Three-time Southern Conference Coach of the Year Eddie Radwanski, who helped UNC Greensboro gain national prominence in men's soccer as an All-American in the 1980s, begins his ninth year at the helm of the women's soccer program in 2009.
Radwanski was a perfect fit for the university and the program to replace Jack Poland, the only other head coach in the program's history, when he was named to the post on Feb. 15, 2001.
Under Radwanski's tutelage, UNCG has posted a 107-56-12 record the past eight years, earning five Southern Conference regular-season crowns, three league tournament titles and four NCAA tournament appearances. The club has produced 39 All-Southern Conference players, 24 SoCon All-Tournament selections, four conference players of the year and four league freshmen of the year in Radwanski's eight years at the helm. In addition, 13 players have been named all-region by either the National Soccer Coaches Association of America or Soccer Buzz magazine, while two Spartans earned spots on the inaugural SoCon All-Freshman squad in 2008.
UNCG has also excelled in the classroom under Radwanski's watch. Six student-athletes have been selected Academic All-District III by CoSIDA during Radwanski's tenure, while four have earned NSCAA Scholar All-South Region distinction. As a whole, the team has earned the NSCAA Team Academic Award seven years running.
Radwanski led the Spartans to their third straight Southern Conference regular-season title in 2008, directing the squad to a 10-0-1 league mark in picking up his third straight SoCon Coach of the Year award. With their third consecutive undefeated regular-season conference campaign, the Spartans enter the 2009 season unbeaten in their last 31 league games in regular-season play, a SoCon record.
Radwanski picked up his 100th career collegiate coaching victory during the 2008 season, as UNCG topped Western Carolina 2-0 on Oct. 10 to give him the milestone win. Fittingly, Katelynn Donovan, who would go on to be named the Southern Conference Player of the Year, scored both goals.
The 2008 season saw several school records fall or equalled, as Radwanski led the Spartans to a 16-4-3 overall record, good for their best season in school history by winning percentage (.761). The squad's four losses were the fewest in school history, and the 8-1-0 home mark matched the best home winning percentage (.889) and fewest home losses in school history. UNCG finished the season on a 14-game unbeaten streak to match that school record, as well, going 11-0-3 to end the year.
On top of that, first-team All-SoCon keeper Kelsey Kearney, also an all-freshman selection, set a school mark with her 0.48 goals against average, obliterating the old record of 0.74.
Donovan and defender Lauren Lopez earned all-region honors, taking third-team distinction from Soccer Buzz.
The stellar 2008 campaign came on the heels of an outstanding 2007 season, which saw Radwanski take his second SoCon Coach of the Year award and lead his club to a 10-0-0 league record. Radwanksi also led his team back to the NCAA tournament for the second straight year and third in five seasons, as the Spartans earned an at-large berth to the tournament on the strength of their 16-5-1 overall record. UNCG knocked off Memphis in the first round of the tournament before falling to No. 1 seed North Carolina in the second round.
The Spartans placed seven on the all-conference squads - six on the first team - and had three named to the league's all-tournament team. Defender Jamie Corti earned all-region honors from the NSCAA and Soccer Buzz, while freshman Kristin Player, UNCG's second straight Southern Conference Freshman of the Year, was named to Soccer Buzz's all-region all-freshman team.
The 2006 season brought a SoCon regular-season title, a SoCon tournament title and a trip to the NCAA tournament. The Spartans swept the SoCon awards with Shannon Donovan claiming both player of the year and tournament most outstanding player distinction, while Jen Bronson took home co-freshman of the year honors. Radwanski coached the Spartans to a 13-8-2 record, including a 9-0-1 mark in the SoCon, and was rewarded with his first coach of the year award. The Spartans made their seventh NCAA tournament appearance but fell to Oklahoma State, 2-0 in the first round.
Radwanski's UNCG tenure began in 2001, when he guided an experienced squad to its first regular-season title in four years. The rookie coach led the Spartans to their fourth league tournament title in a five-year span and another berth in the NCAA tournament. However, the run ended in the first round with a hard-fought setback to North Carolina.
