Director Rich Manning

Bio:

CO-DIRECTOR:
RICH MANNING
After five seasons as head coach, Rich Manning has brought the University of Utah women’s soccer program to national prominence, directing the Utes to Top 25 national rankings in each year of his tenure. During this time, Utah has compiled a record of 72-124-10 (.730 winning percentage). Manning was named Mountain West Conference Coach of the Year in 2002, 2005 and 2006 and NSCAA West Region Coach of the Year in 2003. The 2006 Utah team won its third Mountain West Conference championship in four years and made a fifth straight trip to the NCAA Tournament.

Camps will be conducted by the Utah Coaching Staff, current and former Ute players, as well as other collegiate, club, ODP and high school coaches.

Utah Soccer bio:
Rich Manning, Postion Head Coach, 6th season, Alma Mater: Santa Clara Graduated 1986
Rich Manning, now in his sixth season at Utah, has elevated Ute women’s soccer to elite status. Manning has coached the Utes to the NCAA Tournament and Top 25 national rankings in all five years of his tenure. He has also directed Utah to three Mountain West Conference regular season championships (2003, ‘05, ‘06) and a pair of league tournament titles (2003, ‘04).

Named Utah’s head coach in January of 2002, Manning has led the Utes to a 72-24-10 (.726) overall record, averaging more than 14 wins per year. Utah is also 26-3-3 against conference foes under Manning for an .859 winning percentage, best in the Mountain West Conference over the last five years.

Last season, Utah tied a school record for victories, finishing 16-5-1. The Utes were the first MWC team ever to record seven league victories, winning the 2006 conference title with a perfect 7-0 mark. Utah did not allow a goal in conference play, setting school and MWC records. Last year also marked the third time in four years the Utes hosted opening-weekend games in the NCAA Tournament. Utah finished last season ranked in each of the major polls.

Manning earned his third MWC Coach of the Year award in 2006. In addition, Adele Letro became Utah’s first All-American. She was named to the NSCAA/adidas second team. Kelly Isleib also earned Third-Team Freshman All-America accolades from Soccer Buzz.

Manning kicked off his Utah tenure in historic fashion, directing the Utes to their first-ever win over a Top 25 team with a 2-0 shutout of No. 3 Portland at Ute Field on Sept. 1, 2002. The following week, Utah vaulted into the national rankings for the first time. Utah finished 13-4-3 overall and 4-1-1 to place second in the MWC. Manning was named the 2002 MWC Coach of the Year.

The Utes advanced to their first-ever NCAA Tournament in 2002, defeating arch rival BYU 3-2 in overtime in the first round. Manning and the Utes set the tone that the program would be tough to score against. Utah ranked 29th in the NCAA in goals against average (0.29).

The program continued to flourish in 2003 when Utah set its single-season wins mark with a 16-2-2 record. Manning was recognized as the NSCAA/adidas West Region Coach of the Year. The Utes finished the season in the Top 25 rankings for the first time, coming in at No. 24 in the final NSCAA/adidas poll. The Utes’ defense ranked second in the NCAA in goals against average (0.436) and fifth in shutout percentage (0.65).

Utah opened the 2003 season with wins in nine of its first 10 games, including victories over No. 17 Michigan and No. 5 Florida at Ute Field. The Utes were unbeaten at home in 2003 and also captured its first-ever outright league title with a 6-0 record. The Utes hosted the MWC Tournament for the first time, defeating BYU 2-0 in the championship game. Utah then hosted NCAA first and second round games at Ute Field–another first in the program’s history.

In 2004, Utah went 13-6-3, won the Mountain West Conference Tournament and advanced to the first round of the NCAA Tournament. Throughout the season, Utah persevered through injuries to five of its top players. The Utes recorded one of their most impressive road victories, winning at No. 7 UCLA.

In 2005, the Utes went 14-7-1 and claimed the 2005 MWC regular season title with a 6-0-1 mark. Manning earned MWC Coach of the Year honors. The U. also earned an NCAA Tournament berth, hosting opening weekend games for the second time in the last three years.

Utah began its 2005 campaign with six consecutive wins for the best start in school history. Utah was once again one of the top defensive teams in the nation, ranking 24th goals against average (.707).

Manning has worked with Region IV Olympic Development Program teams the past five years. Manning has coached the Region IV U-18 and U-16 girls’ teams, which annually draw the top players from 13 western states.

Before assuming the top position at Utah, Manning was on the women’s coaching staff for four years at Santa Clara (1998-2001). He was an assistant coach for three years before being promoted to associate head coach. Manning helped direct the Broncos to four NCAA Tournament appearances, three NCAA College Cups (national semifinals) and the 2001 NCAA Championship. During his tenure, Santa Clara went 84-11-2 and won three West Coast Conference championships. Nine players Manning recruited and coached at Santa Clara made the U.S. National Team. Manning also coached two National Players of the Year in Mandy Clemens (1999) and Aly Wagner (2001).

Prior to joining the Santa Clara staff, Manning worked with numerous youth programs in Southern California. From 1994-97, he was head coach at Los Alamitos High School, where he produced two CIF championships and sent eight players to NCAA Division I programs. Manning took 1996 CIF Coach of the Year honors and was named the 1997 Orange County Coach of the Year.

Along with his success at Los Alamitos, Manning helped develop the S.C. Blues soccer club in San Juan Capistrano, Calif., into one of the nation’s top girls’ youth programs.

Manning played at Santa Clara from 1982-1986 under former U.S. National Team coaches Steve Sampson and Ralph Perez. As a senior, Manning was captain of the Broncos. He earned All-Far West accolades as a junior. Manning, 43, graduated from Santa Clara cum laude with a B.S. in mathematics in 1986, followed by a master’s in education from Azusa Pacific in 1996.

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