STANFORD, Calif. – Oige Kennedy, a two-time NCAA Division II national champion head coach at Fort Lewis College, has been added to the Stanford men’s soccer staff as a volunteer assistant coach, Jeremy Gunn announced Tuesday.
Kennedy, who amassed a 102-37-9 overall record in seven seasons leading the Skyhawks, won national championships in 2009 and 2011 and Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference (RMAC) regular-season and postseason crowns those same seasons.
“Stanford is a world-renowned university and it’s a place I had heard about growing up in Ireland,” Kennedy said. “The opportunity to come here is too good to turn down. When you add that with Coach Gunn, who has been a mentor to me, it’s the perfect situation and environment in which to learn.”
“Oige is a distinguished goalkeeper so he’ll be very good working in that respect, but he’ll be far more than that,” Gunn said. “He is another great mind to add to the wonderful staff we already have in place with Nick [Kirchhof] and John [Smith]. It’s a fantastic addition and somebody that will hopefully keep making us better.”
Kennedy first arrived at Fort Lewis in 2006 when he was hired as an assistant on Gunn’s staff in Durango, Colorado. The Skyhawks went 21-2-1 that season and were national runners-up. Gunn left after the season to take over at Charlotte while Kennedy remained to work under Tim Hankinson in 2007-08, winning 33 more games and advancing to the NCAA Division II postseason both years. On those 2006 and 2007 FLC teams was current Stanford assistant coach Nick Kirchhof.
“My first job over here was working with Coach Gunn at Fort Lewis in 2006,” Kennedy added. “I owe a lot to Jeremy for giving me the opportunity to come to the U.S. in the first place. He set me up for success at Fort Lewis. It was a good decision to follow him, to continue to learn from him and hopefully become better as a coach.”
“Oige was an assistant with me at Fort Lewis and was an invaluable part of our staff,” Gunn commented. “Since then he went on to surpass all of the great, hard work we put in there. Why wouldn’t you want to hire someone that’s outdone you?”
Kennedy took the reins of Fort Lewis’ program in 2009 and continued the powerhouse’s push forward. Hired as interim head coach just weeks before his team was to report for preseason training, he became the first coach in NCAA history to guide a men’s soccer team to a national championship in his first year of collegiate coaching.
The Skyhawks started the year 3-1, with their only loss coming at the hands of Incarnate Word, then led by current Stanford associate head coach John Smith. Rebounding in emphatic fashion, FLC reeled off 21 straight wins to claim its second national championship in five years.
Kennedy duplicated the feat in 2011, as his team went 24-1 and added NCAA Division II, RMAC regular season, and RMAC championship trophies to their treasure chest.
“I know myself that winning a national championship is extremely difficult and I’ve been fortunate enough to win a second as a coach,” Kennedy added. “Continuing that success is definitely something that becomes harder. I’m sure as a staff we’re going to have to work to maintain the levels that have been set [at Stanford]. I’m excited to get to work with the guys and try and add whatever I possibly can.”
“It’s important when you’ve had success to have a dissenter in the room – someone who is going to come in with fresh ideas and perhaps question what we do,” Gunn added. “I think it’s a perfect time to add a new staff member who can take on that role and help us evolve as a staff and program.”
In seven seasons at FLC, Kennedy complied a 102-37-9 overall record (.720) and was 65-25-5 (.718) in RMAC play. His teams were a perfect 10-0-0 in the NCAA playoffs and 12-4-2 in the RMAC tournament. In Jan. 2012, he became the second Fort Lewis head man to be named NSCAA Division II Coach of the Year. Gunn earned the accolade in 2005 after guiding the Skyhawks to their first national crown.
Prior to coming to Fort Lewis, Kennedy played four years as a professional in Europe. He played several seasons for Ireland’s national youth teams. He also captained the Irish University team for two years.
His coaching experience includes work with the Manchester United Soccer School and Bobby Charlton Soccer School for six years. Kennedy, who hails from Dublin, Ireland, earned his bachelor’s degree in sport science from University College Dublin and a computer science diploma from Dublin Institute of Technology.
Kennedy joins a Cardinal men’s soccer program which won its first NCAA title at Sporting Park in December. Stanford routed Clemson, 4-0, extending the school’s streak of at least one NCAA team championship to 40 years, on ongoing record, while earning its 108th NCAA team title and 129th overall.