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Angela Kelly
After spending 12 successful years building the Tennessee Lady Vol soccer program into a perennial championship contender, Angela Kelly made the choice to bring her expertise to the Forty Acres by taking over the head coaching position with the Texas soccer program on Dec. 19, 2011.
In 10 years at the helm of the Longhorn program, the Brantford, Ontario, Canada, native has established her mark on the program, leading UT to a 103-66-26 overall record, a Big 12 Championship final (2021), a quartet of Big 12 Championship semifinals (2012, 2014, 2018 & 2021), five NCAA Tournament berths and back to the NCAA Sweet 16 (2017) for the first time since 2007. From a player standpoint on the Forty Acres, Kelly can boast of the first Olympian and medalist in program history (Julia Grosso - Canada - Tokyo 2020 Olympics), two United Soccer Coaches (USC) All-Americans (Cyera Hintzen - 2017, 2018 & Julia Grosso - 2019, 2021), three USC Scholar All-Americans (Abby Smith - 2014; Katie Glenn - 2017; Cyera Hintzen - 2018), 19 USC All-Region selections, 21 All-Big 12 Conference players earning a total of 45 combined accolades, four Big 12 Conference Freshmen of the Year (Hintzen - 2016; Haley Berg - 2017; Julia Grosso - 2018, Lexi Missimo - 2021), the 2018 Big 12 Offensive Player of the Year (Cyera Hintzen), three CoSIDA/Capital One Academic All-District 7 honorees and 114 Academic All-Big 12 inclusions.
Texas came very close in 2021 to breaking through in its pursuit of the program's first Big 12 Conference title since 2007. The Longhorns went 11-5-6 overall, reached the NCAA Field of 64 and were unbeaten at 6-0-3 in league play to finish just 0.11 points-per-match behind eventual champion TCU in the race for the regular-season crown. Once UT reached the postseason, the Burnt Orange & White strung together a thrilling run to the Big 12 Championship final in Round Rock, Texas, before falling to the Horned Frogs, 2-1. The dynamic rookie duo of Big 12 Conference Freshman of the Year Lexi Missimo (nine goals, 14 assists) and All-Region standout Trinity Byars (12 goals, 10 assists) joined eventual United Soccer Coaches All-American Julia Grosso to power a strong offensive attack, while All-Big 12 selections Emma Regan, EmJ Cox and Savannah Madden bolstered a defense that eventually established a new program record with a 552:56 shutout streak.
Facing an odd 2020-21 split season due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Kelly led the Longhorns to a 7-5-0 overall mark. Grosso and Berg powered the squad offensively during the fall campaign as the Longhorns finished fifth in the Big 12 Conference with a 4-5-0 league mark. Once the Burnt Orange & White added freshman standout and 2020 No. 1 national recruit Missimo for the unprecedented spring season, UT;s offense ignited, outscoring Texas State, Texas A&M-Corpus Christi and Baylor by a combined total of 11-0. Included was a 4-0 rout of Baylor (April 1, 2021) in Waco that marked the largest road win for Texas over the Lady Bears in program history. All-Midwest Region choice Grosso ended up with a team-leading five goals and four assists during the year, while Berg added four scores and a pair of assists. Missimo scored three times and managed two helpers over just three spring matches.
The Longhorns posted an 11-8-1 overall record in 2019 on the way to a third-place finish in the Big 12 Conference (6-3-0) and the program’s third-straight trip to the NCAA Field of 64 (first time that had been done since 2006-08). Sophomore Grosso earned third-team United Soccer Coaches All-American honors after posting eight goals and eight assists, while senior Hintzen (five goals, four assists) joined her as a United Soccer Coaches All-Midwest Region selection. Junior Berg (second team) totaled eight goals and a team-leading nine assists in becoming one of five Longhorns to earn All-Big 12 Conference honors including Grosso (first team), Hintzen (second team), sophomore defender Emma Regan (second team) and rookie forward Sydney Nobles (all-freshman team).
Texas continued its momentum during the 2018 campaign, starting off the season unbeaten over its first 11 matches before eventually finishing 13-5-3 and tied for third in the league while reaching the Big 12 Championship semifinals and earning a NCAA Tournament bid for the second season in a row. Along the way, UT climbed as high as No. 6 in the nation in the Soccer America and Top Drawer Soccer polls and won its first 10 home matches of the season. Hintzen earned the program’s first Big 12 Offensive Player of the Year accolade after leading the league in assists (nine) and points (29) while rating second in goals (10). Midfielder Julia Grosso picked up the Longhorns’ third-straight Big 12 Freshman of the Year accolade, while midfielder Haley Berg joined Hintzen and Grosso on the United Soccer Coaches All-Region teams.
