George Gelnovatch

{{Infobox football biography

| name = George Gelnovatch

| fullname =

| image =

| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1965|02|12}}

| birth_place = Wall Township, New Jersey, United States

| height = {{height|ft=6|in=2}}

| position = Defender

| youthyears1 = 1983–1986

| youthclubs1 = Virginia Cavaliers

| years1 = 1987–1988

| clubs1 = Minnesota Strikers (indoor)

| caps1 = 15

| goals1 = 1

| years2 = 1988

| clubs2 = New Jersey Eagles

| caps2 =

| goals2 =

| years3 = 1990

| clubs3 = Penn-Jersey Spirit

| caps3 =

| goals3 =

| years4 = 1991

| clubs4 = Maryland Bays

| caps4 = 18

| goals4 = 0

| years5 = 1996

| clubs5 = D.C. United

| caps5 = 2

| goals5 = 0

| manageryears1 = 1989–1995

| managerclubs1 = University of Virginia (assistant)

| manageryears2 = 1996–

| managerclubs2 = University of Virginia

| manageryears3 = 1999

| managerclubs3 = United States U18

| manageryears4 = 1999, 2002

| managerclubs4 = United States (assistant)

}}

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.[http://www.mlssoccer.com/news/article/2014/12/14/college-cup-virginia-win-7th-ncaa-championship-penalty-kick-shootout-vs-ucla Virginia wins 7th NCAA Championship in shootout versus UCLA], accessed December 14, 2014

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.Giase Frank. [http://www.nj.com/sports/njsports/index.ssf/2010/01/virginia_mens_soccer_coach_geo.html "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." 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.[https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1987-11-06-sp-12786-story.html In League's 10th Season, a First: Teams That Finished Are Back] He spent one season with Minnesota. In 1988, he moved to the New Jersey Eagles of the American Soccer League.[http://a-leaguearchive.tripod.com/1988/statsasl88.htm#NJ 1988 New Jersey Eagles] In 1990, Gelnovatch joined the Penn-Jersey Spirit of the American Professional Soccer League.[http://a-leaguearchive.tripod.com/1990/statsasl90.htm#PJ 1990 Penn-Jersey Spirit] He was a first team All League defender that season.{{Cite web |url=http://homepages.sover.net/~spectrum/year/1990.html#APSL |title=The Year in American Soccer – 1990 |access-date=2012-08-16 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130713135008/http://homepages.sover.net/~spectrum/year/1990.html#APSL |archive-date=2013-07-13 |url-status=dead }} In April 1991, Gelnovatch moved to the Maryland Bays.[http://a-leaguearchive.tripod.com/1991/stats91.htm#Maryland 1991 Maryland Bays] 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, except 2021. 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.[http://www.ussoccer.com/News/Mens-National-Team/1999/09/Arena-Appoints-Four-U-S-Youth-National-Team-Head-Coaches.aspx?print=true Arena Appoints Four U.S. Youth National Team Head Coaches] In 1999 and 2002, he also served as an assistant coach with the United States men's national soccer team.

Head coaching record

class="wikitable sortable"

! Season

! College

! Won

! Lost

! Tied

! class="unsortable"|Notes

1996

George Gelnovatch

Player

Coach

Head coaching record

References

External links