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University of Kentucky

Lexington, KY 405060604
Kentucky Midwest
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Troy Fabiano

Fabiano completed his second season at the helm of Kentucky women’s soccer in 2023, leading the Wildcats to a 9-4-6 season, the program’s most wins since 2015 and most results since the 2014 season.


Fabiano’s Wildcats began the 2023 campaign by putting together an unbeaten non-conference resume for the first time since 2007, going 6-0-1 outside the league including two victories over Power Five opponents (Illinois + Iowa State). That unbeaten stretch continued through UK’s first six SEC matches as the Wildcats remained without a loss through 13 matches, the program’s longest ever unbeaten streak to begin a season.


Fabiano got his first SEC win as head coach on Sept. 29 when Kentucky took down No. 9 Alabama at the Bell Soccer Complex, 2-1. In addition to it being Fabiano’s first win in the conference, the victory was also the first for Kentucky against a ranked opponent since 2016, and it’s first over a top-10 side since 2014. That victory propelled the Cats into the United Soccer Coaches Top-25 at No. 18, its first ranking since the 2015 season.


Kentucky put together a 3-3-4 SEC campaign, the 13 conference points earned being the most for UK since 2014. The team qualified for the SEC Tournament as the No. 7 seed, marking it’s first SEC Tournament appearance since 2020 and first with the 10-team format since 2015.


Fabiano also coached three Wildcats to All-SEC recognition as Jordyn Rhodes (First Team), Grace Phillpotts (Second Team) and Tanner Strickland (All-Freshman) were each honored by the conference.


During the first year of his tenure, Fabiano’s Wildcats finished with a record of 7-9-2 in 2022. The Cats enjoyed a stellar 7-1-0 mark in non-conference play, the program’s most wins outside of the SEC since 2015. UK displayed a versatile attack with 12 different players scoring a goal throughout the season, the most different goal scorers for Kentucky since 2015. Fabiano guided the Wildcats to two wins in non-conference play against power-five schools for the first time since 2015 as UK took down Purdue and Iowa State. The victory over Purdue marked the first non-conference victory over a power-five school since 2016.


On Nov. 30, 2021, UK Director of Athletics Mitch Barnhart named Troy Fabiano head coach of the Kentucky women’s soccer program.


“We are very excited for Troy Fabiano to lead our women’s soccer program. His winning history and number of championships are extraordinary,” said Barnhart. “His methodical, organized, and consistent approach are hallmarks of his ability to develop outstanding players and teams that excel on and off the pitch. We are confident Troy will build a winning program here and we welcome his wife and their children to the UK Athletics family.”


Fabiano arrives in Lexington after having spent seven years as the head women’s soccer coach at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee. During his time with the Panthers, he compiled an impressive overall record of 101-16-13 (.827) with a 58-2-4 (.938) mark in Horizon League play.


“I am extremely excited to join the UK Athletics family and lead the women’s soccer program while creating a culture of excellence here in Lexington,” said Fabiano. “Everyone I have met throughout this entire process has been incredible and genuine, and I cannot thank Mitch enough for affording me this opportunity. I am eager to meet the team and begin developing an environment that’s competitive in the SEC and on the national stage.”


Milwaukee claimed six conference regular-season titles from 2015-21 with Fabiano at the helm, including five seasons of going undefeated in conference action. The team was also crowned the Horizon League Tournament champion in 2018, 2019, 2020, and 2021. Following the Panthers’ stellar 2021 campaign, Fabiano picked up his sixth Horizon League Coach of the Year honor.


Players continuously earned conference and national accolades during Fabiano’s tenure. In total, 23 student-athletes landed on the All-Horizon League First Team, 15 on the Second Team, and 11 on the All-Freshman Team after he took over in 2015. Additionally, 10 Panthers earned major Horizon League awards. Seventeen players were also named to United Soccer Coaches All-Region teams, including seven on the First Team. Fabiano also coached one All-American, the program’s first since 2011.


