Michigan W Soccer hires new head coach

Earlier today Warde named Jennifer Klein the 3rd head coach in Michigan Women's Soccer history.

Klein comes from USC where she was the associate head from 2014-17, including a national title season in 2016.

This comes afrer Greg Ryan was fired out of nowhere last month after missing the NCAA Tournament for the 3rd time in the last 4 years this past season.

release

"I am excited to welcome Jennifer to our Michigan family," said Manuel. "She is a tremendous fit to lead our women's soccer program. Her diverse experiences and accomplishments at the highest levels of amateur soccer are impressive, and I have no doubt that she will find success here in Ann Arbor."

Prior to her time at USC, Klein spent two seasons as an assistant at Washington State, where the program twice advanced to the NCAA Tournament and produced the 2014 Pac-12 Player of the Year in Michaela Castain. In 2013, the Cougars tied the program records for victories with a 14-3-4 mark, as the team and players set or tied 27 school records including allowing just 11 goals.

Prior to her time in Pullman, Klein spent five seasons at UNLV including her final two as the program's head coach as she guided the Rebels to a 19-18-4 record. At the time she was named head coach prior to the 2010 campaign, Klein was the youngest head coach in NCAA Division I women's soccer. In Klein's first year as head coach, the Rebels improved their win total from the previous season from five to 11 and set a program record with 38 goals scored.

Klein's collegiate coaching career began as a volunteer assistant at the University of Arizona, her alma mater, during the 2006 season.

In addition to her work with the U19 women's national team, Klein worked for four years as a coach with U.S. Soccer's LA Market Training Center, part of a national platform designed to improve player identification, player development and coach development for the national team.

Klein also brings experience with the youth soccer ranks, having coached club teams and regional Olympic Development Program teams during her tenures at UNLV and Arizona. She received her National "A" License in the summer of 2011.

Michigan has missed the NCAA Tournament 3 of the last 4 years. The only season where we made it, we were upset by Illinois State at home via penalty kicks. 

We went 6-6-6 in 2017. The final record personifies a season wrecked from the very beginning by injury. At one point 6 of the starting 11 were out wish an injury.

Klein will inherit a talented team and a very talented freshman class as Greg Ryan signed the #4 ranked class in the nation before being canned. Keeping them healthy is the key.