University of Chicago

Chicago, IL 60637

Illinois Midwest

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Amy Reifert

Now entering her 34th campaign at the University of Chicago in 2024, Amy Reifert has established one of the top women's soccer programs in the NCAA Division III.

Since 1991, Reifert has led the Maroons to 20 NCAA Division III postseason appearances, including five trips to the national semifinals and 13 trips to the Sweet 16 Round. Her teams have also produced 22 National Soccer Coaches Association of America/United Soccer Coaches (NSCAA/USC) All-Americans and 80 NSCAA/USC All-Region selections.

A nine-time University Athletic Association Coach of the Year, five-time Central Region Coach of the Year, and 1996 NCAA Division III Coach of the Year, Reifert has compiled a 402-149-58 overall record at UChicago while guiding the Maroons to five UAA titles. In her 35 years as a collegiate head coach, Reifert owns a career record of 410-181-60. She became the 10th women's soccer coach in NCAA Division III history to reach 400 career wins with a 3-0 victory versus Illinois Institute of Technology on Oct. 21, 2021.

In 2021, the Maroons posted a 15-3-4 record and reached the NCAA Quarterfinals. Annie Mitchell (Second Team) and Nicole Kaspi (Third Team) were both USC All-Americans. UChicago also produced four All-Region and five All-UAA honorees. The potent offense was one of the nation's best, posting a school record 82 goals while ranking sixth in NCAA Division III with 3.73 goals per game. The team also set a new school single-game scoring record with 12 goals against Concordia University Chicago.

UChicago's 2019 squad went 14-3-3 and advanced to the NCAA Round of 16. Midfielder Hanna Watkins was named a Second Team All-American.

The 2017 season was the most dominant in UChicago history. The Maroons won their first 17 games of the season en route to a school-record 22 victories. They finished as the NCAA Championship runner-up for the second time, and only allowed one goal in six postseason contests. The defense set new school marks with 18 shutouts and a 0.29 goals against average, which ranked fifth in NCAA Division III. The offense was the most potent in school history with 80 goals, 69 assists and 229 points. First Team All-American midfielder Mia Calamari's 18 assists were a school record and ranked second in the nation. All told, UChicago collected three All-American awards, five All-Region selections and seven All-UAA honors. Reifert and her assistants were picked as the USC Central Region Coaching Staff of the Year and UAA Coaching Staff of the Year.

The 2016 Maroons tied the school record for wins with an 18-4-1 record and reached the NCAA Final Four for the fourth time. They also tied the school record for shutouts (14) and set a new mark for lowest goals against average (0.43). Two Maroons received All-American status. Reifert and her staff were picked as NSCAA Central Region Coaching Staff of the Year, as well as UAA Coaching Staff of the Year.

In 2014, the Maroons went 15-5-1 and reached the NCAA Championship Round of 16.

In 2010, Reifert led UChicago to the UAA championship with a 6-1-0 record in league play and a 12-4-3 overall mark. Following the season, two Maroons garnered All-America accolades and two others joined them as All-Central Region picks. As the 2010 UAA champion, Chicago garnered its fourth-consecutive NCAA tournament appearance and eighth in the past nine seasons.

Reifert's clubs have advanced to the NCAA Division III semifinals on four occasions since 1996, including a national second-place finish in 2003.

UChicago won a school-record 18 games in 2005 en route to a national third-place showing. After finishing the regular season at 14-2-2, the Maroons won their first four postseason games before falling to eventual national champion Messiah College 2-1 in overtime in the semifinals.

Two years earlier, the Maroons came within 29 seconds of winning the school's first-ever NCAA Division III team championship. UChicago led Oneonta State 1-0 in the final minute of regulation in the national championship match, but Red Dragons scored at the 89:31 mark and early in the overtime for the 2-1 win. The 2003 Maroons posted a 17-2-4 record and earned a No. 1 ranking in the NCAA Division III coaches poll during the second-to-last week of the regular season.

Reifert was named the NCAA Division III and UAA Coach of the Year in 1996 as the Maroons advanced to the NCAA Division III semifinals in their first-ever postseason appearance. UChicago also captured its second UAA title in three years.

