Virginia Tech

Virginia Tech Athletics Department
25 Beamer Way Blacksburg, VA 24061

Division 1 Virginia Northeast

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Mike Brizendine

Taking over the reins of a program that faced strict recruiting restrictions, head coach Mike Brizendine has rebuilt the men’s soccer team and has seen the most success in program history. Brizendine has made it his mission to lead the Virginia Tech program to new heights and make the Hokies into one of the top programs in the Atlantic Coastal Conference.

Quick Facts

- Led Virginia Tech to six NCAA Tournaments between 2016 and 2021, an accomplishment only four other schools accomplished (Indiana, Maryland, Virginia Tech, Wake Forest and Washington).

- One of three programs to win a game in each NCAA Tournament from 2016 to 2021 (Indiana and Wake Forest)

- Four 'Sweet Sixteen' appearances since 2016, including an 'Elite Eight' run in 2016

- Hokies have advanced in the NCAA Tournament in each season that Brizendine has taken the squad to the postseason.

- Been on staff for four wins over No. 1 programs: Marshall (2021), Notre Dame (2017), North Carolina (2011) and Duke (2004).

Personal

Born: April 13, 1977

Hometown: McLean, Virginia

Wife: Lucy Brizendine

Children: daughters Sloane, Reece, and Millie

Education

High School: McLean High School

College: James Madison University (B.A. in Religion, 1999)

Postgraduate: Virginia Tech (Masters in education, 2005)

Playing Experience

James Madison (1995-98)

Heading into his 15th season at the helm of Virginia Tech men's soccer, head coach Mike Brizendine has led Virginia Tech to being recognized as one of the country's top programs.

In January of 2021, much of the player development that played an integral part in the Hokies' success was brought into fruition when Tech had two players drafted in the top-30 of the MLS SuperDraft, including No. 1 overall pick Daniel Pereira being selected by Austin FC as the first pick in club history. Kristo Strickler was selected with the third pick in the second round by Houston Dynamo FC. Following the 2022 season, two more Virginia Tech players penned MLS first team contracts: Ben Martino (Nashville SC) and Danny Flores (Sporting KC).

History was made as a team, along with the individual draft success, in 2021. With its appearance in the NCAA Tournament, Virginia Tech set a program record with five consecutive trips to the NCAA Men's Soccer Championships. Furthermore, Brizendine surpassed his predecessor for the most NCAA postseason appearances as a manager in Tech history. After beating No. 15 Oregon State in the second round, the Hokies were in their fourth Sweet Sixteen in five seasons, in which they narrowly fell to No. 6 Seton Hall in penalty kicks.

From 2016-19 the Hokies had the greatest stretch in program history as they made the NCAA Tournament for a program record fourth consecutive time, earned the highest national seeding in program history (10th), won the most ACC games in a four-year time (46) and made six tournament appearances.

In 2019 the Hokies once again made the NCAA Tournament as they claimed the 10th seed and a first-round bye. Tech would face and defeat No. 16 New Hampshire 4-1 in the round of 32 before falling late to Stanford 2-1 in their second-straight Sweet Sixteen appearance.

James Kasak became the seventh Hokie to train under Brizendine and be drafted as he was taken with the sixth pick of the fourth round.

The 2018 campaign was another stellar year for the Hokies as they once again surpassed 10 wins and made their second trip to the round of 16 in the past three seasons.

The 2017 season saw Tech make their second consecutive NCAA appearance season as they defeated Air Force 2-0 in the First Round. On the way to their tournament appearance, the Hokies had historic victories over Creighton, handing the Blue Jays their first home loss on opening night since 1995 and beating No. 1 Notre Dame thanks to two goals from forward Marcelo Acuna.

Following the 2017 season, Ben Lundgaard was taken with the 22nd overall selection by the Columbus Crew Major League Soccer SuperDraft.

The 2016 season was one of the best seasons in recent history and marked a resurgence of the Tech soccer program. The Hokies earned an at-large bid to the NCAA tournament, the program’s first in a decade, opening with a 1-0 victory over East Tennessee State. The Hokies then went on to defeat Charlotte and Indiana, advancing to the Elite Eight. The program ended the season ranked eighth nationally.

Brizendine was named the 2016 VaSID Coach of the Year with junior Marcelo Acuna earning third-team All-America honors. Senior Juan Pablo Saavedra joined an elite group of former Hokies when he was drafted by FC Toronto in the 2016 MLS Draft.

Brizendine has coached 22 players that have gone on to play professional soccer, as well as six MLS draftees. After taking over a program facing significant recruiting restrictions and coming off a four-win season, his leadership has returned Virginia Tech to one of the most competitive programs in the nation.

After serving 10 years as a collegiate assistant coach, including five at Virginia Tech, Brizendine finally got his opportunity lead his own program when former AD Jim Weaver promoted him to the head coach on June 11, 2009.

During the 2015 season, Brizendine’s team won five games, including an upset against then-No. 10 Xavier. Sophomore Merlin Baus led the team, tallying 15 points. At the conclusion of the season, Ricardo John signed with the professional team Central F.C. in his native country of Trinidad and Tobago.

