UCLA announces Ryan Jorden as head men’s soccer coach
LOS ANGELES (Via UCLA) – UCLA Athletics has named Ryan Jorden the 11th men’s soccer head coach in program history, it was announced today by UCLA Director of Athletics Dan Guerrero.
“Ryan Jorden’s time has come. I am very excited to welcome our tremendously innovative and well-respected new head men’s soccer coach to UCLA,” said Guerrero. “At every stop in his tenure as head coach, Ryan has successfully built programs that achieved at impressive levels. He brings with him to Westwood the knowledge of what it takes to establish a consistent, winning culture and a great respect for the UCLA soccer brand, combined with a very high level of technical sports science knowledge. I look forward to seeing his vision for UCLA Men’s Soccer come to life.”
Jorden brings 23 years of collegiate coaching experience to Westwood, most recently serving as head coach at Pacific where he re-started a dormant program in 2013 and turned the Tigers into perennial national contenders. Pacific reached the second round of the NCAA Tournament in each of the last three seasons, one of just two west coast programs able to make that claim (Stanford).
Prior to that, he helmed the men’s soccer program at Cal Baptist, transforming the Lancers into two-time NCCAA National Champions during his five-year tenure.
“It is an incredible honor to be named men’s soccer coach at UCLA,” said Jorden. “I am specifically grateful to Dan Guerrero and Gavin Crew for granting me the opportunity to guide the Bruin program. I am truly passionate about the student-athlete experience and look forward to bringing this commitment to UCLA. The tradition and history of success at UCLA is unparalleled, and I am thrilled to get started in Westwood.”
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Jorden was charged with reviving the Pacific men’s soccer program in 2013 after a 28-year hiatus, and within three years he turned the Tigers into an NCAA Tournament-qualifying team.
His 2016 squad went 13-4-2, representing the largest single-season win-loss turnaround in Division I men’s soccer history at 11.5 games. Jorden secured a number of accolades after that standout season, including NCAA Far West Region and West Coast Conference Coach of the Year honors.
His last two seasons in Stockton were just as successful. In 2017, the Tigers posted an identical 13-4-2 record while reaching as high as No. 14 in the national rankings. Last season, Pacific went 12-5-2 and reached the second round of the NCAA Tournament. Over his final three seasons, the Tigers went 38-13-6 (.719).
At Pacific, Jorden oversaw the development of a pair of players who went on to be drafted by MLS teams, as Tristan Blackmon was the third overall selection in the 2018 MLS SuperDraft (LAFC) while Camden Riley was a second-round pick by Sporting Kansas City in 2019. Overall, his time at Pacific yielded 27 All-WCC selections, five All-Far West Region picks, three All-Americans, and 13 WCC All-Academic honorees.
Jorden got his head coaching start at Cal Baptist University in 2008, taking the Lancers to an unprecedented level of success during his five years in Riverside. Taking over a program that had qualified for postseason play just once in the prior 18 years, Jorden guided CBU to the postseason in all five of his seasons, including NCCAA National Championships in both 2011 and 2012. Jorden was honored as the NCCAA National Coach of the Year after both of those championship campaigns.
He recorded a 60-30-10 overall record at Cal Baptist, including a 48-15-3 (.750) mark over his final three seasons. He was instrumental in NCAA compliance management as CBU transitioned to Division II during his tenure.
Cal Baptist had 12 players earn All-PacWest honors over his final two seasons, including two-time Goalkeeper of the Year Joey Pacheco. Seven Lancers earned All-America status during that span, headlined by 2012 NCCAA National Player of the Year Carlos Figueroa.
Jorden made assistant coaching stops at Westmont College – his alma mater – Northern Colorado University, and Oregon State earlier in his career.
He served as the lead assistant under head coach Dave Wolf at Westmont from 2000-2007, helping the Warriors to an 82-39-11 record. Westmont was consistently ranked in the NAIA Top-25 during his time in Santa Barbara, including No. 1 in 2000. The Warriors claimed back-to-back conference championships in 2001 and 2002.
Jorden was an assistant on the Northern Colorado University women’s soccer staff in 2003 and 2004 as he pursued his doctoral degree.
His first coaching stop came at Oregon State, where he served as the lone assistant from 1996-1999. With the Beavers, he managed day-to-day aspects of the program such as recruiting, training, scheduling, and compliance.
A graduate of Westmont College, Jorden played for the Warriors from 1991-1994. Westmont won 65 games and made two NAIA Tournament appearances during his time as a student-athlete.
Jorden completed his Ph.D. in sport and exercise science with an emphasis in biomechanics at Northern Colorado in October 2010. He earned his master’s degree from Oregon State in 2000 and his bachelor’s degree from Westmont in 1995.
Jorden is a USSF “A” Licensed coach, and was head coach of the Olympic Development Program (ODP) Region IV from 2013-19.
He and his wife Liz have two sons, Graeme and Evan.