Reifert claimed her sixth career UAA Coach of the Year award in 2008 as UChicago posted a 13-6-2 overall record and reached the national round-of-16 before falling to the eventual national champion Messiah. The previous year, the Maroons finished 12-4-4 overall and reached the second round of the NCAA tournament.

UChicago posted a 15-3-2 mark in 2004 and reached the NCAA regional semifinals. UChicago was ranked among the Division III top 25 throughout the season and spent three weeks in the number one spot.

UChicago advanced to the Division III regional finals in 2002 with a 15-4-1 overall record. The Maroons also posted a 5-1-1 mark in UAA play, which was good for second place.

Reifert garnered her fourth UAA Coach of the Year honor in 1999 after guiding the Maroons to the UAA title with a 6-0-1 mark. UChicago posted an overall record of 14-3-4 and advanced to the NCAA III postseason round of 16 for the second-straight year and third time in the program's history.

In 1998, Reifert led UChicago to a 14-5-1 overall record and its third-straight NCAA III postseason appearance. UChicago defeated Wheaton College in the first round, before falling to the eventual champion Macalester College in the Central Regional final. The previous season, Reifert guided UChicago to a 12-5-2 mark and a berth in the NCAA III Championship, where the Maroons fell in double overtime to the eventual national champion, University of California-San Diego. The Maroons went 4-0-2 in UAA play which was good for second place.

In 1994, Reifert led UChicago to its first-ever UAA championship with a 5-1 mark in conference play. She also guided the Maroons to an overall record of 14-4 and was named the UAA and West Region Coach of the Year.

Reifert guided UChicago to a 12-4-2 mark in 1992, following a 3-10-4 finish in her first year with the Maroons in 1991. Following the 1992 campaign, she was honored with her first UAA Coach of the Year award.

Prior to her arrival at UChicago, Reifert served as head women's soccer coach at Knox College from 1987-90. While at Knox, she also served as head women's track coach and assistant women's basketball coach.

A 1986 graduate of Amherst College, Reifert was a political science major and three-sport athlete. Reifert, who served as chair of the NCAA Division III Women's Soccer Committee, also holds a master's degree in sports management from Western Illinois University. She and her husband, Scott, vice president of communications for the Chicago White Sox, reside in Hyde Park with their daughters, Marley and Shay, and son, Taylor.

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Sam Greene

The University of Chicago Department of Athletics and Recreation has announced that Sam Greene has joined the Maroons as a member of the women's soccer coaching staff.

Greene joins head coach Amy Reifert's staff for the 2024 season and brings a wealth of knowledge to Hyde Park after accumulating over a decade of experience at both the collegiate and professional level. Her longest tenured stop was at UCLA for nine years in total and she spent the last three serving as the assistant head coach from the Bruins. With UCLA, Greene served as recruiting coordinator and delivered top 10 recruiting classes in each of her four years while in the role, including the nation's top classes in 2020 and 2022 and the second ranked class in 2019. UCLA won four PAC 12 championships, helped guide the team to two Sweet 16's and an Elite 8, and reached the pinnacle of the sport while she was with the Bruins during their NCAA D-I National Championship campaign.

"Adding someone with the experience and expertise of Sam is an incredible benefit to this program," said Reifert, who is in her 34th season as head coach of the Maroons and is the second-winningest active female coach in Division III soccer. "Sam is a proven winner with experience and success at the highest levels in the coaching world. Based on her impressive resume, she brings a first-class level of tactical knowledge and a detail-oriented approach to our team. We are very excited to have Sam join our staff as she combines a passion for soccer with a desire to inspire each student athlete to reach beyond what they imagined was possible. Sam's vision of the game, coupled with her champion mindset, has already had a tremendous impact on our team and our play."

Greene is no stranger to the Chicagoland area. A four-year letterwinner at Northwestern, she was a two-time Academic All-Big Ten soccer student-athlete and a Big Ten Distinguished Scholar during her senior year. She finished her career ranked fourth on Northwestern's career (16) and single season (eight) assists lists and fifth on the career games played rankings (78).