Milwaukee punched its ticket to the NCAA Tournament for the fourth consecutive year in 2021 under Fabiano’s direction. The Panthers defeated No. 14 Xavier in the first round, advancing to the second round for the second-straight year and fifth time in program history. The 1-0 decision also gave Milwaukee its fourth-ever victory over a nationally-ranked opponent. The win over the Musketeers marked Milwaukee’s 19th win of the 2021 campaign, tying the school record for victories in a given season.


Prior to the start of the 2021 postseason, the Panthers were the NCAA leader in total goals (62), total points (203), total assists (79), shots on-goal per game (10.7) save percentage (.908), and goals-against average (0.31). The program concluded the 2021 campaign ranked first in the NCAA for goals-against average (0.374), assists per game (3.81), points per game (9.81), save percentage (.893), and shutout percentage (.762). That season also set new program standards in points (206) and assists (80), and Milwaukee capped off its record-setting year ranked second in the nation with a .905 win percentage.


With Fabiano at the helm, the Panthers went 1,617 days between regular-season conference losses from September 2016 to March 2021. That impressive stretch included a Horizon League record 36-game unbeaten streak — which was also the longest active streak in the NCAA when it came to an end — and the team also experienced a 31-match unbeaten streak at home in regular-season play during that time. Prior to the Fabiano era, the school-record unbeaten streak sat at 13.


Between 2017-21, Fabiano led the Panthers to a ledger of 77-7-7 – the best win-loss record of any team across NCAA DI soccer during that five-year span.


During his first year in 2015, he quickly turned around a program that won just six games the year prior to his arrival. He nearly doubled that win total, with the Panthers finishing 11-3-4 overall, including an unbeaten 8-0-1 mark in league play that included the regular-season crown. Fabiano also led Milwaukee to a 16-0-4 mark as the nation’s lone undefeated squad in 2018.


Just as they have on the pitch, the Panthers have experienced success in the classroom under Fabiano’s leadership. Since 2015, 14 student-athletes have garnered Horizon League All-Academic Team accolades while nine Panthers have been named to CoSIDA All-America teams. Twelve players were named to USCA Academic All-America squads while Milwaukee was named an USCA Academic Scholar Team all years with Fabiano at the helm.


Prior to his stint at Milwaukee, Fabiano spent 17 years as the head women’s soccer coach at the University of Wisconsin-Parkside where he boasted a 222-74-29 (.728) and 141-39-22 (.753) record. The Rangers had 16 consecutive winning campaigns, saw eight NCAA DII Tournament appearances, and clinched five Great Lakes Valley Conference championships in his tenure.


He was also a three-time GLVC Coach of the Year honoree and was named the Midwest Region Coach of the Year in 2008, 2010, and 2014 while at UW-Parkside. He coached seven All-Americans during his time with the Rangers, including a Capital One Academic All-American First-Team selection in 2014.


Fabiano began his coaching career as the men’s assistant at Robert Morris University — his alma mater — before serving as the interim head men’s coach at Eastern Illinois University. He was the women’s assistant coach at UW-Parkside for one season before being elevated to head coach.


While a student-athlete at Robert Morris from 1990-93, Fabiano was twice named to the All-Northeast Conference First Team. He was honored as the league’s Player of the Year as a senior after guiding the Colonials to their first NCAA Tournament appearance, establishing himself as the team’s leading goal scorer in 1992 and 1993.


He capped off his senior year at 10th in the nation in scoring with a conference-best 19 goals and 43 points, with both those totals currently ranking second in RMU’s history book for single-season records. Fabiano, who was inducted into the RMU Athletic Hall of Fame in 2001, ranks third in the program’s record book for tallying 39 goals and 95 points in his career.


Following his standout collegiate career with the Colonials, Fabiano embarked on a professional playing career. He played one season with the Pittsburgh Stingers in the CISL, one season with the Milwaukee Wave of the NPSL, and one season with the Milwaukee Rampage in the USISL.


A native of Kenosha, Wisconsin, Fabiano and his wife, Melissa, have three sons: Stefano, Marco, and Nico.

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Steve Golas

Steve Golas enters his second season with Kentucky in 2023.


