Kiefer brings titles, tourney success to lead GCU

With more than 200 victories, 13 trips to the NCAA tournament and 22 years of head coaching experience, George Kiefer will take the reins of the Grand Canyon men's soccer program as its next head coach.

Kiefer becomes the sixth head coach in the 38-year history of the Lopes program after 15 seasons leading South Florida and the last seven leading North Carolina State.

"GCU has always been a program that has caught my eye because of the university's commitment to its soccer programs," Kiefer said. "After visiting GCU, I gained further insight into campus life and how the entire university collaborates to help its students find their purpose both spiritually and athletically. I knew that this was a place that I would want to be a part of."

Kiefer ranks 36th among 211 active men's soccer coaches with his 211 career victories. He led South Florida and NC State teams to the NCAA tournament 12 times in a 13-season span from 2007 to 2019.

"I would like to thank (Vice President of Athletics) Jamie Boggs, as I was so impressed with how her and her entire staff were on the same page from the top down in explaining GCU's approach to supporting its student-athletes," Kiefer said. "I would also like to thank President Brian Mueller for spending time with me and sharing his passion for GCU and the athletic department. I look forward to meeting the student-athletes and hitting the ground running with my sports administrator, Micah Meyer."

Kiefer will be charged with leading a Lopes program that qualified for three NCAA tournaments between 2018 and 2021 — one of only 24 schools to do so — and won three WAC titles in that span. GCU went 23-6-1 in the 2021 calendar year and was one of six colleges to have multiple first-round picks in the 2022 MLS SuperDraft.

"Coach Kiefer's long track record of success in college soccer speaks for itself," Boggs said. "We are excited to hire a coach of his caliber to pair with our university's commitment to soccer, the program's recent success on a national scale, one of the best stadiums in the country and the best student body on any campus. It became very clear in our national search how respected Coach Kiefer is by his student-athletes, colleagues and competitors. The future is bright for GCU men's soccer."

Kiefer's winning ways began during his playing career when his Southern Connecticut State teams went 74-8-8 (.867) in his four seasons. The Owls won two NCAA Division II national championships and won their league all four seasons.

After a two-year professional career with the Connecticut Wolves, Kiefer immediately launched his coaching career by returning to his alma mater in 1995. For the next seven years, he worked as an assistant coach under legendary college soccer coach Ray Reid, the 10th-winningest men's soccer coach in NCAA history.

While Kiefer was on Reid's staff at Southern Connecticut State and UConn, the teams went 123-26-8 (.809). UConn made four consecutive NCAA tournaments from 1998 to 2001 while Kiefer was an assistant and the Huskies won the 2000 national championship.

Kiefer landed his first head coaching opportunity at South Florida in 2002, beginning a successful 15-year run leading the Bulls. Kiefer posted a 162-86-51 (.627) record at South Florida and qualified for the NCAA tournament in 10 of his last 12 seasons. The Bulls advanced as far as the quarterfinals in 2008 and 2011. South Florida finished as high as No. 9 (2011) in a season's final Rating Percentage Index (RPI) rankings and closed eight seasons in the top 40.

The National Soccer Coaches Association of America shined a spotlight on Kiefer's success by naming him the region's Coach of the Year in 2005 and 2015.

His USF teams protected the home pitch with a 104-27-23 (.750) record, including an impressive home win streak of 30 matches. South Florida posted a winning record against ranked opponents at 29-26-11.

Twenty South Florida players were selected in the MLS SuperDraft during Kiefer's tenure.

Kiefer parlayed his South Florida success into a job in college soccer's toughest conference, making the move to NC State and the ACC for the 2017 season.

In his first season in Raleigh, Kiefer and the Wolfpack went 8-6-4, defeated two top-five opponents and ended the program's seven-year postseason drought. A year later, NC State advanced past the first round of the NCAA tournament for the first time since 1994. In 2019, the team finished fifth in the ACC for its best conference finish since 2005.

In his first three seasons at NC State, each of Kiefer's Wolfpack teams posted winning records, finished in the top 50 of RPI and made NCAA tournament appearances.

WHAT THEY'RE SAYING

"Coach Kiefer will be an outstanding new leader of the Grand Canyon men's soccer program. His knowledge of the game and his network for recruiting domestically and abroad will enhance the GCU team for years to come. Most importantly, George cares primarily about the positive impact he and the university will have on each of his players' lives. During our years as colleagues and rivals this has always shined through. Congratulations to all."
- MIKE NOONAN, Head Coach at Clemson, 2021 and 2023 national champion

"George Kiefer is an excellent hire for the Grand Canyon University men's soccer program. He brings a wealth of knowledge and experience at the highest level of college soccer. He is a good recruiter and savvy tactician, and his players will play with passion and pride. Everyone will understand the team's identity from top to bottom. He's a great fit for GCU."
- JOHN KERR, Head Coach at Duke

"Grand Canyon is getting a great one in George Kiefer. He is one of the best recruiters that worked with me during my 30-year career. He is going to lift Grand Canyon to great heights. GCU will play great soccer and be fun to watch."
- RAY REID, Former Head Coach at UConn, 2000 national champion

Grand Canyon University Athletics

WHAT THEY'RE SAYING

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