 8-3 (.727) record in NCAA tournament play.

While at UConn, Kiefer successfully recruited and coached nine All-Americans, including Hermann Trophy winner Chris Gbandi (Dallas Burn) and Herman Trophy finalist Brent Rahim (Levski Sofia of Bulgaria and a member of the Trinidad and Tobago National Team), and seven Big East Player of the Year Award winners.  Six of these players have gone on to be drafted by and/or currently play with MLS teams.

Now guiding the Bulls, Kiefer took the reigns from former head coach John Hackworth, who led the program to a regular season Conference USA title (shared), a conference tournament title and two NCAA tournament appearances in his four short seasons at USF.  Kiefer continued that success in 2002, guiding the Bulls to an 11-7 mark - the program's seventh straight season posting double-digit wins.

“I’m excited to continue what Hackworth has done and to use it as a stepping stone to improve even more from here,†Kiefer said.    

If his 2003 recruiting class - ranked 10th in the country by College Soccer News - and his addition of three new assistant coaches - who combined have been a part of seven national championships - are any indication of the type of improvements he will make to the USF program, that success may come sooner than predicted.              

Kiefer married his wife, Lauren, May 4, 2002.  

[smazza]

title 9 is fixing past discrimination.

title 9 is not going anywhere.If any of you think so,fantasize about something else.

woman athletes are thriving these days fellas.We are not going back to the day of old.

[Papa_Bull]

title 9 is fixing past discrimination.

title 9 is not going anywhere.If any of you think so, fantasize about something else.

woman athletes are thriving these days fellas.We are not going back to the day of old.

I agree. I think we'll see Women's football first!  

Tipping the Title IX Scale in One Easy Step

http://www.columbiaspectator.com/vnews/display.v/ART/2004/04/06/4072497b1d5a8

[bullsareit]

The head coach has a great resume. Who are the other guys on staff?

Forget Title 9. It will be with us forever.

[Papa_Bull]

They are all listed here.

http://isis.fastmail.usf.edu/usf-athletics/Sports/menssoccer/staff/msocstaff.htm

[bullsareit]

It looks like a good staff. The Dikranian guy seems to have some expertise. The Negahla seems to blend in with the head coach as far his recruiting abilities. Does anybody know these guys or have talked to them before?

[Papa_Bull]

I haven't but you can. They specifically ask to e-mail them. Let us know their responses if you do.

[bullsareit]

you are a funny guy, howie

[Papa_Bull]

The only guy I follow is Hunter West. He's a GREAT player. BTW, one USF former player just signed a pro contract, I forget his name.