"Having the amazing opportunity to work in such an historic program like UChicago truly is an honor," Greene said. "In Amy, it is a privilege to work alongside and learn from one of the best leaders, mentors and coaches in the country. Thanks to the current players and the countless talented alums, this program has established a winning tradition that prides itself on creating a culture of excellence. Amy develops people and teams with an intention of bringing out the very best in each student athlete in this program. She is a legendary coach, but an even better person, and I look forward to continuing to work with these amazing student athletes at this incredible institution."

Greene graduated from Northwestern in 2011 with a degree in Learning and Organizational Change. In 2018, she was selected to the United Soccer Coaches 30 under 30 program, and she is certified with a U.S. Soccer Federation Senior "A" License. A native of Santa Monica, Calif., Greene and her wife, Alicia, currently split their time between Chicagoland and Orlando, Fla. areas.

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Emma Hill

Emma Hill joined the University of Chicago Sports Performance Department in 2024 as a Strength & Conditioning Coach and Assistant Women’s Soccer Coach. Prior to this role, she served at Salisbury University as an Assistant Sports Performance Coach and Assistant Director of Facilities. At Salisbury, Emma led sports performance programs for multiple teams, including volleyball, swimming, basketball, and track.

Emma graduated from Salisbury University in 2021 with a Bachelor of Science in Exercise Science. Following graduation, she took on the role of Assistant Sports Performance Coach and Associate Director of Facilities at Washington College. There, she contributed to the development of athletes across a diverse range of sports, including soccer, lacrosse, swimming, basketball, softball, tennis, rowing, sailing, and trap and skeet. Beyond her work in sports performance, Emma is a skilled goalkeeper coach. Since 2018, she has been an Assistant Goalkeeper Coach with Dynasty Goalkeeping, where she has honed her expertise in training elite goalkeepers.

During her time as a student-athlete at Salisbury University, Emma was a three-year starter and team captain for the women’s soccer team. Her outstanding performance earned her multiple accolades, and she remains ranked in the top 5 for career saves. Emma also holds the prestigious CSCS and TSAC-F certifications from the National Strength and Conditioning Association.

At the University of Chicago, Emma is the Sports Performance Coach for Women’s Soccer, Men’s Soccer, Women’s Lacrosse, Swimming and Diving.

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Phillip Kroft

QUICK FACTS

Seasons: 1

Overall Record at UChicago: 11-3-6 (.700)

UAA Record: 4-1-2 (.714)

NCAA Tournament Appearences: 1

CSC Academic All-Americans: 2

USC All-Americans: 1

USC All-Region Selections: 4

All-UAA Team Members: 6

UAA Defensive Player of the Year: 1

UAA Offensive Player of the Year: 1

Phillip Kroft was hired as UChicago's Head Men's Soccer Coach in July 2023 and guided the team to a 11-3-6 overall record with a mark of 4-1-2 in UAA conference play. The Maroons advanced to the NCAA quarterfinals in his first season before falling with a 2-1-1 record in postseason play.

During his first season, Kroft had two student-athletes be named CSC Academic All-American, one named USC All-American, had four be named USC All-Region, and had six selections to the All-UAA team including the defensive player of the year and co-offensive player of the year.

Kroft brings a variety of experience across collegiate levels to Hyde Park and will inherit a bulk of the 2022 roster, of which was crowned the National Champions for the first time in school history. He most recently served as the head coach at Division III Johnson & Wales - Charlotte and also has held roles at Division III Catholic University and Division I Davidson College.

While at JWU, Kroft led the program to a USCAA National Championship and 11-5-5 overall record. Under Kroft, the Wildcats boasted a total of four All-America and six Academic All-America award-winners in his two years at the helm.

At Davidson, he served as the lead assistant for three seasons, two of which, 2019 and 2021, came under former UChicago head coach Mike Babst. During that time, the Wildcats reached the A-10 Conference Tournament three times and had a program-record finish of 2nd in 2018.

