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Tiffany Roberts Sahaydak
An Olympic gold medalist, World Cup champion and two-time NCAA champion, Tiffany Roberts Sahaydak was named head women's soccer coach at UCF in May 2013.
A four-time American Athletic Conference Coach of the Year, Roberts Sahaydak has wasted no time in putting her stamp on UCF's successful program. Under her guidance, the Knights have earned five NCAA Tournament bids and four American Athletic Conference championships while boasting 18 Conference Player of the Year awards and 67 all-league and tournament selections.
An integral member of the 1999 United States World Cup winning squad, Roberts Sahaydak returned to the fold as an assistant coach under Vlatko Andonovski in 2022. At the 2023 FIFA World Cup in Australia and New Zealand, Roberts Sahaydak became the first champion as a player to transition into a coaching role with the team, propelling the USWNT to knockout round qualification for the ninth consecutive edition.
Ushering in a new era in the Big 12, the Knights' inaugural campaign as a member of one of the nation's premier conferences was historic, resulting in a trip to the Big 12 Championships semifinals. Under the guidance of Roberts Sahaydak, UCF secured a 10-7-1 (5-4-1 Big 12) record, and the second most wins of any conference newcomer. In Austin, Texas, the Knights defeated the 2022 conference runner-ups, TCU, 3-2 to garner UCF Athletics its first postseason win in the Big 12. In the program's inaugural conference home match at the UCF Soccer Complex, the Knights defeated reigning champions, West Virginia, 4-2. Following the squad's sixth-place finish in conference play, Dayana Martin earned second-team honors on the Big 12 All-Conference team, while Jessica McCullen secured a spot on the all-freshman team. Martin would also be mamed to the United Soccer Coaches All-Midwest Region Third Team following yet another dominating 13-point season leading the Knights attack. For the second-consecutive season, Roberts Sahaydak and her staff produced a NWSL draft pick as Talia Garbarra was selected by the Orlando Pride with the 14th pick in the four round.
In their final season in the AAC, the Knights boasted a 9-2-7 (7-0-1 AAC) record, going undefeated in conference play and picking up nine clean sheets along the way to becoming AAC Regular Season Champions. With the first victory of the season, Roberts Sahaydak earned her 100th win at UCF as a head coach. The Black and Gold collected a bid to the NCAA Tournament and advanced past NC State in the first round to face eventual national champion UCLA, where they fell in penalty kicks. Kristen Scott picked up Offensive Player of the Year honors, while Caroline DeLisle earned her second-straight Goalkeeper of the Year award. DeLisle and Scott were joined by Dayana Martin and Darya Rajaee on the All-Conference First Team, with Georgia Eaton-Collins being named to the All-Conference Second Team and Mia Asenjo earning unanimous selection to the All-Rookie Team. Scott would later be drafted by the Orlando Pride with the 41st-overall pick in the 2023 NWSL draft.
In 2021, Roberts Sahaydak coached the Knights to an 8-7-1 (3-4-1 American Athletic Conference) and entered the American Athletic Conference Championship tournament as a six seed. With the Knights sixth victory of the season, Roberts Sahaydak earned her 150th career win as a collegiate head coach. Under Roberts Sahaydak, Caroline DeLisle and Darya Rajaee earned their first selections to the All-Conference First Team. In total, four Knights earned conference awards with Caroline DeLisle also earning Goalkeeper of the Year and Darya Rajaee also earning Midfielder of the Year while Ariel Young earned All-Rookie Team honors and Kristen Scott earned All-Conference First Team.
In an unconventional 2020-21 campaign due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Roberts Sahaydak led the Black & Gold to picking up five all-league selections as the Knights finished the spring season with a 2-4-1 mark. Four Knights picked up honors, with Sarai Linder representing the Knights on the First Team All-Conference and All-Rookie Teams, Ellie Moreno and Madsion Murnin were named to the Second Team All-Conference, and Katie Bradley joins Sarai Linder on the All-Rookie Team.
In 2019, Roberts Sahaydak led the Knights to a 11-4-4 (5-2-2 American Athletic Conference) and earned a No. 3 seed to the American Athletic Conference Championship. The Knights posted a six-game unbeaten streak and climed to as high No. 21 in the United Soccer Coaches Polls. Under Roberts Sahaydak, Konya Plummer was named First Team All-Region by the United Soccer Coaches Association, as well as the American Athletic Conference Defensive Player of the Year. In total, six student-athletes were recognized by the Conference coaches with Plummer also earning First Team All-Conference, while Senior Zandy Soree and sophomore Kristen Scott earned Second Team All-Conference honors. Caroline DeLisle, Ally Gudorf, and Ellie Moreno picked up All-Rookie accolades.
The Knights finished the 2018 campaign at 10-7-1 (6-3 American Athletic Conference) and entered the American Athletic Conference Championship tournament as a the third seed. Under Roberts Sahaydak, three Knights earned All-Southeast Region honors - Stefanie Sanders earned second team all-region, while Vera Varis and Carrie Lawrence collected third team all-region recognition. Additionally, five student-athletes were recognized by the league coaches at the conclusion of the regular season. Vera Veris was named Goalkeeper of the Year and named to First Team All-Conference. Stefanie Sanders joined Veris with First Team All-Conference honors while Dina Orschmann and Carrie Lawrence earned Second Team All-Conference accolades and Kristen Scott was named to the All-Rookie team.
