Since its inception in 1995, the Utah soccer team has only ever known one coach, Amy Winslow.
Now, though, the Utes will get to know a second.
Rich Manning, the associate head coach of the Santa Clara team that won the 2001 National Championship, has left his post at SCU to replace Winslow as the head coach for Utah.
“At Santa Clara, we were playing top teams and top schedules every year, I got to see the players be successful against other top teams in the country,” he said. “Those were things I’m sure I started to take for granted, but I’m going to try and bring them [to Utah].”
Manning spent four years total at SCU, during which the Broncos went 84-11-2 overall, qualified for the NCAA Tournament all four years, advanced to the semifinals for three of those years, and won it all this past season. SCU was also a three-time champion of the West Coast Conference?one of the premier collegiate soccer leagues in the nation.
Now, though, he will be called upon to lead the Utes to the NCAA tourney?a feat Winslow never could accomplish, and a factor that may have led to her sudden departure. While the U athletics department contends Winslow resigned, several Ute players suggested she was forced out because of the team’s failure to qualify for NCAAs.
Regardless of the U’s previous failures in that regard, though, Manning said the team has all the potential in the world?which helped ease his decision to leave Santa Clara.
“There were more and more pleasant surprises I found about having the things that are necessary to be successful [at Utah],” Manning said. “The program has a solid foundation, and they’re committed to improving on what they’ve already done.”
Manning’s boss, SCU head coach Jerry Smith, said the U was getting a great person to take over.
“He’s ready to be a head coach and run his own program. I’m sure he’ll have an immediate impact at Utah,” Smith said. “Utah’s getting someone who will not get outworked by anyone, and who has the experience of going to the Final Four and winning a National Championship.”