The 2017 campaign was one for the Longhorns record books as UT registered a 14-4-3 overall record and got off to the best start in school history while advancing to the NCAA Sweet 16 for only the fourth time in program history. Along the way, Texas managed to be the last undefeated and untied team in all of NCAA Division I women’s soccer while equaling school records with an 11-match winning streak and a 13-match unbeaten skein to open the campaign. UT also reached a high of seventh in the national polls before finishing at No. 14. All-American Hintzen led the way offensively with a Big 12-leading 25 points on 10 goals and five assists, including six match-winners, while Big 12 Freshman of the Year Berg scored six times, dished four helpers and rated second on the squad with 16 points. In all, nine different Longhorns players scored goals, while 11 registered points. Between the pipes, UT’s Nicole Curry set a new single-season school record with 11 solo shutouts as the Burnt Orange & White tied the program mark for blankings in a campaign. Texas was also remarkably clutch in extra time, managing a school-record-tying five OT victories.
Injuries provided the major storyline of the 2016 season as both leading scorers from 2015 (Alexa Adams and Mikayla Flores) were lost during the year to ACL tears. Flores went down just 22 minutes into the season opener against Seattle while Adams was lost on Sept. 30 against Oklahoma State. In all, eight major roster contributors combined to miss nearly 70 total matches of action while the Longhorns struggled to an 8-9-1 mark and a 1-6-1 record in Big 12 action. Close matches also didn’t go UT’s way as the Burnt Orange & White went just 2-8 in one-goal contests and 0-3-1 in overtime. The year was highlighted by the efforts of rookie forward Hintzen, who earned Big 12 Conference Freshman of the Year and Second Team honors.
During the 2015 campaign, the Longhorns managed an 8-6-4 docket, highlighted by a third-place finish in the Big 12 Conference despite being picked sixth by the league’s coaches in a preseason poll. UT also earned a quarterfinal berth in the annual Big 12 Championship and high-profile road victories at No. 14 UCLA and No. 17 Texas Tech, marking the first time Texas had posted a pair of road wins over rated foes since 2002. Individually, senior netminder Abby Smith earned NSCAA All-Central Region honors and broke the school’s career shutout record with 30 blankings, while freshman forward Alexa Adams led the way with six goals and four assists in reaping All-Big 12 Second Team honors.
Despite facing a schedule that for the majority of the season was ranked by the NCAA among the 10 toughest in all of Division I by winning percentage, Kelly’s third campaign in charge of the Texas soccer program provided more evidence of the program’s continuing upward trajectory. UT completed the 2014 season with an 11-8-4 overall record (4-4 in the Big 12) and a Big 12 Championship semifinal berth while reaching the second round of the NCAA Tournament for the first time since registering a 1-0 win over Washington State in Portland, Ore., back during the 2008 campaign.
Boosted by the efforts of senior defenders Brooke Gilbert, Whitney Jaynes and Julie Arnold, sophomore Isabelle Kerr as well as first-team All-Big 12 goalkeeper Abby Smith, the 2014 squad boasted another strong defense. The Horns backline recorded 10 shutouts, the second-most in a single season in program history behind the 11 totaled by the 2008 team, while Smith’s nine solo shutouts between the pipes equaled Dianna Pfenninger’s 2008 single-season mark. Included were high-profile blankings of No. 6 Texas Tech (W, 1-0), No. 9 West Virginia (T, 0-0, 2OT – Big 12 semifinals) and No. 25 Arkansas (T, 0-0, 2OT). Smith also led the Big 12 in saves with 98, the sixth-highest single-season total in program history.
Offensively, Texas had 11 different players combine to total 33 goals, the fourth-most goals in the league and the most by a UT team since 2007, while 15 players contributed points. Freshman forward Olivia Brook led the charge with a team-leading seven goals and two assists for 16 total points on her way to earning Big 12 All-Newcomer Team honors. In the process, the Houston, Texas, native also became the first UT freshman ever to score five goals over her first five career matches.
Junior midfielder Lindsey Meyer added a career-best five goals, including match-winners to beat both Texas A&M-Corpus Christi and Iowa State, while Gilbert and junior forward Chantale Campbell contributed four scores each. Senior midfielder and NSCAA/Continental Tire All-Central Region selection Sharis Lachappelle and sophomore midfielder Julia Dyche tallied three goals apiece, with the former getting credit for the match-winning score during the 3-0 NCAA Opening Round win over Rice. Sophomore forward Jasmine Hart recorded three assists during a 5-1 rout of Nevada (Aug. 31), tying for the third-most helpers in a single match in UT history, on her way to putting up a pair of goals and a team-best five assists for nine points.
