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Eric Golz
Eric Golz was named head coach of the Dayton women's soccer program by Vice President/Director of Athletics Neil Sullivan on Dec. 20, 2016. Golz became the fourth coach in the history of the program, taking over for Mike Tucker, who retired after leading the Flyers for 22 seasons.
2022 marked a continued rise for the Flyers under Golz in his sixth season at the helm, winning 16 games on the season, UD's most in over a decade. The Flyers once again played for the Atlantic 10 Championship, marking the 25th consecutive year Dayton has earned an A-10 Tournament berth. UD continued its trend of team contributions, as 11 different student-athletes tallied goals on the season, while five individuals were honored by the Atlantic 10. Itala Gimelli and Mackenzie Lutz earned All-Atlantic 10 First Team honors and Alicia Donley was named All-Atlantic 10 Second Team. Freshmen Ella Raimondi and Batoul Reda were both tabbed to the Atlantic 10 All-Rookie team. Gemelli (First Team), Donley (Third Team) and Lutz (Third Team) were each honored by the United Soccer Coaches Association as All-Region honorees. The Flyers also earned United Soccer Coaches Team Academic Award for the 14th consecutive season.
The Flyers rode the momentum of a strong spring campaign to a 12-6-2 finish in the fall of 2021. The season included a five-match win streak and gave Golz his first season in Dayton with double-digit wins. Sophomore Itala Gemelli was named the Atlantic 10 Offensive Player of the Year, as well as All-Atlantic 10 First Team. She was joined in postseason honors by All-Atlantic 10 Second Team honorees Laney Huber and Marlee Taylor, and Academic All-Conference member Jessica Sheldon. Huber was named to the Atlantic 10 All-Championship team
Due to COVID-19, Dayton played Golz's fourth season in the spring of 2021. The Flyers finished with a 7-6-1 record on the campaign, including a 5-2 record at Baujan Field. Freshman Itala Gemelli earned All-Atlantic 10 First Team honors, while Mackenzie Lutz, Yaiza Navarro Leon and Jessica Sheldon were tabbed to the All-Atlantic 10 Second Team, and Gemelli, Katie Houck and Madison Wilson were all named to the All-Rookie team. In addition, Sheldon and Emma Thomas each earned Academic All-Conference honors.
The Flyers finished the 2019 season 7-9-3 overall, including 6-2-1 at Baujan Field. - Nine different Flyers scored during the 2019 campaign, with five of those players being freshmen. Alexis Goins led the Flyers in goals (7) and points (17) in her rookie campaign. Goins was named to the 2019 All-Atlantic 10 First Team and All-Rookie Team. Laney Huber and Landy Mertz joined her on the All-Rookie Team. Emily Jones and Emma Thomas were named to the A-10 All-Academic Team and Caroline Mink was named to the CoSIDA Academic All-District Second Team.
In his second season at UD, Golz led the Flyers to an 8-9-2 overall record and a trip to the A-10 Tournament in 2018. Senior defender Nadia Pestell was named to the A-10 Second Team for the second consecutive season. She was also one of three Flyers named to the 11-person, A-10 All-Academic Team. Fellow seniors goalkeeper Kaelyn Johns and defender Beth Kamphaus, were also named to the A-10 All-Academic Team. Izzy Greene was named to the 11-person Atlantic 10 All-Rookie Team.
In 2017, Golz's first season, Dayton went 6-3-0 at Baujan Field, including starting the season with five consecutive home wins, and outscoring opponents 13-0 in those matches. Dayton was 9-9-2 overall. Senior Alexis Kiehl tallied a league-leading 12 goals, bringing her career goals total to 45, tied for fourth all-time at UD. She is just one of nine Flyers to tally more than 20 goals and 20 assists in her career (45 goals, 21 assists). She was named the A-10 Offensive Player of the Year, selected to the Hermann Watch List, and was named a 2017 Senior CLASS All-American.
Golz came to the Flyers after two seasons as head coach at Illinois State University. In 2016, Illinois State (14-6-3) went on the longest unbeaten streak in program and Missouri Valley Conference history, going 15 matches without a loss. The Redbirds closed out the 2016 campaign with a 3-1 loss at Duke in the second round of the NCAA Tournament. The Redbirds finished as the MVC Regular Season Champions and MVC Tournament Champions and Golz and his staff were named the 2016 MVC Coaching Staff of the Year.
Prior to landing his first head coaching job at Illinois State, Golz was considered one of the top assistant coaches nationally.
Golz spent three seasons at Maryland as the assistant women's soccer coach from 2012-14, where he helped a Terrapins' defense that gave up the fewest goals for the program in the last seven years during the 2014 season. The 2014 season also marked the sixth-straight season in which Maryland notched a victory against a National College Soccer Coaches Association of America (NCSCAA) national top-25 opponent. At Maryland, Golz was also the team's recruiting coordinator, where he put together three-straight top-25 recruiting classes. The Terps finished the 2012 season as runners-up in the Atlantic Coast Conference, which tied the highest conference finish in program history. During his three seasons at Maryland, Golz helped the team to two ACC Tournament appearances, including a conference championship berth in 2012, as well as one NCAA Tournament appearance. In 2012, the Terrapins were ranked No. 16 in the final NSCAA national poll, while Golz coached five All-ACC student-athletes during his tenure at Maryland.
Prior to Maryland, Golz was an assistant coach at Dayton in 2011, where he also served as the team's recruiting coordinator. In addition, he was responsible for coordinating scouting reports and designing and organizing training sessions for the Flyers. Under Golz's tutelage, the Flyers, which were ranked as high as No. 14 by the NSCAA during the season, won the Atlantic 10 Tournament to advance to the NCAA Tournament. Dayton finished the 2011 season with the 11th-best scoring offense in the nation, averaging 2.52 goals per game.
He was as an assistant coach at Clemson during the 2009 season, where he also served as the recruiting and video coordinator. Under Golz's coordination, the Tigers' 2011 recruiting class featured verbal commitments from players in each of the four regions of the United States.
Golz was as an assistant coach and recruiting coordinator at Iowa for three seasons from 2006-08. In that time he helped recruit three classes, which included eight Region II ODP (Olympic Development Program) members and one National Team player. Golz also served as the Hawkeyes' equipment coordinator and camp coordinator.
Golz spent the 2004 and 2005 seasons as an assistant coach at Bowling Green, helping the Falcons to their first two NCAA Tournament berths and back-to-back MAC Tournament Championships. He also served as Bowling Green's recruiting, academic and travel coordinator.
Prior to working at BGSU, Golz spent a season as the assistant men's coach at Westminster College in New Wilmington, Pennsylvania.
In addition to his collegiate experiences, Golz has significant experience as a head and assistant coach for both state and regional ODP programs, a variety of clubs, and also served as the head coach for a semi-professional franchise with the Iowa Rush in the Women's Professional Soccer League (WPSL) in 2010. As the head coach of the Rush, Golz ran all aspects of the team, including recruitment, training and fiscal management.
A native of Wadsworth, Ohio, Golz was a standout goalkeeper at Grove City College and was an All-Presidents Athletic Conference selection. He earned his bachelor's degree in finance in 2002.
Golz holds a USSF "A" and USSF National Goalkeeping license, as well as a Level 1 Goalkeeping License from the NSCAA and has been a member of the USYSA Region II Olympic Development Program since 2004.
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