University of Tennessee appoints Joe Kirt as women’s soccer head coach

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. – Joe Kirt, a mainstay on the University of Tennessee sideline because 2007, has been named UT’s women’s soccer head coach, as announced by Vice Chancellor/Director of Athletics Danny White.

In the course of his 15 seasons on Rocky Top, Kirt has helped guide the Girl Vols to two SEC Event championships, two SEC Japanese Division championships and seven NCAA Match appearances. As an assistant at Tennessee, Kirt played important roles in goalkeeper improvement, technical and useful improvement for subject players as perfectly as constructing and implementing the program’s match product.

“When I achieved with the scholar-athletes in our soccer program before this 7 days, I questioned what characteristics they valued in their upcoming head mentor,” White said. “They talked about a chief who cares about their progress outside of just athletics, anyone who encourages a family-oriented culture, anyone who empowers them to be by themselves genuinely and somebody who not only listens but truly hears.

“After analyzing several high quality candidates, it grew to become more and more clear that we by now had the excellent healthy appropriate right here in present-day associate head coach Joe Kirt.

“Joe has been an integral component of setting up Tennessee soccer into a championship-caliber system, and we’re heading to support it at a degree that matches these championship ambitions. We just can’t hold out to enjoy Tennessee soccer rise to new heights and contend for SEC and NCAA titles under Joe’s leadership.”

[+READ: Florida State hires Tennessee head coach Brian Pensky to lead women’s soccer program]

In the course of Kirt’s tenure on workers, Tennessee has generated nine All-Americans and 33 All-SEC picks.

“First, I want to thank Danny and this administration for believing in me and supplying me this opportunity,” Kirt explained. “I adore this group and this system, and I’m so energized to see wherever we get it. The culture we’ve designed right here and the talent we have—with the two returning and incoming players—is so unique, and there is no other staff I’d rather be on this journey with.”

Kirt was instrumental in aiding guidebook UT to its next straight SEC Japanese Division championship in 2021. The Vols went on to defeat top-seeded Arkansas 3- in the ultimate of the SEC Tournament, bringing the trophy residence for the first time because 2008 just before advancing in the NCAA Match to the Spherical of 16. With a file of 20-3-, it was the winningest team in program record.

The 2021 squad was stout defensively, publishing a system-very best 13 shutouts and environment a new UT shutout streak document of 633:53. Following the year, Tennessee’s coaching personnel was named Southeast Location Staff of the Yr by United Soccer Coaches.

In 2020, Kirt helped lead Tennessee to an SEC East title, going 4-1-1 in divisional play and 4-3-1 overall in meeting enjoy. In the spring, the Big Orange recorded 4 far more wins, a few of which were shutouts, to finish the period with an 8-6-1 report and the program’s the sixth-straight profitable period.

Kirt mentored then-freshman goalkeeper Lindsey Romig to a document-breaking rookie campaign in 2019, as the Midlothian, Virginia, native completed the year with a .58 plans-towards average—lowering the all-time plan history set by Shae Yanez the previous year. Tennessee posted its fifth-straight winning season with a 9-6-3 report all round, and the Vols went 8-2 at Regal Soccer Stadium with shutout wins about SEC East rivals Florida, Georgia and Kentucky.

Tennessee’s defensive unit saw a single of the program’s most effective seasons in 2018, as the Vols manufactured their to start with-ever visual appearance in the NCAA quarterfinals. UT limited opponents to a application-greatest 15 targets on the year, even though the Vols’ 12 shutouts tied a then-Tennessee-record established in 2003.

Kirt guided Yanez to one of the program’s greatest goalkeeping campaigns from a statistical standpoint in 2018, location program information for the most affordable goals-towards ordinary (.66), best help you save share (.856) and optimum earn proportion (.795) in a solitary year. The Downingtown, Pennsylvania, native broke UT’s job history for conserve share (.820) and finished third on UT’s all-time checklist with 21 solo shutouts, together with 10 in her ultimate calendar year on Rocky Major.

In 2017, the Girl Vols returned to the NCAA Event for the initial time in 5 yrs guiding a defense that recorded 10 shutouts. UT conceded significantly less than 20 aims for the third consecutive year, logging a .88 targets-towards average as a team, with 19 goals permitted.

Kirt served direct Tennessee to its eighth-straight NCAA Tournament overall look and its fourth SEC Tournament title in 2008. The Massive Orange posted six shutouts and recorded a 1.23 objectives in opposition to normal throughout Kirt’s 2nd calendar year on staff members.

The 2007 season observed Kirt mentor Johnson and the UT protection to 11 shutouts, a .88 ambitions-against average and a new method-history 457-moment shutout streak. The Woman Vol defense became a just about immovable drive at home, providing up just three plans in nine matches and shutting out the closing six opponents it confronted at Regal Stadium in 2007, including two NCAA Tournament matches.

In his 1st 12 months in Knoxville, Kirt assisted steer the Woman Vols to their seventh consecutive NCAA Tournament and fifth NCAA Spherical of 16 visual appeal. Tennessee that Fall also achieved its best NSCAA ranking in system historical past (No. 6).

Kirt joined the Tennessee soccer workers in July 2007 right after expending 3 a long time as the Director of Goalkeeping for Problem Soccer Club, a youth soccer business comprised of 29 girls’ soccer teams in Houston, Texas. Throughout his tenure, the Obstacle gained a complete of 14 point out championships and acquired a No. 14 countrywide ranking from Soccer America magazine in 2005.

Prior to his time with the Problem, Kirt was an assistant mentor with the College of Houston from 2000-05.

Prior to becoming a member of the professional ranks, Kirt acquired his degree in Worldwide Research in 1998 from Wisconsin-Oshkosh, exactly where he performed both soccer and hockey. As a member of the Titans’ soccer staff, Kirt attained 3 varsity letters participating in in goal. As a senior captain in 1997, he led the crew to a 13-5-1 document, capping the year with a Wisconsin Intercollegiate Coaches Association to start with-crew selection.

A native of Brookfield, Wisconsin, Kirt retains a Nationwide Soccer Coaches Association of America national goalkeeping diploma. Joe and his wife, Susan, an eighth-grade instructor, reside in Knoxville with their sons, Landon and Luke.