Highlighted by an unbeaten 9-0-1 record at Mike A. Myers Stadium, Texas registered an impressive 12-6-2 overall mark during the 2013 campaign while finishing the season with eight wins over its final 12 contests. Despite being picked sixth in the preseason, UT tallied a 5-2-1 conference record to finish third in Big 12 play, marking the program’s first top-three league finish since 2007. Unfortunately, after being knocked out of the Big 12 Championship quarterfinals by Oklahoma State (2-1) and despite possession of a strong resume, the Longhorns failed to earn a bid to the NCAA Tournament Field of 64.
In all, 13 Texas players combined to total 31 goals, with then-sophomore forward Kelsey Shimmick, Meyer, Lachappelle, Gilbert and Chantale Campbell (team-leading five assists and 13 total points) all tying for the team lead with four scores each. Smith and Lachappelle earned NSCAA/Continental Tire All-Central Region honors, while that duo plus Gilbert were selected to the various All-Big 12 squads. Between the pipes Smith finished the year ranked second in the league in save percentage and third in both save percentage and shutouts (eight).
During her initial year in Austin (2012), Kelly guided the Longhorns to an 8-10-2 record as her lineup regularly featured eight underclassmen. She helped Texas to its seventh Big 12 Championship semifinal appearance over the last nine years and to fourth-place in the regular-season standings, marking its highest finish since 2007.
The squad tied for the Big 12 lead in fewest goals allowed during the league campaign with five (the fewest surrendered since five in 2008) and placed second in goals-against average. UT also began the Big 12 slate with a 3-0-0 record for the first time since 2002 and only the third time in program history.
The Longhorns earned numerous individual accolades in 2012 as four players were named to the All-Big 12 Newcomer Team, the most for any program in the conference and equaling the 2001 UT squad for the most in Texas history. Kelly guided Kristin Cummins to first-team all-league honors, becoming the first Longhorn since 2008 to receive the nod. Freshman Smith and sophomore transfer Lachappelle were also named to the Big 12 Second Team. Eight UT student-athletes were named to the First-Team Academic All-Big 12 squad, the most since 2007.
At Tennessee, Kelly took the helm of a program that had never advanced to the NCAA Tournament, won a Southeastern Conference Tournament match or collected any First-Team All-SEC honors or other league seasonal hardware. She eventually led the Lady Vols to four-consecutive SEC Eastern Division crowns, three-straight SEC regular-season titles and four SEC Tournament titles. She was tabbed the SEC Coach of the Year from 2003-05.
Kelly led UT to a 160-84-20 (.644) mark during her tenure. While at Rocky Top, Tennessee reached nine NCAA Tournaments and made five Sweet 16 appearances. Her squads were 10-8-2 in the NCAA Tournament.
Six Lady Vols garnered All-America honors under Kelly’s guidance, including three-time NSCAA All-American defender and current Texas assistant coach Keeley Dowling. Tennessee also earned 43 All-SEC and 22 SEC All-Tournament Team nods.
The Lady Vols were also exemplary performers in the classroom as Kelly’s Tennessee student-athletes earned 142 selections to the Academic All-SEC Team and SEC Freshman Academic Honor Roll. During her years in Knoxville, four individuals earned CoSIDA Academic All-America honors and 13 garnered Academic All-District accolades.
In her first season, Kelly led Tennessee to the best conference campaign in program history up to that point, finishing 12-8 overall and 7-2 in league action. Along with program bests for conference wins and highest finish in league play, Tennessee also boasted its initial First-Team All-SEC selection in Kelly Berrall.
During Kelly’s second season, the Lady Vols made their first-ever appearance in the national rankings and earned a bid to the NCAA Championship for the first time in school history. Tennessee rolled to an 11-6-1 overall record and a 7-2 mark in league action. Kelly guided the team to a victory over eighth-ranked Florida, a win that snapped a streak of 50-straight conference triumphs for the Gators. She assembled a stellar recruiting class with the freshman group rated No. 5 in the nation by Soccer Buzz.
In 2002, the Lady Vols continued their rise, posting then school single-season records for most wins (18), longest unbeaten streak (nine), longest winning streak (eight), longest home win streak (nine) and best home record (9-1). Tennessee finished 18-6-1 overall, won the SEC Eastern Division, captured the SEC Tournament title and advanced to the NCAA Regional semifinal with wins against Furman and No. 22 Cincinnati.
Individually that year, Dowling became the first All-American in school history. Kim Patrick was one of 15 finalists for the Hermann Trophy, awarded to the top player in Division I.
