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 Greg
Ryan has been named the new Head Coach and Technical Director of
U.S. Soccer’s Women’s National Team. Terms of the deal were not
released. Ryan, 48, was previously named the interim head coach
after the resignation of
April Heinrichs
on February 15, and he led the USA to the championship at the
2005 Algarve Cup
in early March. In Portugal, the
team was undefeated and did not allow a goal over four matches,
including a 1-0 victory over Germany in the title game.
Ryan had
served as an assistant coach for the U.S. Women’s National Team
since January of 2004 and was part of the staff that helped win
the Olympic gold medal while setting a record for wins in a
calendar year (28) posting a 28-2-4 record. Ryan also served as
the U.S. Women’s National Staff Coach for Region IV from 2002
through the end of 2004.
Ryan will be
available for interviews today and through the weekend by
calling U.S. Women’s National Team Press Officer Aaron Heifetz
at (310) 630-2287.
"Greg Ryan
has been very impressive in his time with the U.S. Women’s
National Team. We are extremely confident in his ability to lead
the team into the next Women's World Cup," said U.S. Soccer
President Dr. Bob Contiguglia. "His dedication and passion for
coaching is unquestioned, and his knowledge of the women's game
in the United States and internationally is tremendous."
Ryan becomes
the fifth head coach in the history of a program that has
compiled a record of 262-50-35 since its inception in 1985. The
U.S. Women’s National Team has won four world championships -
two Women’s World Cup and two Olympics and is the only team in
the world to medal in every tournament - finishing in the top
three in all seven women’s world championships staged by FIFA
since the inaugural Women’s World Cup in 1991.
“I can’t wait
to get to work,” said Ryan. “Being named the head coach is a
great honor, but getting out on the field and doing the work is
what I enjoy most and that’s what I am looking forward to right
now. As the technical director, the youth teams have always
been a big contributor to the success of the National Team and
we want to provide our youth teams with the best soccer
environment possible. With the increases in programming we have
been able to provide our youth national teams over the past few
years, the future looks bright for the U.S. women.”
Ryan will be
charged with overseeing the USA’s five youth women’s and girl’s
national teams as well as the transition from Under-19 to
Under-20 for the next FIFA Women’s Youth World Championship in
2006 in Russia.
“I’m excited
about helping to further develop our young and talented players
alongside our more experienced veterans,” said Ryan. “I am
confident that the investments we are making now in our best
young players will enable them to contribute at the next world
championship. It’s a very exciting time to be taking over this
program.”
A USSF “A”
licensed coach who has conducted numerous U.S. Soccer Coaching
Education and Licensing courses over the past two years, Ryan
also has extensive experience in 15 years as a head coach in
Division I women’s soccer. He served as the head coach of
Colorado College from 1999-2002, compiling a record of 40-28-6.
Prior to his stint in Colorado Springs, Ryan was the head
women’s soccer coach at Southern Methodist University from
1996-1999, compiling a record of 37-21-5, which included a trip
to the NCAA tournament in 1997. Ryan was also the head women’s
soccer coach at the University of Wisconsin from 1986-1993,
where he lead the Badgers to a 108-32-12 record and five trips
to the NCAA tournament. Ryan led UW to two appearances in the
NCAA Final Four (1988 and 1991) and one trip to NCAA
Championship Game in 1991, where the Badgers fell to North
Carolina, 3-1.
Ryan, a
former professional player in the North American Soccer League,
began his coaching career in 1983 as an assistant with the
Colorado College men’s team in between NASL indoor and outdoor
seasons. Following the completion of his professional career at
the end of 1984, Ryan began his head coaching career at
Wisconsin in Madison.
In college,
Ryan was a First-Team All-American at Southern Methodist
University in 1978, after which he went on to play six seasons
in the NASL from 1979-1984. Ryan started his pro career with the
Tulsa Roughnecks before being traded to the New York Cosmos in
1979, where he played with
Franz Beckenbauer,
Carlos Alberto
and
Giorgio Chinaglia.
Ryan then was traded to the Chicago Sting, where he played his
final five pro seasons.
A native of
Dallas, Texas, Ryan returned to SMU after his pro career and
earned his BA in biology. He also earned his Teachers
Certification in Biology from SMU in 1986.
Ryan, who
starts his head coaching reign with a 4-0-0 record, will be the
fifth head coach in the team's history, but ironically the
second named Ryan. Mike Ryan (no relation) was the first head
coach of the U.S. Women’s National Team in 1985, coaching the
team through the first four games of the program’s existence.
Era
Coach W-L-T Pct.
1985 Mike Ryan 0-3-1
.125
1986-1994 Anson Dorrance 66-22-5
.737
1994-1999 Tony DiCicco 103-8-8
.899
2000 Lauren Gregg* 2-0-1
.833
2000-2004
April Heinrichs 87-17-20 .782
2005 Greg Ryan 4-0-0
1.000
*Lauren Gregg served as the interim head coach for one
tournament in Australia in 2000.
About the National Soccer Hall
of Fame and Museum
 Located in
Oneonta, NY, the National Soccer Hall of Fame opened a 30,000
square foot, state-of-the-art museum in 1999. The Hall of Fame
tells the story of soccer in
America through artifacts, photographs, and video clips. The new
Hall features an extensive interactive, youth oriented Kicks
Zone where visitors have fun kicking,
heading and playing computer trivia stations and video
soccer games. The VideoWall portrays some of the greatest
moments and the greatest goals in history as well as live soccer
action with World Cup, MLS, and U.S. Soccer matches. Unique and
rare artifacts on exhibit range from the world’s oldest soccer
ball to the FIFA Women’s World Cup trophy won by the USA in
1999,
Pelé's and Mia Hamm’s uniforms, Kristine Lilly’s golden
shoes, NASL championship rings, the original MLS championship
trophy, MLS gallery - it’s all at the National Soccer Hall of
Fame. In addition to the interactive Museum, the National Soccer
Hall of Fame complex boasts the
Kicks
Zone Store,
a research library, four world-class soccer fields and
office/meeting facilities. The Hall plans to add a stadium, an
indoor soccer arena and housing facilities in the future.
The mission of
the National Soccer Hall of Fame is to celebrate the history,
honor the heroes, inspire the youth and preserve the legacy of
soccer in the United States.
The National
Soccer Hall of Fame is open every day of the year, except
Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year's. Admission is $9.00 for
adults, $8.00 for students, $6.50 for children 6 or older and
senior citizens. Children 5 and under are free.
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