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Kenny Jones
Kenny Jones recently completed his 21st season in 2022 as the only head coach in the history of The University of Texas at Tyler men's soccer program.
In the 2021 season, Jones and the Patriots qualified for their second consecutive Lone Star Conference tournament and earned the #5 seed. That seeding was secured by a comeback victory in the final game of the season against DBU. Trailing 2-0 in the second half, the Patriots scored two goals to force overtime, and then scored the golden goal 44 seconds into overtime to lock in their tournament appearance.
Jones has led the program to a 224-86-42 (.667) overall record since the inaugural season in 2002, and has received six Coach of the Year honors throughout his storied career, the most recent of which came in 2021 as the Co-Lone Star Conference Coach of the Year. The Patriots claimed six American Southwest Conference Championships (2005, 2006, 2008, 2010, 2011, 2015) and made four NCAA Division III National Tournament appearances (2008, 2010, 2011, 2017) in 15 seasons competing at the Division III level. Jones also led the program to the 2003 USCAA National Championship prior to full acceptance into the NCAA.
He has mentored 10 All-American selections, 26 All-Region selections and has had 21 players receive All-Conference Player of the Year accolades during his tenure. Jones and the Patriots have totaled double-digit wins in 15 of their 20 seasons of competition, and finished their reign as perennial contenders in the American Southwest Conference with a 110-32-16 record in ASC play.
Jones served as the head coach for three seasons at the University of Dallas from 1999-2001 prior to being appointed as the inaugural head coach at UT Tyler, and boasts a 246-114-46 all-time record as a head coach.
UT Tyler has already shown signs of continuing that unprecedented success heading into the program's first season as full-fledged Division II members in 2021 following the mandatory three-year transition period from Division III to Division II.
The Patriots made the program's first appearance in the Lone Star Conference Men's Soccer Championship Tournament in the spring of 2021 after the COVID-19 pandemic caused the cancellation of the 2021 fall season. Jones and his squad took advantage of the opportunity, securing three straight 1-0 wins to close out the shortened 2021 spring campaign to win the no. 4 seed tiebreaker over UT Permian Basin.
The second of those three victories notched the second win for the program over a nationally-ranked Division II opponent as they defeated no. 16 St. Mary's in their final road contest of the shortened nine game schedule. UT Tyler clinched the no. 4 spot in the 2021 Spring LSC Men's Soccer Championships with a golden goal with 55 seconds remaining in the first overtime period against Dallas Baptist in the home finale. The squad finished the spring schedule 4-3-1 in league play and 4-5-1 overall.
The storybook final three wins for the Patriots paved the way for Jones to be named the Co-Lone Star Conference Coach of the Year as the Patriots made their first appearance in the conference tournament despite not yet finishing the mandatory three-year transition period. Three Patriots found their names on the All-Lone Star Conference awards list at season's end as Thierry Assamoi was named a First Team selection, Birkir Eydal a Second Team selection, and Todd Fuller as an All-Freshman Team pick.
The 2019 season provided Jones and his program their first look at competition in the Lone Star Conference in year number two of the transition period. The Patriots finished the year with a 7-7-3 record and a 2-5-3 mark in LSC play against a league schedule that featured six opponents ranked within the national top 25 rankings.
Jones managed a squad that scored three positive results against those nationally ranked foes, tying both no. 19 West Texas A&M and no. 23 Eastern New Mexico and notching the first win in program history over a nationally ranked Division II opponent with a 2-0 win over no. 20 Texas A&M-International in the season finale.
The first year of the transition period proved to be one of the best in program history as the Patriots finished the 2018 season with a 12-1-2 record despite being unable to compete with a conference schedule as part of the transition period rules. Lucas Pereira was named a United Soccer Coaches First Team All-American for his second straight All-American honor in as many seasons, and joined Ryan Brinda and Erik Macias as All-West Region selections.
Jones led the Patriots to an 11-4-3 record in 2017 and to the program's fourth NCAA tournament appearance when they earned an at-large bid. UT Tyler advanced to the ASC Championship final after a 1-0 semifinal win over UT Dallas. Pereira and Leandro Cid-Fernandez were named United Coaches Association All-Americans and John McGuffin earned ASC Goalkeeper of the Year.