The Lady Vols ran roughshod through the SEC in 2003, winning the Eastern Division title and regular season crown with a 7-1-1 league mark while earning their second consecutive SEC Tournament championship to take the SEC Triple Crown. The effort earned Kelly her first of three consecutive SEC Coach of the Year awards. Tennessee put together a program-best 12-match unbeaten streak and posted a 17-5-2 overall record on the way to a second-straight NCAA Regional semifinal berth. The Lady Vols’ stout defense registered 12 shutouts as the unit was led by Dowling, who earned Tennessee’s first SEC Defensive Player of the Year accolade in addition to repeating as an All-America selection.
Tennessee posted another 17-5-2 campaign in 2004, winning a third-straight SEC Eastern Division title and second consecutive league regular season crown with a 10-1 mark. Kelly earned her second-straight league coach of the year honor while a program-best seven players claimed All-SEC honors. Dowling capped her career with her third All-America campaign, and Tennessee again advanced to the NCAA Regional semifinal.
The 2005 season resulted in the program’s second Triple Crown in three years. In what was supposed to be a rebuilding year, Tennessee went 15-6-2 with a 10-1 record in league action en route to earning a spot in its fifth-straight NCAA Championship.
In 2006, Kelly led Tennessee to its fourth NCAA Regional semifinal in five years. The Lady Vols posted a 12-7-4 mark, finishing second in the league and division with a 6-3-2 SEC record. Ali Christoph became the second player in school history to earn two All-America selections and the third player to pick up Academic All-America recognition.
The Lady Vols attained their highest ranking in program history in 2007. In her eighth season at the helm, Kelly guided the squad to its best start at 7-1-1, boosting UT to No. 6 in the Oct. 2nd NSCAA poll. Kylee Rossi became Tennessee’s first two-time SEC Offensive Player of the Year, helping lead the Lady Vols to their fifth NCAA Regional semifinal.
A year later, the program captured its fourth SEC Tournament crown under Kelly’s tutelage. Tennessee entered the tournament as the No. 6 seed and became the lowest-seeded team to win the title, earning an eighth-straight NCAA Tournament appearance.
The 2009 & 2010 campaign saw a brief downswing in fortunes as Tennessee registered 8-9-3 and 10-9-1 records, respectively. In 2009, seven one-goal defeats proved the culprit, while in 2010 a 2-5 start that featured matches against three ranked teams including No. 1 North Carolina on the road put the Lady Vols in a tough spot from the outset. UT would rally, however, going 8-4-1 down the stretch (7-3-1 in the SEC) but were denied an NCAA bid for the second straight season.
Kelly regrouped the squad in 2011, guiding the Lady Vols back to the NCAA Tournament with a 15-7 overall mark and a 7-4 record in league action to take second in the SEC Eastern Division. The squad climbed as high as No. 12 in the NSCAA poll (Sept. 27) after starting the season 7-1.
Prior to becoming head coach at Tennessee, Kelly served for four years as an assistant coach for the Lady Vols. She arrived in Knoxville in 1996 after spending time as a student assistant coach under legendary coach Anson Dorrance at the University of North Carolina.
Kelly was a four-year letterwinner for the Tar Heels from 1991-94. She garnered All-America recognition as a senior and was a three-year All-Atlantic Coast Conference performer.
Playing well in the College Cup spotlight, Kelly was also a three-time NCAA Championship All-Tournament Team selection. She scored eight goals and registered four assists in NCAA Tournament play to help UNC to four consecutive national titles. In 1994, she scored the game-winning goal in the Tar Heels’ 5-0 victory over Notre Dame and tied for the NCAA Tournament lead in points scored with 11 (four goals, three assists).
During her career, the Tar Heels posted a 97-1-1 record and won four ACC regular-season titles and four ACC Tournament crowns.
When her collegiate playing career ended, Kelly held the NCAA record for most matches played (99). A durable midfielder, she started 94 games and ended her career ranked 11th in school history with 38 goals, 12th in scoring with 103 points and 18th in assists with 27. She was named to the ACC’s 50th Anniversary Women’s Soccer Team in 2002.
Kelly also enjoyed a successful international career. She was a member of the Canadian National Team for nine years, appearing in 29 matches. She started every contest in the midfield for Canada at the 1995 FIFA Women’s World Cup in Sweden. She also played two seasons in the W-League for the Raleigh Wings, capturing national championships in 1998 and 1999. On May 11, 2004, she was inducted into the Canadian Soccer Hall of Fame in Vaughan, Ontario. She became just the third woman to be enshrined in the hall.
A native of Scotland, Kelly spent her youth in Brantford, Ontario, Canada. She earned a bachelor’s degree in physical education with an emphasis in psychology from the University of North Carolina in 1994.
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