Kansas State soccer announces Gabe Romo as associate head coach

MANHATTAN, Kansas – Kansas State soccer head coach Mike Dibbini has promoted Gabe Romo to the role of associate head coach. Romo will begin his fifth season on the coaching staff with the Wildcats in 2020.

“This title change speaks to the importance and value that Gabe has to the soccer program,” said Dibbini. “He has been an intricate part of all aspects of our program. Gabe has played for me and coached alongside me for many years. His role on the pitch won’t change as far as developing and working with the goalkeepers and helping organize the team defensively. He will continue to be our recruiting coordinator as he has built some really strong relationships for our program.  We are very fortunate to have Gabe continue to build this young program going forward.”

Romo’s on-field coaching duties include working with K-State’s defense and goalkeepers.

In addition to his coaching duties, Romo’s responsibilities include: practice preparation and development for the team’s defense, organization and arrangement of the team’s game schedule, recruiting coordination of unofficial and official visits and recruiting evaluation.

“I am very humbled by this promotion,” stated Romo. “The love and passion I have for the institution, student athletes and soccer program is something I take great pride in. I am extremely blessed to call K-State home.”

Romo joined K-State following a stint in 2014 as the head men’s and women’s soccer coach at Holy Names University in Oakland, California. Romo guided the men’s program to a 6-12 record and tutored the 2014 Pacific West Conference (PWC) Player of the Year and All-PWC First Team honoree, Jaime Phillips.

Prior to his time at Holy Names, Romo coached at Kansas Wesleyan from 2011-14 as a member of Dibbini’s staff and as the head men’s soccer coach. As the men’s head coach in 2013, Romo registered a 13-4-3 record while earning Kansas Collegiate Athletic Conference (KCAC) Coach of the Year honors. Romo guided the Coyotes to a 2014 NAIA National Tournament appearance while capturing the KCAC regular season and tournament titles.

In 2012, Romo served as the associate head men’s and women’s soccer coach under Dibbini at Kansas Wesleyan. Romo was responsible for assisting with all aspects of both programs which included recruiting and retention of student-athletes and aiding in the design and implementation of training sessions.

Both programs had significant success in 2012, as the men finished with a 16-3-2 record and secured the KCAC regular season and tournament titles, while making an appearance in the NAIA national tournament and a final NAIA ranking of No. 10. The women notched a 20-2 overall mark and secured KCAC regular season and tournament crowns on their way to an NAIA national tournament appearance and a final NAIA ranking of No. 11.

In 2011, Romo was the first assistant coach for the Kansas Wesleyan men’s and women’s programs. He helped both programs to KCAC regular season and tournament crowns and appearances in the NAIA national tournament. The men finished with an overall record of 17-4, while the women carded a 16-2-2 mark.

Before his time on the sidelines with his alma mater as an assistant coach, Romo picked up head coaching experience with Lancaster (Calif.) High School in 2009-10 and La Canada (Calif.) High School in 2010-11.

Romo graduated from Kansas Wesleyan in 2009 with a bachelor of arts degree in criminal justice. During his time with the Coyotes, Romo was a four-year letter winner and team captain in 2008 on the men’s soccer team. He helped Kansas Wesleyan to an overall record of 56-22-5 in his four seasons including three KCAC regular season conference titles (2005, 2007 and 2008) and two KCAC tournament crowns (2005 and 2006).

K-State returns 17 letter winners and welcomes in 11 newcomers for the 2020 season. Brookelynn Entz, the first All-Big 12 selection in program history, returns for her senior season as the team’s top returning scorer with 10 points in 2019.