Soccer

Cromwell leaves UCF for UCLA

ORLANDO, Fla. (UCFAthletics.com) — The UCF women's soccer team has reached the end of an era. Amanda Cromwell has accepted the head coaching position at UCLA, the Bruins announced today.

A nation-wide search for UCF's new head coach is now under way.

"With all she has accomplished, it is nearly impossible to describe what Amanda Cromwell has meant to the UCF women's soccer program," said Todd Stansbury, vice president and director of athletics. "She is an outstanding coach and a wonderful person. When you have a program that is as successful as Amanda's has been, other opportunities are inevitably going to be presented. We thank Amanda for her 14 years of service to UCF and wish her all the best in the future."

Since taking over the helm of UCF women's soccer in 1999, Cromwell guided her team to a 203-83-26 record, 11 NCAA Tournament appearances, four Atlantic Sun Tournament championships, four Conference USA regular-season titles and the 2012 C-USA tournament title.

With 224 career victories and a .681 winning percentage at the close of the 2012 season, Cromwell currently ranks among the top-25 winningest active coaches and the top-30 all-time winningest coaches in NCAA history.

Her student-athletes are also known for their academic success with 10 NSCAA Academic All-American honors, a Senior CLASS Award winner and more than 275 conference academic honor roll appointments.

"Obviously, it's with a heavy heart that I leave UCF, but I'm also very excited for the opportunity ahead of me at UCLA," Cromwell said. "Their athletics history is rich in national championships, and I know the women's soccer program has the ability to add to that impressive number of 108. I'd like to thank (athletic director) Dan Guerrero and (senior associate athletic director) Ken Weiner for giving me this opportunity and believing in me as a coach.

"My 14-year journey at UCF has been an incredible ride. I've been so thankful for all the support along the way," Cromwell continued. "I'd like to thank President (John) Hitt, his wife Martha and all the athletic directors I've worked with. Coach (Steve) Sloan hired me, Steve Orsini, Keith Tribble, (interim director) Admiral Al Harms and Todd Stansbury. Senior associate AD, and soccer sport supervisor, David Hansen has been instrumental in our recent success. We also appreciate what senior associate AD and senior woman administrator Jessica Reo has done for student-athletes. All of these administrators have been very supportive, not only of me as a coach, but of my whole staff and the program. They saw the vision we had as something they wanted to invest in.

"I can't thank the fans and the alumni enough - everyone who has been a part of this program: Doctors, strength trainers, managers, athletic trainers, especially Leah Schoen as she has been healing our student-athletes for many years, John Whitford and the equipment staff, the communications staff and academic support, especially Sarah Hill, who has kept our academic standard very high. I appreciate all the work and support from the Human Performance Lab and Dr. Jay Hoffman. There have been so many components for why this program has been successful.

"I thank my former assistants, Matt Dillon and Colby Hale, and current assistants Josh Walters and Donna Fishter, who have experienced this journey with me and made me a better coach year after year. Donna Fishter has been an invaluable friend and co-worker for the last 13 years. She has done so much for me, and our players have grown into successful, confident women in large part because of her investment in them as leaders. The current team is tremendous. I think it is one of the best teams we have ever had, and I am excited for what the future will bring for them."