During his first season with the program, the Wildcats played to a 7-9-2 record in 2022. The Wildcats defeated a pair of power-five programs in non-conference play for the first time since 2015 as they took down both Purdue and Iowa State. Kentucky began the year with a 5-0-0 start, and ultimately finished the non-conference portion of its schedule with a record of 7-1-0. The team’s four wins in the month of August were the most in program history.


Golas was named an assistant coach of the Kentucky women’s soccer program in January 2022.


Golas arrives in Lexington after serving as an assistant coach on current UK head coach Troy Fabiano’s staff at Milwaukee for the past two years, also holding the same role from 2015-18.


The 2021 season was one for the record books for the Panthers, who punched their ticket to the NCAA Tournament for the fourth consecutive year and advanced to the second round for the second year in a row. The 1-0 decision over No. 14 Xavier in the first round gave Milwaukee its fourth-ever victory over a nationally-ranked opponent and marked its 19th win of the 2021 campaign, tying the school record for victories in a given season.


With Golas on staff, Milwaukee concluded the 2021 campaign ranked first in the NCAA for goals-against average (0.374), assists per game (3.81), points per game (9.81), save percentage (.893), and shutout percentage (.762). That season also set new program standards in points (206) and assists (80), and the Panthers capped off their record-setting year ranked second in the nation with a .905 win percentage.


Golas first joined the Milwaukee women’s soccer coaching staff in the spring of 2015. He quickly helped turn around a team that won just six games and was picked to finish eighth in the preseason poll the year prior to his arrival. The Panthers nearly doubled that win total by finishing 11-3-4 overall, including an unbeaten 8-0-1 mark in league play that included the regular-season crown in 2015.


The Panthers, who continued their upward trajectory with Golas on staff, experienced their first-ever unbeaten regular season in school and Horizon League history in 2017, finishing as the nation’s lone unbeaten squad. In total, Golas helped guide Milwaukee to Horizon League Tournament titles in 2018, 2020, and 2021.


In between his stints at Milwaukee, Golas spent the 2019 season as the head women’s soccer coach at Dixie State. He led the Trailblazers to a 12-4-6 overall record, making just their second NCAA DII Tournament appearance in program history. In the postseason, the team claimed its first NCAA South Central Regional championship and advanced to the Elite Eight. The program recorded a school-record 56 goals overall, finishing the year ranked No. 8 in the final United Soccer Coaches Top-25 national poll.


Golas was named the first-ever head women’s soccer coach at Texas A&M-Texarkana in 2014. In the inaugural season of the TAMUT program, he led the team to a 10-2-3 overall record, outscoring opponents by a combined score of 58-15 on the year.


Prior to his time with the Eagles in Texarkana, Golas spent four seasons from 2010-13 as the head men’s coach and the women’s assistant coach at Illinois College. He became the men’s all-time leader in coaching victories throughout his tenure, guiding the Blueboys to their first winning season in nearly two decades in 2011 and compiling a 10-6-2 mark in 2013.


Before his success at Illinois College, he was at the helm of the women’s soccer program at Lewis & Clark College from 2008-10.


Golas was also the head women’s coach at Millikin from 2006-08, leading the program to one of the most significant single-season turnarounds in NCAA history in 2007. The Big Blue posted a 12-7 mark while breaking 17 school records and boasting one of the nation’s top-10 scoring offenses, just one year after registering a 2-13 record in 2006.


He was the assistant women’s coach at Angelo State from 2004-05 and helped lead the team to its first ever back-to-back 10-win seasons. While he was with the Rams, the program earned Lone Star Conference tournament berths as well as its highest-ever regional ranking.


Golas was at William Penn from 2002-04, first as the assistant women’s coach and associate men’s head coach. The women’s squad won the Midwest Collegiate Conference championship and advanced all the way to the Region VII championship game during his first year. The men had similar success, posting a school-record 11-5-2 season after finishing 5-11-2 the year before.


He was named the head men’s coach at William Penn at the conclusion of the 2002 season, holding that title until 2004. His 2003 squad recorded a 10-6-1 mark while breaking numerous school records and finishing the season ranked No. 2 in Region VII of the NAIA.


