George Gelnovatch

George Gelnovatch (born February 12, 1965) is the men's soccer coach at the University of Virginia. He played professionally in the Major Indoor Soccer League and American Professional Soccer League. As head coach, he has led Virginia men's soccer to the College Cup Final Four in 1997, 2006, 2009, 2013, 2014, and 2019. Under his leadership, Virginia won its sixth and seventh NCAA National Championships of the sport in 2009 and 2014.[1]

George Gelnovatch
Personal information
Date of birth (1965-02-12) February 12, 1965
Place of birth Wall Township, New Jersey, United States
Height 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m)
Position(s) Defender
Youth career
1983–1986 Virginia Cavaliers
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1987–1988 Minnesota Strikers (indoor) 15 (1)
1988 New Jersey Eagles
1990 Penn-Jersey Spirit
1991 Maryland Bays 18 (0)
1996 D.C. United 2 (0)
Teams managed
1989–1995 University of Virginia (assistant)
1996– University of Virginia
1999 United States U18
1999, 2002 United States (assistant)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only

Player

Gelnovatch grew up in Wall Township, New Jersey and played soccer at Wall High School, where he was part of three state champion teams.[2] He attended the University of Virginia, playing on the men's soccer team from 1983 to 1986. He was a 1986 First Team All American. He ranks fifth on the school's all time lists for points (118) and goals (49). During his career, the Cavaliers went 67–14–4. In 1986, he earned first team all-ACC and first team all-American honors. In 1987, the Minnesota Strikers selected Gelnovatch in the fourth round of the Major Indoor Soccer League draft.[3] He spent one season with Minnesota. In 1988, he moved to the New Jersey Eagles of the American Soccer League.[4] In 1990, Gelnovatch joined the Penn-Jersey Spirit of the American Professional Soccer League.[5] He was a first team All League defender that season.[6] In April 1991, Gelnovatch moved to the Maryland Bays.[7] In 1996, he played a handful of games for D.C. United in Major League Soccer.

Coach

In 1989, Gelnovatch served as a part-time assistant coach under Bruce Arena with the Virginia Cavaliers. In 1995, he became a full-time assistant at Virginia. On January 3, 1996, Gelnovatch replaced Arena as head coach. He is most notable for leading the Cavaliers to the 2009 NCAA Division I Men's Soccer Championship where the Cavaliers won a penalty shoot-out against Akron. His teams have reached the NCAA tournament every year he's coached. He has led the Cavaliers to three NCAA college cup appearances, four Atlantic Coast Conference tournament titles, and two Atlantic Coast Conference regular season titles. In September 1999, Arena appointed Gelnovatch as the head coach of the United States U-18 men's national soccer team.[8] In 1999 and 2002, he also served as an assistant coach with the United States men's national soccer team.

Head Coaching Record
Season College Won Lost Tied Notes
1996 Virginia 16 3 3 ACC Tournament Runner-Up NCAA 1st Round
1997 Virginia 19 4 3 ACC Tournament Champions;NCAA Runner Up
1998 Virginia 16 4 3 NCAA Elite Eight
1999 Virginia 14 9 1 ACC Tournament Runner-Up NCAA Elite Eight
2000 Virginia 17 6 1 ACC Tournament Runner-Up NCAA Elite Eight
2001 Virginia 17 2 1 ACC Tournament Runner-Up NCAA Second Round
2002 Virginia 15 7 0 ACC Tournament Runner-Up NCAA Second Round
2003 Virginia 11 10 2 ACC Tournament Champions; NCAA Sweet Sixteen
2004 Virginia 18 5 1 ACC Tournament Champions; NCAA Elite Eight
2005 Virginia 12 5 3 NCAA Sweet Sixteen
2006 Virginia 17 4 1 NCAA Final Four
2007 Virginia 12 8 2 NCAA Second Round
2008 Virginia 11 9 1 ACC Tournament Runner-Up NCAA Second Round
2009 Virginia 19 3 3 ACC Tournament Champions NCAA Champions
2010 Virginia 11 6 3 NCAA First Round
2011 Virginia 12 8 1 NCAA First Round
2012 Virginia 10 7 4 NCAA Second Round
2013 Virginia 13 6 5 ACC Tournament Runner-Up NCAA Final Four
2014 Virginia 14 6 3 NCAA Champions
2015 Virginia 10 5 3 NCAA Second Round
2016 Virginia 10 3 5 NCAA Third Round
2017 Virginia 13 4 5 NCAA Second Round
2018 Virginia 10 4 3 NCAA Third Round
2019 Virginia 21 2 1 ACC Tournament Champions NCAA Runner-Up
2020 Virginia 3 4 1
Overall 341 135 59 24 NCAA Appearances

References
  1. Virginia wins 7th NCAA Championship in shootout versus UCLA, accessed December 14, 2014
  2. Giase Frank. "Virginia men's soccer coach George Gelnovatch withdraws from consideration for vacant Rutgers job", The Star-Ledger, January 14, 2010. Accessed January 29, 2011. "Gelnovatch, who won three state championships as a player at Wall High School, interviewed for the Rutgers position with athletic director Tim Pernetti two weeks ago."
  3. In League's 10th Season, a First: Teams That Finished Are Back
  4. 1988 New Jersey Eagles
  5. 1990 Penn-Jersey Spirit
  6. "The Year in American Soccer – 1990". Archived from the original on 2013-07-13. Retrieved 2012-08-16.
  7. 1991 Maryland Bays
  8. Arena Appoints Four U.S. Youth National Team Head Coaches
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