THE CHRIS PFAU FILE

Education
Bachelor of Science, Old Dominion 1989

Record as a Division-I Head Coach
Year School      Record  (Conf./Finish) Notables
2005 Evansville  10-8-1  (1-5-0/6th)    MVC semi-finalist
2006 Evansville  10-9-0  (3-3-0/3rd     MVC finalist
2007 Evansville  10-5-3  (3-1-2/2nd)    MVC semis/regional ranking
2008 Akron        7-9-2  (2-7-2/11th)   Opened season 5-0
2009 Akron        9-7-2  (7-3-1/2nd)    MAC East Champions
2010 Akron       7-11-1  (5-5-1/7th)    MAC East Runner-Up
Career Total    53-49-9  (14-15-4 MAC, 7-9-2 MVC)

Additional Coaching Experience
• 1995-99 – Head Coach – Cincinnati United Soccer Club
• 1997-99 – Assistant Coach – Cincinnati Riverhawks (A-League)
• 1999-02 – Head Coach (men) – Mount Mary College (Yankton, S.D.)
• 2002-03 – Head Coach (women) – St. Mary’s College (Notre Dame, Ind.)
            Director of Coaching – Jr. Irish Soccer Club (South Bend, Ind.)
• 2003-05 – Assistant Coach – Princeton (Princeton, N.J.)

Professional Playing Experience
• 1989-99 – Competed in the APSL, WPSL and WSL

Entering his fourth season as the coach of The University of Akron women’s soccer team, Chris Pfau (pronounced Fow) continues to elevate Akron into one of the top women’s soccer programs in the Mid-American Conference and the entire Midwest.

In his first three years, Pfau has taken a program that had produced just one winning season and no MAC Tournament appearances in its first seven years of existence, to a MAC East Division Championship (2009) and back-to-back MAC Tournaments (2009, 2010). Pfau’s side has dominated the MAC East during the last two seasons, going undefeated against fellow East Division foes in 2009 (5-0-0) and 2010 (4-0-1).

After a slow start to the 2010 campaign, the Zips found their stride in the season’s second half, surging to the finish the regular season with four straight wins and falling one point shy of its second straight MAC East Division Championship. The side did secure a second straight MAC Tournament appearance, losing to number two seed Miami in the first round. Freshman Kelly DeNiro was named to the Freshman All-MAC Team after a stellar rookie season where she scored one goal and added five assists – tying her for the UA record for helpers in a season.  Pfau’s mentoring also produced the breaking of the career saves record by Jeny Wolbert and the career assists record by Jordan Baranowski.

The 2010 season also saw a pair of Zips earn CollegeSoccer360 Primetime Performer of the Week honors. Katie Wise received the nod after her hat trick in the season-opening win over Illinois State (Aug. 20) at FirstEnergy Stadium-Cub Cadet Field and Rachel Phillip took the honor after netting a pair of markers in the 2-1 overtime victory at Miami on Oct. 17. Both Wise and Phillip took home MAC Offensive Player of the Week awards for their efforts as did Leigh Cullen after she completed a hat trick in the win over Canisius on Sept. 3.

The 2009 season was capped off by a six-game winning streak to finish the regular season. During that streak, the Zips conceded just one goal to finish the season 9-7-1 in the MAC and claim the first ever conference title in just the ninth season as a varsity program.

Pfau, whose resume boasts a wealth of collegiate and professional coaching and playing experience, made an almost immediate mark on the program in his first season and has the Zips poised to take another jump during their tenth year as a varsity sport.

In 2008, Akron went undefeated during its first five matches. Included in the team's exciting start was a 6-2 home win over Big East foe Pittsburgh in the season-opener. Other highlights of Pfau's inaugural campaign at UA included Britni Bäck earning All-Ohio and All-Mid-American Conference Honors. Back was also named to the Soccer Buzz National Elite Team of the Week (following the win over Pitt), marking the first time an Akron has earned that distinction. Additionally, five Zips were named Academic All-MAC Honorable Mention.

Much like at Akron, Pfau's impact on the Evansville program was immediate as his first squad set a school record for non-conference winning percentage (.818), produced three All-MVC players and reached the semifinals of the league tournament. Also, newcomer Kayla Lambert was named First Team All-MVC, MVC Freshman of the Year, All-Great Lakes Region and Freshman All-American.

In 2006, the Aces improved their league record to 3-3-0 and did even better in the conference tournament, reaching the title match. It took an overtime goal to keep them from making their first NCAA Tournament appearance since 2001. At season's end, Evansville had six players named All-MVC and three student-athletes finished among the NCAA's top 50 in points for the season, while Lambert and Mia Tofano were each named all-region. Also that season, Pfau and his assistant coaches, Krista McKendree and Alison Weimer, were chosen by their peers as the MVC Women's Soccer Coaching Staff of the Year.

In 2007, Evansville compiled a 10-5-3 overall record and went 3-1-2 versus league opponents. As a reward for their outstanding campaign, five players were named All-MVC, including four first-team picks. Lambert, a junior who played three seasons for Pfau, was named all-region and became just the second player in program history to make that honorary squad three times.

In addition to his on-the-field success, Pfau's teams have excelled in the classroom. A total of six Academic All-MVC honors were bestowed upon the Aces over his three years as mentor of the program, including a league-best three in 2007. Also in 2007, Evansville posted a team grade-point average of above 3.0, thereby earning the National Soccer Coaches Association of American (NSCAA) Team Academic Award.

Pfau took over the Evansville program following two seasons (2003 and 2004) as the top assistant coach at Princeton. In 2004, the Tigers went undefeated in Ivy League competition en route to reaching the final four of the NCAA College Cup - making them the first women's soccer program in that conference to reach the semifinal round.

A 1989 graduate of Old Dominion, Pfau played professionally for 10 years in the APSL, NPSL and WSL. He began his coaching career while playing, serving as head coach of the Cincinnati United Soccer Club from 1995-99 and as assistant coach of the Cincinnati Riverhawks of the A-League from 1997-99. He was a team captain, four-year starter and also earned all-region honors during his collegiate career at ODU while completing a bachelor of science degree in hotel/restaurant management.

Pfau was head men's soccer coach at NAIA Mount Marty College in Yankton, S.D., from 1999-2002, and in 2002 was head women's soccer coach at Division III Saint Mary's College in Notre Dame, Ind. He has also been an Olympic Development Program coach in New Jersey, Ohio and Indiana since 1996.

Pfau and his wife, Tracey, have a daughter, Paige (12), and a son, Connor (10).