Golas first began his coaching career at Bemidji State, helping lead the team to a then-school record win total and one of the biggest turnarounds in the nation in 2000.


He has also seen success at the club level, leading every team he coached at the Chicago Blast Soccer Club to the IWSL Championships in 2006.


A native of Sandwich, Massachusetts, Golas played collegiately at Coe College where he was a four-year letter winner for the Kohawks and was twice recognized as the team’s most improved player. While at Coe, he was also a member of the track and field team. He earned his bachelor’s from Coe College in 1998 and received his master’s in sports studies from Bemidji State in 2002.


He and his wife, Becky, have a son, Jacoby, and a daughter, Cora.

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Johan Cedergren

2022 Sun Belt Conference Coach of the Year and head coach of the NCAA DI Southeast Region Staff of the Year, Johan Cedergren, enters his 12th season at the helm of the University of Kentucky men’s soccer program for the 2023 season.


Kentucky has reached the NCAA Tournament in nine of Cedergren’s 11 seasons leading the Wildcats. In addition to recognition as Coach of the Year in the Sun Belt, he was also named Conference USA Coach of the Year in 2014, 2015, and 2018. Cedergren became the fastest head coach in program history to win 100 career matches at UK on April 10, 2021.


Kentucky men’s soccer’s inaugural year as a Sun Belt affiliate, proved to be the best season to date for the Wildcats. UK went undefeated in the regular season achieving the conference double winning both the Sun Belt regular season title and conference tournament. The Cats entered the postseason with its first ever No. 1 national ranking. The postseason run was cut short in the Sweet 16 where Kentucky made its fifth-ever NCAA Sweet 16 appearance and fourth consecutive season.


The Wildcats proved to be a powerhouse on the pitch and were no strangers to award recognition. Louis Grassow earned Sun Belt Defensive Player of the Year while freshman Casper Mols was voted Sun Belt Goalkeeper of the Year. The conference first team featured both Grassow and Mols, as well as Eythor Bjorgolfsson, Enzo Mauriz, Robert Screen with the second team featuring Casper Grening, Clay Holstad (tournament MVP), Nick Gutmann, Andrew Erickson and Lucca Rodrigues.


Following the conclusion of the 2022 campaign, a record number of three Wildcats, Bjorgolfsson, Grassow and Mols, received first team All-America honors. Bjorgolfsson and Grassow were also announced as MAC Hermann Trophy semifinalists. Two Wildcats, Grassow and Ben Damge, were also were selected for the 2022 College Sports Communicators Academic All-America Men’s Soccer Team due to their academic and athletic efforts. Erickson and Martin Soereide received All-District honors.


For the first time in program history, three Wildcats were drafted in the 2023 MLS adidas SuperDraft. Bjorgolfsson was signed to Seattle Sounders FC as the 38th overall pick, Holstad was signed as the 43rd overall pick to Columbus Crew and Grassow went to Orlando City SC as the 46th pick. In addition to the three drafted in the SuperDraft, goalkeeper Isaac Walker receieved a first-team contract with Charlotte FC. Screen was also signed to Madison Forward FC.


Cedergren’s 10th season in Lexington in 2021 was one to remember as he led the Wildcats to their second C-USA Tournament championship title in school history after defeating Florida Atlantic, 2-1, in an overtime thriller. Kentucky then went on to its fourth-ever NCAA Championship Sweet 16 appearance.


Kentucky’s award haul in 2021 was nothing short of impressive. The Wildcats landed three players on the All-C-USA First Team, one on the Second Team, three on the Third Team, two on the All-Freshman Team, and four on the All-Tournament Team. Goalkeeper Jan Hoffelner was named the C-USA Goalkeeper of the Year and earned the Golden Boot Award, while he joined Grassow and Marcel Meinzer on the USCA All-Region First Team.


Under Cedergren, Hoffelner became the third UK player to ever earn United Soccer Coaches First-Team All-American in 2021. Hoffelner was also a MAC Hermann Trophy semifinalist and concluded the season as the NCAA Division I outright leader in goals-against average (.417), also tied for first with 12 shutouts.