Kroft also brings NCAA experience as a student-athlete as two-year member of Division I Mount St. Mary's University. Outside of his collegiate resume, he has held roles with MLS-clubs D.C. United and Austin FC, primarily with the youth ranks.

A native of Virginia Beach, Va., Kroft holds a bachelor's degree in Biology and Secondary Education from George Mason University and a master's degree in Positive Coaching and Athletic Leader from the University of Missouri.

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Jack Curtin

Jack is a distinguished graduate of Liverpool John Moores University, where he earned his BSc (HONS) in Science and Football in 2011. His academic journey provided him with a solid foundation in both the scientific and strategic aspects of the sport.

With a wealth of experience garnered from prestigious Premier League Academies such as Everton FC and Liverpool FC in England, Jack brings a wealth of knowledge and expertise to the field. His time spent observing and learning from top-tier professionals has shaped his approach to coaching and player development.

Since transitioning to the United States, Jack took on pivotal roles within the youth soccer community, serving as a Director of Coaching and Technical Director.

He joined the University of Illinois at Chicago staff following a record-breaking season for the team, where they achieved unprecedented success by progressing to the conference tournament final for the first time in school history. During his tenure, Jack helped guide the Flames to a conference record of 5-2-1, culminating in a semifinal appearance in the tournament for only the second time. Additionally, two players were honored with selections to the All-Conference and All-Tournament teams.

Jack's most recent tenure came as an Assistant Coach at Idaho State University. Jack contributed to the Bengals achieving several milestones, including the most clean sheets and fewest goals conceded since 2013, alongside the highest number of wins and consecutive games with goals scored since 2017. Furthermore, during the 2023 season Jack played a key role in guiding the team to their first conference tournament qualification since 2014, culminating in their first All-Conference player since 2020.

With over 18 years of coaching experience under his belt, Jack is a highly decorated coach. He currently holds esteemed qualifications such as the USSF ‘B’ and UEFA 'B' Licenses, United Soccer Coaches Advanced National Diploma, and is currently enrolled on the USSF 'A' License. Furthermore he holds a range of other specialized certifications in sports psychology, talent identification, and performance analysis.

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Will Boyes

Will Boyes joined the UChicago men's soccer coaching staff as an assistant ahead of the 2024 season. His new role comes after playing for the Maroons from 2021 to 2023.

Boyes was the starting keeper for UChicago during their national championship run in 2022 and put together a career full of accolades during his three seasons wearing Maroon and White. He finished with over 4,400 minutes played while allowing just 31 goals in a total of 49 career games. He accumulated 122 saves and a 0.63 goals against average on his way to setting the team records for wins (22), minutes played (2,090), and shutouts (13) in a single season, all of which came in 2022. He also ranks third in the program's history with 22 shutouts and sixth in minutes played.

Boyes oversees the goalkeepers.

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Kevin Schmid

Kevin Schmid joined the UChicago men's soccer staff as an assistant coach in 2022.

In 2023, the Maroons assembled an 11-3-6 overall record with a mark of 4-1-2 in UAA conference play. The Maroons earned yet another bid into the NCAA tournament and advanced to the quarterfinals.

The 2023 squad’s accolades included one All-American, four All-Region selections, and six All-UAA honorees, as well as the UAA Defensive Player of the Year and Co-Offensive Player of the Year.

In 2022, the Maroons captured their first NCAA Division III national championship in program history. The Maroons posted a 22-0-1 mark to set a new school record for wins in a season and also won the University Athletic Association title with a 6-0-1 record. UChicago trailed for only 64 minutes all season out of a total 2,090 minutes played.

The 2022 squad's accolades included one All-American, five All-Region selections and seven All-UAA honorees, as well as the NCAA Tournament Offensive Most Valuable Player and Defensive Most Valuable Player.

The 2022 coaching staff was named the United Soccer Coaches' National Coaching Staff of the Year, USC Region VIII Coaching Staff of the Year and UAA Coaching Staff of the Year.

Kevin is originally from Cary, North Carolina. He holds a B.A. in Economics from the University of Chicago and is currently a student at the University of Chicago Booth School of Business. He is also a veteran of the United States Army