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Kim Wyant
Kim Wyant began as head coach of the New York University men's soccer team in 2015, becoming the only female head coach of an NCAA men’s soccer team at that time. Her teams have compiled a 63-51-14 overall record and earned six postseason appearances.
Prior to taking over the men’s program, Wyant served as an assistant coach of the NYU women’s team for four years.
The Violets posted a 9-5-3 overall record in 2022, 4-1-2 in the University Athletic Association (UAA). Wyant led NYU to an at-large-bid to the NCAA Tournament for the second year in a row.
On October 30, Wyant coached the Violets in a monumental game against the University of Chicago. For the first time in NCAA men’s soccer history both teams were coached by women (Wyant and Julianne Sitch of Chicago). The contest ended in a 0-0 draw, the only game all season in which #1-ranked and eventual NCAA Division III Champions Chicago did not win.
There were plenty of accolades for the players in 2022. Arkan Tahsildaroglu was named UAA Men’s Soccer Co-Offensive Player of the Year. He and Alex Rovirosa-Illa were named All-UAA First Team, while Joe Leslie was selected Second Team and Nicholas Suter received Honorable Mention accolades. Tahsildaroglu (First Team) and Rovirosa-Illa (Third Team) earned United Soccer Coaches (USC) All-Region honors, as well.
Tahsildaroglu and Rovirosa-Illa also set program records during the campaign. Tahsildaroglu ended the season #1 all-time in goals per game (.57), points per game (1.51) and shots per game (4.71), while Rovirosa-Illa set the standard in total career assists (16) and assists per game (.46).
Off the field, the Violets were recognized for their work in the classroom, receiving USC Team Academic honors. A total 10 team members received UAA All-Academic honors and four Violets received College Sports Communicators (CSC) Academic All-District honors: Rovirosa-Illa, Nate Bennett, Bryce Lexow, and Luca Mancuso.
Wyant led NYU to an 11-6-1 overall record in 2021, 4-3 in the UAA. The Violets earned an at-large bid to the NCAA Tournament and advanced to the Second Round. The campaign also included a seven-game unbeaten streak and a victory over then-#9 Washington University in St. Louis on October 15.
There were plenty of accolades for the players in 2021. Tahsildaroglu (Second Team) and Louis Meeks (Third Team) earned USC All-Region honors. Bennett was selected UAA Freshman Rookie of the Year, Tahsildaroglu and Meeks earned Second Team honors, while Bennett, Isaiah Boyd, Rovirosa-Illa, and Pablo Vargas were awarded Honorable Mention. The Eastern College Athletic Conference (ECAC) also bestowed honors on the players with Bennett being tabbed Division III Rookie of the Year and Rookie of the Month (October), while Mancuso (Goalkeeper of the Month) and Tahsildaroglu (Player of the Month) earned monthly accolades in September.
The Violets were also successful in the classroom, as 14 players earned UAA All-Academic honors, three (Boyd, Mancuso, Vargas) received the prestigious Arthur Ashe Jr. Sports Scholar Award and NYU achieved USC Team Academic Award.
The 2021 season followed a season of inactivity for NYU, as the Violets did not compete in 2020 due to the COVID-19 Pandemic. However, 16 players were recognized with UAA All-Academic honors.
In 2019, the Violets reached the second round of the ECAC Championship Tournament, defeating Hood College before falling 1-0 to host Muhlenberg College. NYU finished the campaign with an 8-8-2 overall record and a 3-3-1 mark in the UAA. The Violets produced a season-high six-game winning streak.
Several of Wyant’s players flourished during the season, with a pair (Vargas, Sergio Monton) earning First Team All-UAA honors and another duo (Mancuso, Meeks) receiving Honorable Mention. Monton was also tabbed UAA Offensive Player of the Year, First Team All-ECAC and USC Third Team All-East Region.
The Violets also succeeded in the classroom as 13 Violets earned UAA All-Academic honors. Monton received USC Scholar All-East Region Second Team accolades and Pedro Goldberg earned the Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Student-Athlete Award.