After a rare losing season in 2002, Radwanski's 2003 squad reclaimed its place among the SoCon elite, posting a second-place regular-season finish and winning the school's fifth league tournament crown to nab another NCAA berth. UNCG won 12 of its final 14 games, including a 2-1 victory over Wake Forest in the first round of the NCAA tournament - its first win over the Demon Deacons in seven all-time meetings to that point - to advance to the second round of the tournament for just the third time in school history. The Spartans' season came to a close with a loss to eventual national champion North Carolina in the second round.
The 2004 campaign was another banner season for the Spartans. The club won the SoCon regular-season crown with a 14-5-1 overall record and a 9-1-1 mark in league play and took home both the player of the year and freshman of the year awards by the conference. Amy Carnell became the fourth player in an eight-year span to garner SoCon Player of the Year honors, while Karla Davis' fine first season with UNCG gave the Spartans back-to-back freshman of the year plaudits following Shannong Donovan's selection in 2003.
The 2005 edition finished 11-7-1 overall, with all seven losses on the season by single goals. Four of the setbacks were in overtime, and two of them were 1-0 losses to top-10 teams Duke and Wake Forest. The Spartans placed third in the SoCon with a 6-3-1 record and made it to the semifinals of the conference tournament.
Radwanski's women's soccer coaching experience includes a season as head coach of the Piedmont Spark of the W-2 League, three years as head coach and coaching director for the Twisters Soccer Club of Greensboro and a season as a volunteer assistant with the 1998 UNCG squad.
Radwanski guided the Piedmont Spark to the W-2 League regular-season championship in 1999 and a rare win over the W-1 League champion Raleigh Wings.
With the Twisters, Radwanski was coach of the girls' under-18 teams and had players selected for U.S. National, regional and state teams. He has earned a United States Soccer Federation "A" coaching license and a National Soccer Coaches Association of America Premier Diploma.
Prior to coaching, Radwanski was a four-year member of the Spartans (1981-84) and captained the NCAA Division III men's soccer national championship teams in 1982 and 1983. Radwanski's time at UNCG produced a 75-9-4 record and a spot in the NCAA tournament all four seasons he donned the Navy and Gold uniform.
He was the first two-time All-American in UNCG athletics history, earning first-team Division III All-America honors in 1983 and 1984. The eighth-leading scorer in UNCG history with 38 goals and 56 assists, he remains one of only five men's soccer players in school history to earn more than one All-America award. He stands second all-time in UNCG men's soccer history with those 56 assists, including a team-high 21 in 1983.
Radwanski went on to earn MVP honors of the 1984 Senior Bowl all-star game. He was also selected as one of 17 individuals who were charter inductees into the UNCG Athletics Hall of Fame in September 2000. In the fall of 2004, the entire 1982 squad was inducted into the school's Hall of Fame.
Selected first in the 1985 MISL draft by the Dallas Sidekicks, Radwanski was the first UNCG student-athlete to be drafted by a pro sports team and remains the highest draft pick ever. He had a five-year pro indoor career with the Sidekicks and the Tacoma Stars and helped the Sidekicks win the 1987 MISL title.
Radwanski played five seasons for the Greensboro (later Carolina) Dynamo, helping the team win the 1993 and 1994 U.S. Interregional Soccer League national titles, where he was named the USISL MVP and national finals MVP in 1993. Radwanski also led the Dynamo to the A-League championship game in 1997, falling to Milwaukee in a shootout. He also played two seasons for the Dallas Rockets and helped them to the 1991 national title.
A member of the U.S. National Team Pool from 1985-92, he made five starts for the National Team in 1985, including a World Cup qualifier against Costa Rica. He also played with the World Cup, Olympic, World University and National Indoor teams in the 1980s and early 1990s.
The Neptune, N.J., native was also named first-team all-decade for the 1980s on the all-century team for the state of New Jersey by the Newark Star-Ledger.
Radwanski earned a bachelor's degree in business and economics from UNCG in 1997. He resides in Greensboro with his wife, Stephanie, and daughter, Logan.
