Tom Anagnost hired as associate head coach for University of Cincinnati

CINCINNATI – University of Cincinnati soccer head coach Neil Stafford announced the addition of Tom Anagnost as the program’s associate head coach.

“I’m excited on a personal and professional level,” Stafford said. “Tom and I met in 2009 and we’ve had a friendship ever since. I trust and respect him. He’s a different coach than I am in the way he looks at the game, so I think our styles and personalities complement each other very well. I’m real excited about what he brings to the program and can give to our players.”

Anagnost possesses head coaching experience at Mississippi State (2017-18), University of Miami (2011-13) and Central Michigan (interim in 2008, then 2009-10). Stafford served as an assistant at CMU those two seasons before being promoted to the head position two more years.

“I would like to thank Neil and the entire administration at UC,” Anagnost said. “Everyone I have met has been wonderful. I’m looking forward to helping the players, team and program grow as well as getting to know everyone.”

Anagnost comes from UIC, where in 2019 he engineered one of the biggest turnarounds in the nation and led UIC to its first-ever Horizon League championship match, in his first year at the helm of the women’s soccer program.

In 2019, Anagnost led the Flames to a 12-6-1 record, including a 7-2 mark in conference play. Those were the best season records in program history, and UIC joined five-time champion Milwaukee as the only programs to win seven matches in a nine-match conference schedule. Anagnost was named Horizon League Coach of the Year.

The Flames finished in the nation’s top 20 in shutouts, shutout percentage, save percentage, and goals-against average. Most of those accomplishments followed from Lena Kurz’ Horizon League Goalkeeper of the Year campaign, in which she set program records for save percentage (.859), wins (11), goals-against average (0.6), and shutouts (10).

Offensively, UIC shattered records as well. The single-season goals, assists, and points records all fell. Two Flames made the All-Horizon League First Team, two more made the Second Team, and two made the All-Freshman Team.

Anagnost’s two seasons at Mississippi State were remarkable. The Bulldogs qualified for the first NCAA Tournament in school history in 2018. Anagnost’s club received the first top-25 rankings in program history and finished the campaign ranked No. 17 in the RPI. The 2018 Bulldogs set multiple program records including shots allowed per game (11.6), shots per game (18.4) and fewest goals allowed (17).

In his first season at MSU, Anagnost led the Bulldogs to their highest winning percentage in 16 years, a mark of .611 (9-5-4). They also finished inside the top 50 in the RPI rankings for the first time ever, closing the season at No. 39. That season goalkeeper Catalina Perez, recruited by Anagnost, was the first player in MSU history to garner All-America status. Mallory Eubancksbecame the program’s first SEC Scholar-Athlete of the Year and she was selected 16^thoverall by the Washington Spirit in the National Women’s Soccer League draft.

Mississippi State set single-game (1,402) and single-season (8,246) attendance records during Anagnost’s tenure. The Bulldogs dominated in the classroom, as well, posting a record-high 3.69 grade-point average in fall 2017.

In 2016, Anagnost was an assistant coach at North Carolina State. There he helped the Wolfpack secure their first NCAA Tournament bid in 10 years and reach the Sweet 16 for the first time since 1995. NC State executed a tremendous turnaround as it won 11 times in 2016 after collecting six victories in 2014 and 2015 combined. In 2014 and 2015, Anagnost served as a volunteer assistant coach at the University of Michigan.

Anagnost was the head coach at Miami from 2011-2013. In his second time leading a program, he helped the Hurricanes to two consecutive NCAA Tournament appearances while winning 19 matches over the two-year span. His club knocked off three top-10 teams, including top-ranked Florida State, and set program records for fewest goals against (19), most shutouts in a season (11) and most shutouts in ACC play (6).

The Saginaw, Mich., native’s first head coaching stint came in his home state at Central Michigan, where he served on an interim basis in 2008, and as the full-time leader in 2009-10. Anagnost compiled a record of 45-12-7. The Chippewas went 17-4-3 in 2009 under his leadership, a mark that remains the highest win total in CMU history. He was named the Mid-American Conference’s Coach of the Year in all three seasons, while leading the Chips to the NCAA Tournament in 2009 and 2010 after becoming the first program in MAC history to win back-to-back regular season and tournament championships. The team also recorded the program’s first NCAA Tournament victory and CMU’s streak of 13 consecutive shutouts under Anagnost was the second longest in NCAA history.

During his three years at Central Michigan, the women’s soccer program won three NSCAA Academic National Championships as it proudly boasted the top GPA in the country for both genders in all divisions.

From 1999-2007, Anagnost coached both girls and boys at the high school level in Michigan with stops at Bay City John Glenn, Heritage and Flint Powers Catholic.

Anagnost played professional soccer in 1995-96, including a stint with the Chicago Power of the National Premier Soccer League in 1995. That year he played under the tutelage of Alkis Panagoulias, former national team coach in Greece and the United States.

Collegiately, Anagnost starred at Kalamazoo College from 1992-95. He was a three-time NCAA Division III All-American and a four-time All-Midwest Region and All-MIAA selection. The 1994 MIAA Player of the Year was the first player in the conference’s history to collect three straight All-America awards and four straight All-Region nods. In 2006, he was inducted into the Kalamazoo College Sports Hall of Fame for his contributions over his successful four-year career with the Hornets.

Anagnost graduated from Kalamazoo in 1995 with a bachelor of arts degree in political science. He also minored in history with a Spanish concentration. Later, in 2003, he picked up a teaching certificate from Saginaw Valley State University.

Cincinnati will host its second exhibition Saturday at 6 p.m. against Dayton. The regular season begins Thursday at NKU with a 7 p.m. kickoff.