During an extended 2020 season that was played in Spring 2021 due to COVID-19, Cedergren led the Wildcats to their third NCAA Championship Sweet 16 appearance in school history, marking the second such showing in the last three seasons. Between the fall 2020 and spring 2021 semesters, redshirt senior Aimé Mabika was selected with the 26th pick in the first round of the MLS SuperDraft by Inter Miami CF. One week prior, Kalil ElMedkhar signed a two-year contract with FC Dallas after his Homegrown Rights were acquired from the Philadelphia Union.


At the conclusion of the spring, Mabika earned United Soccer Coaches All-Southeast Region honors and six Wildcats received C-USA postseason accolades, including first-team All-C-USA performer and C-USA Co-Midfielder of the Year Marcel Meinzer. Redshirt junior Leon Jones earned All-C-USA First Team and United Soccer Coaches Scholar All-Region distinctions before embarking on his professional career with Dunfermline Athletic FC in his home country of Scotland.


In 2019, Cedergren led Kentucky to an NCAA Tournament victory at home for the second consecutive season with a 2-1 overtime victory over Loyola Chicago. Four Wildcats received United Soccer Coaches All-Southeast Region recognition while seven earned C-USA honors at the end of the season. Mabika was named C-USA Player of the Year and a United Soccer Coaches Scholar All-American.


The Wildcats’ record-setting 2018 saw Cedergren lead UK to winning both the C-USA Regular Season Championship and Tournament Championship, set the school record for wins (19), reach the NCAA Tournament Elite Eight, go 5-1 against top-25 opponents, and welcome multiple 3,000-plus crowds to The Bell, to name a few of the program’s incredible accomplishments.


Three Wildcats – JJ Williams (First Team), Enrique Facusse (Second Team), and Mabika (Third Team) – were named All-Americans by the United Soccer Coaches for the 2018 season. Williams was a finalist for the MAC Hermann Trophy, the highest individual award in college soccer, as he went on to sign a Generation Adidas Contract and be a first-round pick of Columbus Crew in the MLS SuperDraft.


As of 2022, Cedergren has coached a Kentucky player selected in the MLS SuperDraft four of the past six years. Alex Bumpus was taken 52nd overall in 2018 by New York City FC and Napo Matoso went 31st in 2017 to the New England Revolution.


In 2016, Cedergren led UK to the program’s first NCAA Tournament national top-16 seed, which followed the 2015 C-USA Regular Season Championship. He guided the Wildcats to a second-place league finish during a 2014 season which saw the Wildcats pick up multiple program-changing wins, including one on the road versus the top-ranked reigning NCAA champion Notre Dame.


Cedergren also coached one All-American each season from 2014-2016 as goalkeeper Callum Irving earned the honors in both 2014 and 2015 while Napo Matsoso picked up recognition in 2016.


Becoming just the third head coach in Kentucky men’s soccer history, Cedergren arrived in Lexington in December 2011. The 2012 season, his first, saw the Wildcats post one of their best seasons in school annals, as UK hosted the first round of the NCAA Tournament after ending the regular season sporting a top-25 NCAA RPI. In his first 11 months on the job, Cedergren directed the Wildcats to their first NCAA berth since 2003 and its best team GPA in program history.


The Wildcats excelled under Cedergren’s aggressive attacking style of play during his inaugural season in 2012. Kentucky’s offensive attack was speared by goal-scoring threats Matt Lodge and Tyler Riggs as UK finished with the 10th most points in single-season history, also ranking fourth in corner kicks.


Following the season, Cameron Wilder – an All-C-USA midfielder in 2012 – was drafted in the MLS Supplemental Draft by FC Dallas. Senior midfielder Charley Pettys was also inked to his first professional contract with the Los Angeles Blues in the USL. Senior forward Gabriel Conelian signed with the Portland Timbers of MLS, playing on the U-23 development team.


