UW-Milwaukee names Jon Coleman as new men's soccer coach
Dec. 27, 2005
Milwaukee, Wis. - Jon Coleman is the new men's soccer coach at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, athletic director Bud Haidet announced Tuesday (Dec. 27).
Coleman is a former UWM player who has served as an assistant coach for the program for the last nine seasons. While on the sidelines, Coleman has helped direct the Panthers to unprecedented success, including five NCAA Tournament berths.
Coleman, the fifth head coach in school history, replaces Louis Bennett, who resigned after 10 seasons to become the head coach at Marquette.
"I am excited to have an opportunity to continue the great success of the Milwaukee soccer program," Coleman said. "To be the person to further the tradition we have established for so many years means a lot. I was sad to see Louis [Bennett] and (associate coach) Stan [Anderson] leave, but their mentoring was invaluable as I look to continue the legacy of the program."
"We are very excited to have Jon take over the reigns of the men's soccer program," Haidet said. "He has an excellent background as both a player and a coach and has played a major role in the incredible success we have enjoyed. He has a tremendous relationship with our players and has shown a great ability to recruit in Wisconsin and surrounding areas. He is unquestionably prepared to take over as head coach and to lead us to even greater heights."
Coleman's name is added to a short list of head coaches in Milwaukee history, but to an even longer list of former players and coaches who have reached great heights in the soccer world.
"We have established a great cradle of soccer coaches here at UWM, from former coaches like Bob Gansler, Brian Tompkins, Louis Bennett and Sasho Cirovski - who also played at UWM and just won a national championship at Maryland," Haidet added. "In one way or another, many of them have been great mentors for someone like Jon. He is a rising star who will add to the great coaching legacy we have established here in Milwaukee."
Coleman's career with the Panthers started on the field, as he was a four-year letterwinner from 1993-96. He played in 73 games as a midfielder, starting in 63. In 1995, he was named an All-Midwestern Collegiate Conference team selection and also won the Coach's Award his senior year as a team captain. He posted an overall record of 56-22-6 (.702 winning percentage) on the playing field in his four seasons, spending three years under the direction of Tompkins. He also went 25-7-3 in league play, winning a conference title in 1993.
He joined Bennett's staff after finishing his playing career in 1996, serving as a volunteer assistant until being named a full-time assistant prior to the 2003 season. In Coleman's tenure, the Panthers have posted an overall record of 123-59-14 and have enjoyed unprecedented success. In 2005, they reached the NCAA Tournament for the fifth-consecutive season and became one of only seven schools to post victories in each of the last four tournaments when they made it to the second round for the fourth-straight year. Additionally, the Panthers have claimed five regular season conference titles and the last four Horizon League Tournament titles under his watch.
His recruiting efforts have not gone unnoticed, as UWM players have been regularly recognized by the Horizon League with postseason honors: three times they have been named Player of the Year to go along with 19 first team and 17 second team all-conference selections. In addition, 32 players have been chosen for the conference all-tournament team. They have been honored nationally as well, as Tighe Dombrowski (2003), Antou Jallow (2002) and Chad Dombrowski (2002) have all earned various All-American honors.
In addition to his Milwaukee coaching resume, Coleman also spent time in the high school ranks with the Milwaukee Pius XI High School girl's varsity soccer team. In 2001, his second season at Pius XI, Coleman led the Lady Popes to a 2001 state championship and captured the Wisconsin High School Girl's Soccer Coach of the Year award.
Story provided by Chris Zills, UW-Milwaukee Office of Sports Information