In 2014, Brizendine's young squad produced seven wins, including victories over Wake Forest, NC State, SIUE and UNCG. Freshman Ricardo John, who tallied 11 points, was named all-conference and all-region. Underclassmen scored all 19 goals and freshman keeper Ben Lundgaard recorded six shutouts in seeing nearly 75 percent of the minutes in goal.

The 2013 season saw a school-record three players either drafted into the MLS or sign professional contracts following the season. The Hokies also earned eight points in ACC play, the most since 2007, behind five ties and an upset victory over No. 17 Syracuse. Under Brizendine’s direction, the Hokie defense only allowed 23 goals all season, the lowest total allowed since 2005, as well as the second first-team All-ACC selection in school history.

Brizendine’s 2012 team earned the most wins in a season (seven) for the program since 2007. On Nov. 5, 2012, in College Park, Md., the Hokies scored three unanswered goals to top NC State in the first round of the Atlantic Coast Conference tournament, capturing only the second victory for the team in the tournament since the school joined the conference in 2004.

The 2011 side played five top-25 opponents during the season, and the year was highlighted by a 1-0 double-overtime win over 2011 NCAA champion North Carolina. The victory was the program's first over a No. 1 ranked opponent since 2004.

Under Brizendine's guidance, the Hokies have also had a great deal of success in the classroom. His teams earned the NSCAA Team Academic Award six times (2010-14, 2016-17). The award honors teams with a cumulative grade-point average of 3.0 or higher.

As an assistant under former coach Oliver Weiss, Brizendine played an integral role in helping the Hokies make it to the College Cup for the first time in the program’s history. For his contributions, he was recognized as the NSCAA's Atlantic Region Assistant Coach of the Year in 2007.

Brizendine joined the Hokie staff after a successful stint with Bridgewater (Va.) College, a Division III program that participates in the Old Dominion Athletic Conference (ODAC). After assisting both the men's and women's programs at Bridgewater in 2000, he became the head men's coach from 2001 to 2003, guiding the team from non-competitive status to a full-fledged Division III program. Brizendine led Bridgewater to its two best single-season records – 12-6 in 2003 and 11-7 in 2002 – for a 23-13 mark over two seasons and a .639 winning percentage. For this significant turnaround, his peers named him ODAC Coach of the Year in 2003.

Prior to his time at Bridgewater College, he was an assistant coach at Ferrum College for the men's soccer team in 1999.

He has also been active guiding and encouraging kids in youth soccer programs throughout his coaching career.

Brizendine graduated from James Madison University in 1999 and earned his Master of Education from Virginia Tech in 2005.

As a player, he lettered four seasons at James Madison University from 1995-98 and ended his career sixth in all-time scoring for the Dukes. He earned all-conference and all-region recognition during his four-year career. He also played professionally with the Roanoke Wrath (1999) and the Northern Virginia Royals (2000 and 2001) of the Division 3 league.

Brizendine and wife Lucy, reside in Blacksburg, with their three daughters, Sloane, Reece and Millie.

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Patrick McSorley

Associate head coach Patrick McSorley enters his 16th season with the Hokies in 2024. Since joining Virginia Tech with head coach Mike Brizendine in 2009, McSorley has played an integral part in developing professional players and piecing together a six-year run of NCAA Tournament appearances that began with a 2016 'Elite Eight' appearance.

In June of 2021, McSorley was named one of the 12 best "difference maker" assistant coaches by College Soccer News. An accomplishment that has been reflected in the elevated standard of play in Virginia Tech men's soccer over the last decade.

While at Tech, McSorley has worked to return the Hokies to the forefront of the national soccer scene, helping Tech to six consecutive NCAA appearances from 2016-2021. Since his arrival in 2008, six Hokies have been selected in the MLS Draft, including No. 1 overall pick Daniel Pereira. Joining Pereira in MLS selection are Devante Dubose (2014), Juan Pablo Saavedra (2017), 21st overall selection Ben Lundgaard (2018), James Kasak (2020), and Kristo Strickler (2021).

Prior to coming to Blacksburg, McSorley spent six years at his alma mater, James Madison University, where he was an assistant coach and associate head coach. Before JMU, McSorley spent four years as the top assistant coach at Virginia Military Institute in Lexington.

While at JMU, McSorley recruited and coached four players who were later drafted by the MLS, two All-Americans and numerous All-Conference and All-Region players. He also helped lead the Dukes to a NCAA Tournament appearance in 2005.

As a player at JMU, McSorley was a third-team All-American as a senior in 1995 and played on four NCAA Tournament teams (quarterfinalist in 1994 and 1995; first round in 1992 and 1993) and three Colonial Athletic Association champion teams (1992, 1993, 1994). In the 1994 NCAA Tournament, McSorley scored the game-winning goal against North Carolina in a 3-0 first round victory and assisted on the game-winner in a 2-1 second round victory over Duke.