A native of Sölvesborg, Sweden, Cedergren came to UK after spending five years at Dartmouth as an assistant coach and associate head coach, leading the Big Green to the NCAA Tournament in each season – an impressive feat at an Ivy League program without athletic scholarships and significant academic requirements.


Cedergren helped pace Dartmouth to the Sweet 16 in two of his five years there, including two Ivy League Championships. In total, Cedergren helped lead the Big Green to a 52-30-12 overall record, including a 22-9-3 mark in league play, with consecutive NCAA Tournament appearances from 2007-11. Dartmouth was one of just 10 programs to play in five straight NCAA Tournaments, the eighth-longest streak in the nation, winning the Ivy League title in 2008 and 2011.


Cedergren played collegiately for former Dartmouth and current Penn State Head Coach Jeff Cook at Cincinnati after playing at the highest youth level in Sweden for Kalmar FF, also participating in the national development program. At Cincinnati, Cedergren was a three-year letter-winner and an All-C-USA honoree. A former team captain, he helped lead the Bearcats to its first-ever NCAA Tournament appearance in 1998 and a top-20 ranking at the end of the year.


After concluding his playing career with a business-finance degree, Cedergren attained his master’s in business administration from Xavier while also working full time in finance. Before beginning his coaching career, he spent eight years working in business, including time spent with U.S. Bank (2004-07) and the Johnson Investment Counsel (2001-04). He also coached with the Cincinnati Classics Soccer Club.


Cedergren is the proud father of two children, Gavin and Abigail.

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Ryan Zinkhan

Ryan Zinkhan is in his second season on the University of Kentucky men’s soccer staff after joining in February 2022. He was promoted from assistant coach to associate head coach ahead of the 2023 season due to his integral role in the success of the program in 2022.


Zinkhan arrived in Lexington after spending four seasons at Oregon State. He first joined the Beavers’ staff in 2018 as an assistant before being promoted to associate head coach in 2020.


During his first year in Corvallis, Zinkhan helped lead Oregon State to an 11-6-3 record in 2018 and an NCAA Tournament showing for the fourth time in program history. The Beavers earned their second NCAA Tournament win in program history and finished second in the Pac-12 standings. Under his guidance, Sofiane Djeffal was honored as the Pac-12 Freshman of the Year.


The 2020 season, which was played in the spring of 2021 due to COVID-19, saw the Beavers make the NCAA Tournament for the fifth time in school history as they finished with a 9-5 record. Additionally, Gloire Amanda became the first player in school history to win the MAC Hermann Trophy as the best men’s player in collegiate soccer.


2021 marked the most successful season for the Beavers to date with Zinkhan on staff. Oregon State checked in at No. 1 in the United Soccer Coaches rankings for the first time in program history, also clinching its first-ever outright Pac-12 Championship title. The program capped off the year with a 14-2-4 record and a trip to its first Elite Eight appearance.


Following the successful 2021 season, Zinkhan and the Oregon State coaches were tabbed the Regional Staff of the Year for the Far West region. He also helped produce five MLS SuperDraft picks throughout his four seasons with the Beavers, including two in 2022.


A native of Fredericksburg, Virginia, Zinkhan arrived at Oregon State after spending a year as an assistant women’s soccer coach at the University of Mary Washington. He has also held different roles at the Fredericksburg Football Club, including director of coaching for boys.


Zinkhan played collegiately at Virginia where he appeared in 78 career matches for the Cavaliers and earned a starting role in 58 of them. He finished his career with 12 NCAA tournament appearances, including guiding UVA to the national title in 2014 as well as the Final Four in 2013.


Playing as a forward, midfielder and defender, Zinkhan was named to the ACC All-Freshman Team in 2011 after tallying 11 points on four goals and three assists in his rookie campaign. He concluded his time as a Cavalier with 11 career goals, five of which were game-winners.


Zinkhan graduated from Virginia in 2014 with a bachelor’s degree in foreign affairs with a minor in history. He was named to the All-ACC Academic Soccer Team three times. Prior to his time in Charlottesville, Zinkhan was a member of the U.S. Academy Select Team from 2009-10 and competed in U17 and U18 national camps.

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