In 2018, the Violets finished with a 12-4-3 overall record and earned an at-large bid to the NCAA Tournament, the first appearance for NYU since 2010. The Violets advanced to the second round by defeating Haverford College 5-4 in penalty kicks after a 110-minute, 1-1 deadlock. Wyant’s squad was eliminated after losing to host Montclair State University also in penalty kicks (5-4) after a 1-1 tie.
The Violets posted a 3-3-1 UAA record in 2018, the team’s best performance since going 4-0-3 in 2010. Six team members earned All-UAA honors (First Team: Vargas, Grant Engel; Second Team: Meeks; Honorable Mention: Monton, Maxi Rodriguez; Rookie of the Year: Oliver Kleban). Rodriguez earned UAA honors for the second consecutive season, following former captain Petter Aasa, who also earned the honor twice under Wyant’s direction. Engel, a senior goalkeeper and first-time recipient, allowed a league-low four goals in UAA play.
In all, Wyant has coached 22 players who have received All-UAA accolades since her appointment as head coach. In addition, Engel and Tristan Medios-Simon (2017) were selected First Team All-ECAC, while Nic Notaro earned ECAC All-Tournament Team laurels for his postseason performance in 2017.
That season, Wyant led the squad to a 9-8-3 overall record and to the semifinals of the ECAC Championship, the team’s second-consecutive postseason bid. The Violets also excelled in the classroom as 13 players were named to NYU’s Intercollegiate Athletics Advisory Committee (IAAC) Fall Honor Roll, the ECAC Fall Honor Roll and were chosen UAA All-Academic. That academic success resulted in the Violets winning the Fall Team Award for highest GPA among all of NYU’s male fall sports.
The Violets went 9-8-2 in 2016 and also qualified for the ECAC Championship.
Wyant took over the men’s team following the first game of the 2015 season, and the Violets completed the campaign with a 6-12 record.
Off the pitch, Wyant’s squads have received accolades, as well. In 2015, the entire team was given the Sportsmanship Award from the New York Metro Intercollegiate Soccer Officials Association (NYMISOA).
Prior to NYU, Wyant also accumulated significant coaching experience at the collegiate level. She served as the women’s head coach at Florida Atlantic University (1994-97) and Dowling College (2003-04), and as an assistant coach at Stony Brook University (2000) and Dowling (2005). Wyant also served as head coach of the New York Athletic Club women's soccer team which won the U.S. Amateur Soccer Association National Open Cup in 2014.
Also a member of the Region I U.S. National Team's goalkeeping staff, Wyant served as a FIFA staff coach and as head coach for the Long Island Girls' Select Program. She played for the U.S. National Team in the squad’s inaugural game in Italy in 1985. In all, Wyant played 16 games as the U.S. goalkeeper, recording the team’s first-ever win and shutout.
In 2008, Wyant received the Special Recognition Award from the National Soccer Hall of Fame for her contributions to the National Team.
Wyant also played for the Long Island Lady Riders of the W-League for nine years, helping lead the squads to two W-League Championships. She won W-League Goalkeeper of the Year honors in four consecutive seasons, was honored as its Most Valuable Player of the 1997 Championship Series and was a two-time All-Star.
Following retirement, Wyant was named General Manager of the Lady Riders and her teams twice received W-League Organization of the Year honors. In 2002, she served as the Lady Riders' Interim Head Coach, leading them to the playoffs and an 11-1-1 overall record.
A 1989 graduate of the University of Central Florida with a Bachelor of Arts degree in psychology, Wyant had a stellar four-year career with the Knights. As a freshman, she earned UCF Rookie of the Year honors, started in the first-ever NCAA Women's National Championship Game and was named Tournament MVP. As a senior, she was chosen First Team All-American.
Wyant’s stellar playing career culminated in three Hall of Fame inductions: U. of Central Florida (2010), the Long Island Soccer Player (2013) and the United Soccer League (2004).
A USSF, and NSCAA licensed coach, Wyant also currently serves as a Director on the Boards of The Long Island Soccer Players Hall of Fame and The Met Oval Foundation.
A native of Miami, FL, Wyant resides in Garden City, NY.
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