Williams and Fread Named Soccer Assistant Coaches
CORAL GABLES, Fla. – Miami head soccer coach Sarah Barnes announced Thursday her first two hires at the helm of the Hurricanes, adding assistant coaches Jeremy Williams and Alan Fread.
Both were assistants under Barnes at George Washington University, where she was the head coach for six seasons before being named to the same role at Miami Feb. 27.
Williams spent three seasons at GW, helping the team post a 36-17-7 (.658) mark from 2015-17. In his first year, Williams aided the program to its first Atlantic 10 regular-season title in 20 years and its first-ever perfect conference mark, a 10-0-0 ledger. The Colonials finished the 2015 campaign with a 15-5-0 overall record and set a school record with 13 consecutive victories.
“We’re thrilled to have Coach Williams join the Hurricanes. His time in the ACC as both a player and a coach brings tremendous experience to our program,” Barnes said. “He has worked with and pursued coaching education opportunities with outstanding coaches, including Florida State’s Mark Krikorian, Sweden’s Pia Sundhage and Japan’s U-15 coach, Shota Mishio. His involvement with a program that has competed for and won, both at the conference and NCAA level, will be invaluable to our players’ development.”
Prior to his time at GW, Williams spent three seasons at Florida State University as the volunteer assistant coach, capping his tenure with a national title in 2014. During his time in Tallahassee, Fla., the Seminoles went 66-7-4 (.883) overall and 27-3-3 (.864) in ACC play.
With Williams on staff, Florida State won 20-plus matches and made the College Cup each season, playing in a pair of national championship matches. Additionally, the Seminoles earned back-to-back ACC Championship crowns in 2013 and 2014.
“I want to thank Coach Barnes and the rest of the University of Miami administration for this opportunity,” Williams said. “I am excited to get started and begin working with the players to help them reach their goals.”
Williams also has coaching experience at his alma mater, Blacksburg High School, and he holds a National ‘E’ License from the United States Soccer Federation (USSF).
The Blacksburg, Va., native graduated from his hometown school, Virginia Tech, in 2012 with a degree in biological sciences. He earned a master’s degree in exercise physiology from Florida State in 2014 after writing his thesis on how game fatigue impacts passing efficiency.
Fread was on Barnes’ GW staff for two years, serving as the volunteer assistant in 2016 and an assistant coach in 2017. The Colonials notched a 21-12-7 (.613) mark and reached the A-10 Championship both seasons.
“We are excited for Coach Fread to join the staff at Miami. He is incredibly hard working, passionate about learning and committed to helping players become the best they can be to reach their goals,” Barnes said. “The coaching experience he gained under the mentorship of Brian Wiese at Georgetown and Michael Casper, formerly at St. Francis and now at Notre Dame, on the men’s side and his experience with women’s college soccer has prepared Alan to help our program climb.”
Before coming to GW, Fread was on the Georgetown men’s soccer staff from 2014-15, serving as the volunteer assistant for one season and then the video coordinator the next. The Hoyas went 30-6-8 (.773) overall with an 15-2-1 (.861) record in BIG EAST play those two years.
Georgetown reached the NCAA Elite Eight in 2014 and then went a perfect 9-0-0 in conference play the following year, en route to earning the first conference postseason tournament title in program history. Two Hoyas garnered All-America honors and two were picked in the MLS SuperDraft during Fread’s tenure.
“I am excited and thankful for the opportunity to serve this program,” Fread said. “It is an exciting time in Miami athletics and I’m grateful to be given the chance to be a part of it. I would like to thank Sarah Barnes, Director of Athletics Blake James and Deputy AD Jennifer Strawley for their belief in me and commitment to the program.”
Fread was an assistant coach for the St. Francis (PA) men’s team from 2012-13. The Red Flash had their best season ever in his final campaign, posting an 11-4-4 record. With Fread’s tutelage of the goalkeepers, the team finished eighth nationally in goals against per game.
A native of State College, Pa., Fread, who has multiple United Soccer Coaches diplomas, also graduated from his hometown school, Penn State University. He earned a degree in psychology with a business concentration in 2009.
To keep up with the University of Miami soccer team on social media, follow @CanesFutbol on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.
