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University of AL - Birmingham

UAB Blazers Athletics
 Bartow Arena - 1720 2nd Ave. S Birmingham, AL 35294
Division 1 Alabama Southeast
Public Large National competitor
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Coaches

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Jeff Kinney

Jeff Kinney was named the fifth men's soccer coach in program history on December 21, 2018 and enters his fourth season at the helm of the Blazers.


Kinney comes to Birmingham after spending the previous nine seasons as a member of the Virginia Tech men's soccer staff. Kinney was promoted to Associate Head Coach prior to the 2017 season.


Kinney was member of the Hokies teams that advanced to three consecutive NCAA Tournament, including the Sweet 16 in 2018 and the Elite Eight in 2016. During his tenure, he helped develop eight All-ACC performers and saw three players from the program drafted to the MLS.


In the classroom, Kinney's student-athletes were among the top in the ACC as they carried a GPA of 3.0 or higher as Virginia Tech earned United States Coaches Team Academic Award for the third consecutive season in 2018.


Prior to his time at Virginia Tech, Kinney spent seven seasons as the top assistant coach at American University. In his time at American he helped coach the Eagles to two outright Patriot League Championships as well a spot in the 2004 NCAA Tournament.


A 2003 graduate of American University with a degree in physics, Kinney helped guide the Eagles to consecutive spots in the NCAA Tournament in 2001 and 2002 where he was honored as a two-time Patriot League Academic Honor Roll member and an Academic All-America.


"To be named the next head men's soccer coach at UAB is both a privilege and an honor," Kinney said. "It is an exciting time at UAB and I look forward to working with the staff and players to build on the great tradition of the men's soccer program. I want to thank Mr. Ingram, the search committee and everyone else that I met with during the process for believing in me and giving me such an opportunity. I have been blessed to be supported by my wife Kimberlee on this journey as well as friends and family that are too many to name. People get to where they are with the help of others and I have been fortunate to have worked with great people including all of my former players."

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Kris Hazard

Kris Hazard enters his fourth season with the men's soccer program.


Hazard came to Birmingham after having spent the previous 10 seasons at American University in Washington D.C.


In his tenure at American, Hazard helped the Eagles to some of the best seasons in program history, including spending the majority of the 2014 season in the top-20 in the nation with a win over then No. 1 UCLA. The success continued into the 2015 campaign as American defeated the defending national champions in Virginia and had a 14-5-3 record, breaking the school’s shutout streak en route to being named the 2015 Northeast Regions Assistant Coach of the Year.


Hazard played an instrumental role in the Eagles’ three Patriot League Regular Season Championships in 2008, 2011 and 2016 and in their three consecutive trips to the Patriot League Tournament Championship Game.


Prior to his time at American, Hazard coached at Tri-State for two seasons in 2006 and 2007. Additionally, he spent four seasons at Wittenberg University, beginning as an assistant coach in 2002 before transitioning into the Associate Head Coach role for the 2005 season.


Hazard earned his undergraduate degree from Wittenberg in Speech/English where he was an All NCAC All-Conference Selection for the Tigers in 1991 while also serving as the team captain.


Hazard is also a published author, writing a book entitled Hazard of the Game: The Dangers of Over-Parenting in Sport and Life.

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Ryan Hulings

Ryan Hulings enters his second season at UAB in 2022-23 as the primary goalkeepers coach.


UAB men’s soccer head coach Jeff Kinney announced the addition of Ryan Hulings to the Blazer coaching staff in February 2022. Hulings arrived at UAB after spending the past four seasons at UMass, serving as the team's goalkeeper coach.


During Hulings' first season in Birmingham, he helped Jack Hudson to a second team All-AAC season. Hudson finished second in the league in saves per game and save percentage while holding a 1.36 GAA, good enough for fourth in the conference. The Blazers finished the year with four shutouts, including a 0-0 draw against No. 12/18 Tulsa.


Hulings helped lead UMass to one of 14 at-large bids in the 2020 NCAA Tournament. In 2020, Hulings helped coach Minutemen goalkeeper Marvyn Dorchin to United Soccer Coaches College Player Award of Distinction honors. Dorchin finished 2020 as the Atlantic 10’s leader in saves with 50 while ranking 11th nationally in total saves.


Before arriving in Amherst, Massachusetts, Hulings coached at Virginia Tech in 2016 and 2017, helping coach the Hokies to a 13-5-4 record in his first season in Blacksburg, Virginia. The Hokies finished No. 8 nationally and advanced to the NCAA Tournament quarterfinals, posting a program-record nine shutouts. In 2017, Virginia Tech finished 10-10 and made it to the second round of the NCAA Tournament. Hulings coached Hokie goalkeeper and MLS first-round selection Ben Lundgaard to first team All-ACC accolades and the Hero Sports D1 Men’s Goalkeeper of the Year honors in 2017.


Prior to arriving at Virginia Tech, Hulings served as an assistant at Pittsburgh from 2014-15 while coaching the Pittsburgh Riverhounds Development Academy and serving as the goalkeeper director from 2013-15. At Pittsburgh, the Panthers set a new program record for consecutive shutout minutes with 380 minutes during the 2015 season.


In 2013, Hulings earned his first coaching job at his alma mater, Baldwin Wallace University. Hulings was a four-year letterwinner and three-year starter from 2009-12, leading the Yellow Jackets to their first NCAA Tournament berth during his junior season. Hulings posted a 31-16-8 record in net with 14 shutouts during his collegiate career.


Following his collegiate playing career, Hulings spent time with the Tampa Bay Rowdies of the NASL and the Pittsburgh Riverhounds of the USL. He made his professional debut on July 19, 2013, against Wigan Athletic F.C.


Hulings graduated from Baldwin Wallace in 2014 with a bachelor’s degree in sports management.

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