UAB men’s soccer tabs Jeff Kinney as new head coach
BIRMINGHAM (Via UAB) – Jeff Kinney has been named the fifth men’s soccer head coach in University of Alabama at Birmingham program history, UAB Director of Athletics Mark Ingram announced on Friday.
Kinney comes to Birmingham after spending the previous nine seasons as a member of the Virginia Tech men’s soccer staff. Kinney was promoted to Associate Head Coach prior to the 2017 season.
“After completing a national search to find the very best person to lead our men’s soccer program, we are thrilled to announce that Jeff Kinney will be our next head coach,” Ingram said. “Jeff’s experience, enthusiasm and positive energy were easy to see as he met with numerous member of our athletics staff. I would like to thank our search committee as well as Jay Heaps from the Birmingham Legion FC for their hard work in identifying such a strong candidate in Jeff. I am excited for our players, fans and campus community who I know will enjoy working with him.”
+READ: Boys Development Academy East Conference Midseason Update
Kinney was member of the Hokies teams that advanced to three consecutive NCAA Tournament, including the Sweet 16 in 2018 and the Elite Eight in 2016. During his tenure, he helped develop eight All-ACC performers and saw three players from the program drafted to the MLS.
In the classroom, Kinney’s student-athletes were among the top in the ACC as they carried a GPA of 3.0 or higher as Virginia Tech earned United States Coaches Team Academic Award for the third consecutive season in 2018.
Prior to his time at Virginia Tech, Kinney spent seven seasons as the top assistant coach at American University. In his time at American he helped coach the Eagles to two outright Patriot League Championships as well a spot in the 2004 NCAA Tournament.
A 2003 graduate of American University with a degree in physics, Kinney helped guide the Eagles to consecutive spots in the NCAA Tournament in 2001 and 2002 where he was honored as a two-time Patriot League Academic Honor Roll member and an Academic All-America.
“To be named the next head men’s soccer coach at UAB is both a privilege and an honor,” Kinney said. “It is an exciting time at UAB and I look forward to working with the staff and players to build on the great tradition of the men’s soccer program. I want to thank Mr. Ingram, the search committee and everyone else that I met with during the process for believing in me and giving me such an opportunity. I have been blessed to be supported by my wife Kimberlee on this journey as well as friends and family that are too many to name. People get to where they are with the help of others and I have been fortunate to have worked with great people including all of my former players.”
UAB is coming off a season in which it returned to the Conference USA Tournament for the first time since 2016 and had four players earn All-Conference USA Honors, including junior Eder Mora who was also on the league’s All-Academic Team.