McSorley’s 42 goals and 103 points still stand as all-time JMU career records, and he is tied for 15th place on the Dukes’ career assist list with 19. He earned All-South Atlantic Region first-team, all-state first team, All-CAA second-team honors and was named to the Nike College Challenge Senior All-Star Team in 1995 in addition to being voted JMU’s offensive MVP. That year, he was also named one of the Top-10 midfielders in the nation by Soccer News and earned Soccer News All-America honorable mention, making him one of only five players in JMU history at the time to earn All-America recognition.

In 2000, he was named one of the school’s Top-50 athletes of all time by the JMU student newspaper, The Breeze. McSorley was inducted into the JMU Sports Hall of Fame in 2010.

McSorley played professional soccer for four years, most recently with the USL Roanoke Wrath (1998-2000).

A native of Springfield, Virginia, McSorley earned a bachelor’s degree in business management from JMU in 1996 and a master’s degree in sports recreation and leadership from JMU in 2007. He is married to the former Bridget Brugger, an associate athletics director, strategic planning & special projects at Virginia Tech. They have three children, Morgan, Addison and Connor.

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Kyle Renfro

Kyle Renfro was announced as assistant coach for Virginia Tech men's soccer, heading the program's goalkeepers, in February 2024.

Renfro, a 2013 graduate of Virginia Tech, returns to Blacksburg after a five-season stint as an assistant coach at Duke. With the Blue Devils, he worked with goalkeepers and oversaw the program's recruiting efforts.

While Renfro directed the goalkeeper unit, Duke's Will Pulisic, Eliot Hamill and Julian Eyestone went on to have All-ACC seasons. Pulisic was a two-time All-ACC selection, while Hamill had an All-American 2022 campaign that saw him garner the ACC Goalkeeper of Year award. In 2023, Eyestone burst onto the scene with an All-ACC second team rookie season before making the jump to the professional ranks in December.

Renfro served in a volunteer assistant role at Virginia Tech during the 2018 season, in a year that saw the Hokies reach the 'Sweet 16' while holding a ranking as high as 14th in the country. The Hokies' net was protected by Mathijs Swaneveld in 2018, who led the ACC in saves per game, finished second in save percentage and recorded five shutouts.

Prior to his season at Tech, Renfro was an assistant at Winthrop in 2017.

While representing the Hokies as a player, Renfro made 63 starts over four seasons. Ranking fourth all-time in both saves and shutouts, the Brookeville, Va. native capped off his career with an All-ACC first team campaign in 2013. In one of his most notable performances, Renfro kept a clean sheet as Tech defeated No. 1 North Carolina, 1-0, at Thompson Field in 2011. The win served as the first of three victories so far over top-ranked opponents under Brizendine.

Following his career at Virginia Tech, Renfro spent time at the professional level with USL sides Charlotte Eagles and Charlotte Independence.

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Matt Watts

Watts joined the Hokies in the summer of 2024 following eight years in charge of Nova Southeastern (DII), posting a 64-44-14 record with the Sharks. His tenure was highlighted by a Final Four run in 2021, while his program claimed its first Sunshine State Conference (SSC) title in the same year.

Having headlined the 2021 NCAA Division II South Region Staff of the Year, Watts guided Nova Southeastern to its first NCAA Tournament victories in program history during the Final Four run, which ended in penalties to the eventual national champions (Cal State).

Since 2018, Watts coached 15 All-SSC selections, including Sebastian Loibl, who earned All-American recognition during the coach’s third season in charge.

Watts’ tenure at Nova Southeastern was preceded by successful stints as the head coach at Alabama-Huntsville (UAH) and Delta State (DSU).

Upon his arrival in January 2013, Watts guided UAH to a 10-win season, a nine-game improvement from the team’s previous campaign. In his three seasons there, he accumulated a 33-17-3 overall record and a .683 winning percentage. Watts led the program to new heights, as UAH received NSCAA top-25 rankings for the first time in 18 years in both 2014 and 2015. For his success on the field, he was recognized as the Gulf South Conference Coach of the Year in 2015.

Prior to UAH, Watts spent two seasons leading DSU. In 2012, he guided the program that had never reached the GSC Tournament to the final for the first time in school history and earned GSC Coach of the Year honors.

Before taking on the head job at DSU, Watts spent two seasons as an assistant at West Florida and his alma mater, University of Mobile.

Watts had an extensive player career as an amateur, collegiate and professional. Before coming stateside, he played for Norwich City F.C. from 2002-2004. As a collegian, he spent time at SUNY-Oneonta and Lynn before he finished his career at the University of Mobile (2007-2008), where he was a two team All-GCAC, All-Region and All-American selection, along with the 2008 GCAC Player of the Year. In 2008-09, he played in the professional development league for the Panama City Pirates.

In addition to a Master’s in Health, Leisure and Exercise the University of West Florida and Bachelor’s degree in in Communication Studies, Advertising and Public Relations from the University of Mobile, Watts holds a UEFA B license, FA Level 2 certificate, NSCAA national diploma, NSCAA advanced national diploma and an NSCAA premier diploma.