UT Tyler finished the 2016 season with a record of 10-6-2 and advanced to the ASC Semifinals. Cid-Fernandez and Pereira were once again honored as all-region selections under Jones' leadership, while Cid-Fernandez was tabbed as the ASC Offensive Player of the Year and the ASC Midfielder of the Year. The team had five all-conference selections and eight all-academic selections.
The 2015 Patriots claimed the ASC Regular Season championship with a 10-3-3 overall record, and a 7-0-1 record in conference play. The team had three NSCAA All-West Region selections in Cid-Fernandez, Pereira and Trevor Self.
2013 was another standout year for Coach Jones and the Patriots, reaching the American Southwest Conference championship final before falling to Hardin-Simmons in overtime. The Patriots finished the year with a 10-3-5 overall record, and a 7-2-1 conference mark. UT Tyler finished in the top-five in points, shots, goals, goals-per-game, and were second in goals allowed (.78 per game). Jones helped coach Enoch Shipman to Second Team All-American honors, three All-Region nods and six All-Conference performers.
In 2012, the Patriots welcomed a host of newcomers to the team, mixed with a solid group of returning players. UT Tyler finished in third-place in the ASC East, and qualified for the ASC tournament for the third straight season, and the fifth time in six seasons.
Six players were named All-ASC performers, including Chris Powell, who was named a Distinguished Scholar Athlete after excelling on the pitch and in the classroom.
The 2011 season was the most successful season yet as the team finished with a 18-3-2 overall record and a 10-1-1 record in the ASC. The Patriots won the conference's regular season championship as well as the ASC tournament at year's end. UT Tyler made its third NCAA Division III National Tournament appearance, advancing all the way to the National Quarter-finals before falling to Calvin, 3-2 in double-overtime. Seven of Coach Jones' players were named to the All-Conference team, while Jake Urbaniak and Victor Almendariz were honored as First Team All-Americans. Urbaniak was also named the D3Soccer.com National Defender of the Year.
In 2010, UT Tyler powered its way to a 13-3-2 overall record and a 9-2-1 mark in the ASC. The Patriots won the conference's regular season championship as well as the ASC tournament at year's end. Advancing to their second NCAA tournament, UT Tyler scored a 1-0 win over Claremont-Mudd-Scripps in the first round before falling to No. 1 Trinity on penalty kicks.
In 2009, the Patriots finished with a 6-7-4 overall record behind a very young but talented roster. After starting the year just 2-6-3 with five of six losses by one goal, UT Tyler closed out the 2009 season on a high note with a 4-1-1 mark to place seventh in the league.
In 2008, the Patriots won their third ASC regular-season title in four years and won their first-ever ASC Tournament title. UT Tyler went on to the NCAA Tournament where they easily dispatched Jones' former team, the University of Dallas, before falling to No. 1 and then undefeated Trinity (Texas). The win over Dallas marked the first-ever NCAA win for an ASC team.
Six years earlier, UT Tyler finished its inaugural 2002 season at 13-5-2, then rewarded the University with its first and only United States Collegiate Athletic Association (USCAA) National Championship to date a year later.
During the championship run, Jones led UT Tyler to an undefeated ASC East Division Championship, near-perfect 19-1 mark and the top seed in the national tournament. The Patriots lived up to their top billing, beating second-seeded Maine-Machias 5-0 to claim the University’s first and only national championship. He was later named ASC and USCAA Coach of the Year.
Prior to becoming UT Tyler’s first soccer coach, Jones was the head coach at the University of Dallas where he compiled a 23-26-6 record in three seasons. He led the Crusaders to their first winning season in 11 years in 2001 and held the University’s records for wins and winning percentage in both a season and over a career.
Jones played soccer for Hendrix College, where he led the team in scoring and was a three-time selection to the All-SCAC Team. His senior year, he was honored as the college's Most Outstanding Male Athlete and went on to play semi-professionally in the USISL for the Arkansas A's. Ironically, his first game and victory as head coach of the Patriots came against Hendrix College.
Jones holds his masters in social work from the University of Arkansas-Little Rock and bachelor of liberal arts in psychology from Hendrix College. He currently holds a US Soccer National “A” license, and also a US Soccer National Youth License. He is a member of the North Texas Coaching Education Staff and a staff coach for the North Texas Olympic Development Staff.
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