In 2017, Roberts Sahaydak coached the Knights to a 13-2-3 record, the most wins since the 2014 campaign. UCF climbed as climbed as high as No. 6 and finished the regular season ranked eighth. The Knights posted a 16-match unbeaten streak, the longest since the 2013 campaign, captured the American Athletic Conference regular season championship and made their 21st NCAA Tournament appearance.
Under Roberts Sahaydak’s tutelage, five members of the team received All-Southeast Region recognition and goalkeeper Vera Varis was named to the United Soccer Coaches Association All-American Third Team. In addition, five of her starters were recognized as American Athletic Conference Players of the Year, including Morgan Ferrara (Offensive), Kathellen Sousa (Co-Defensive), Vera Varis (Goalkeeper), Kayla Adamek (Midfielder), and Dina Orschmann (Rookie). A total of seven Knights were placed on the All-American Athletic Conference Teams, and three were recognized on the all-tournament team.
In 2016, four student-athletes were named to the All-American Athletic Conference Teams. Saga Fredriksson was named to the All-Northeast Region Team and recognized as the American Athletic Conference Co-Defensive Player of the Year. Off the field, the Knights earned recognition for their academic success as they received the National Soccer Coaches Association of America (NSCAA) Team Academic Award.
Roberts Sahaydak tackled the 2015 season with team that featured more newcomers (14) than returners (12) and lost three key members due to injury for the year before the season-opening weekend was in the books. Eight of their starters, including their American Athletic Conference Offensive Player, Defensive Player and Goalkeeper of the Year, had moved on from the year before. But the Knights earned a berth to their ninth-straight NCAA Tournament (20th overall) and nabbed a hosting gig for the first round for the fifth straight season. In addition, Carol Rodrigues was named the American's Co-Offensive Player of the Year.
In 2014, she guided the Knights to their second NCAA Sweet 16 appearance in four years and the American regular season title. Under her direction, three Knights were recognized as conference Players of the Year: Tatiana Coleman (Co-Offensive); Carleigh Wiliams (Defensive); and Connie Organ (Goalkeeper). UCF posted its first undefeated home slate (11-0) since 1999, matched the school record for wins in a season (18) and was nationally ranked through much of the year.
In her first season (2013), she led UCF to a school-record unbeaten streak (18 matches), an NSCAA national standing through much of the year and the program's first undefeated conference season since 1999. In addition, UCF made history as the first program to win an American Athletic Conference Championship. Roberts Sahaydak came to Orlando after serving six seasons at VCU alongside her co-head coach, husband and current UCF associate head coach Tim Sahaydak.
Roberts Sahaydak spent a decade with the U.S. National Team from 1994-2004, earning 110 caps (with 60 starts). Her career was highlighted by three women's World Cups - among them, the unforgettable 1999 championship - and a gold medal with the 1996 Olympic team.
After retiring from the USWNT, she has served as an ambassador for U.S. Soccer with the U.S. Department of State Sports Envoy Program since 2007, promoting the power and benefit of sport internationally. With the program, she has visited Indonesia, Uganda, the Philippines, Thailand, Namibia, Brazil and France. In 2014, she was appointed to President Barack Obama's Presidential Delegation to the Federative Republic of Brazil at the opening of the FIFA World Cup in Brazil.
She is a native of San Ramon, Calif., and was selected as the 1994 California High School Player of the Year. She was a three-time Parade High School All-American, a three-time NSCAA All-American and was the two-time National Girl's High School Player of the Year.
She debuted for the Stars and Stripes in 1994 when she was only 16 as one of the youngest players ever to suit up for the National Team. She played in her first FIFA Women's World Cup a month after her 18th birthday and won Olympic gold before she was out of her teens (USSoccer.com).
As a collegian, Roberts Sahaydak was a standout midfielder for North Carolina (1995-98) as a three-time All-ACC First Team selection. She led the Tar Heels to two NCAA titles (1996, 1997) during her tenure, was voted the 1998 ACC Tournament MVP and finished third in voting for collegiate soccer's highest honor, the Hermann Trophy. She still ranks among the top five for career starts in UNC's record book.
She was a two-time captain for the Carolina Courage in the first fully professional U.S. women's league (Women's United Soccer Association). She helped the Courage win the 2002 title after finishing last in the team's inaugural campaign one year prior.
Roberts Sahaydak took over VCU's program in 2007 and led the Rams to three conference championship game appearances. She was voted as the 2011 Colonial Athletic Association Co-Head Coach of the Year, along with her husband Tim. The duo mentored two CAA Defenders of the Year, one CAA Rookie of the Year and 20 all-conference players, including six first-team honorees.
The Sahaydaks reside in Orlando with their two daughters, Layla and Evie.
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