Coaching Staff

Head Coach Paul Holocher
Cal Poly Record: 37-28-16
Career Record: 146-52-23

In three seasons, head coach Paul Holocher has turned Cal Poly into an instant Big West Conference and NCAA Tournament contender. Under Holocher, the Mustangs qualified for the NCAA field of 48 in 2008, the first post-season trip for the program since 1995 and the second ever in Cal Poly’s 15 years at the Division I level. The Mustangs also notched their first NCAA Tournament Division I win on Nov. 21, 2008 with a 1-0 result at UCLA in the first round.

Most recently, Holocher's squad reached the NCAA Tournament and advanced to the second round with a 1-0 win over UCLA. The 2008 Mustangs finished 11-6-6 overall and 5-2-3 in Big West play, tying UC Santa Barbara for second in the conference. Four Mustangs were honored by the NSCAA with their selection to the All-Far West Region team and six earned spots on the All-Big West squad. Eric Branagan-Franco solidified his legacy as the best goalkeeper in program history by finishing his career with eight school records and Co-Big West Goalkeeper of the Year honors.

Holocher’s 2007 and 2008 squads tied a program record for wins in back-to-back seasons (22) — and the Mustangs still have at least one match left on the schedule. Cal Poly finished tied for second in the Big West regular season with UC Santa Barbara in 2008, the best finish in the Mustangs’ 15 years at the Division I level.

Cal Poly's achievements under Holocher have managed to transcend the pitch, generating unprecedented interest from the San Luis Obispo community and putting Cal Poly soccer onto the national spotlight for the first time since 1995. The Mustangs tallied the third-largest attendance in NCAA regular season history, 11,075 on Oct. 17, 2008 in the FOX Soccer Channel College Game of the Week against UC Santa Barbara. Cal Poly stands to rank among the top-five nationally in attendance per game with an impressive 2,839 in 2008.

Holocher’s second season at the helm placed a new benchmark for success in a blossoming program. The Mustangs finished 11-4-4 overall and 6-2-4 in Big West play, tying two other Cal Poly squads for most wins in a season and setting a new record for conference wins. Cal Poly also shattered a long-standing team record with an 11-game unbeaten streak spanning a 1-0 win over Cleveland State on Sept. 16, 2007 to a 3-1 loss against defending College Cup Champion UC Santa Barbara on Nov. 3, 2007. During that stretch, Cal Poly pulled off arguably the biggest win in program history, a 2-1 defeat of UC Santa Barbara before a record 7,143 fans at Alex G. Spanos Stadium. The win broke a 12-game losing streak to the Gauchos that dated back to a 3-0 home victory on Nov. 7, 2000.

Although 2007 will be remembered as the year Holocher turned the program around, 2006 was perhaps an even more important transformation. Cal Poly’s 7-8-4 record was a huge improvement from the 2005 squad that went 6-14. The Mustangs were picked to finish last in the conference in the pre-season coach’s poll, but surprised the soccer world with a draw against No. 18 Illinois-Chicago on Sept. 10th and began a streak into late October where the Mustangs were unbeaten in nine of 12 games. With two games remaining in the regular season, the Mustangs were still in the chase for the Big West Conference title, making 2006 a breakthrough year.

In Holocher’s three-year tenure, he has produced six All-Big West First Team selections, two Big West Freshmen of the Year, a Big West Goalkeeper of the Year, four NSCAA All-West Region selections and two All-Americans — 2007 Soccer America Freshman All-American David Zamora and 2007 ESPN The Magazine Academic All-American in K.J. Lenehan. Holocher also had his first player selected to a U.S. Soccer Federation sponsored camp when Patrick Sigler received an invitation to the U-20 team's training camp in Sunset, Florida in December of 2008.

Holocher knows how to win, a trait he has displayed at all levels of soccer. He has competed at national championships as a youth player, college player, professional player and college coach.

As a college player at Santa Clara University, Paul still holds the school’s all-time point scoring record as an attacking midfielder, twice earning All-American honors as well as the Vincent Corsiglia Scholar/Athlete award. As a professional, Paul played at the highest levels in the United States, becoming an APSL National Champion with the San Francisco Blackhawks and then signing a contract at age 24 with first division team Admira Wacker of Vienna, Austria.

Holocher played in the first MLS game as a member of the San Jose Clash and also played with the Chicago Fire.

As a coach, Paul has played a strong role in the grassroots development of soccer in America. He is the founder and president of the Catalyst Soccer Club, a non-profit youth soccer club and mentoring program that focuses especially on the technical development of the American youth player.

The Catalyst Soccer Club stretches throughout the central coast of California and looks to identify and develop youth players (ages 7-12). “Young players in America need the ball at their foot and need to be given tools and training that will develop confidence to handle the ball with skill and comfort. Often times youth coaches focus too much on winning and losing rather than developing skills and this is where we need to change our thinking in youth development.”

Along with founding of the Catalyst Soccer Club for youth players, Paul was head coach at UC Santa Cruz (1999-2005), leading the team to the NCAA Championship match in 2004 and compiling an impressive 109-24-7 record in seven years.

Paul lives in San Luis Obispo with his wife Juliet and their two sons, Lukas and Max.

Assistant Coach Brian Reed

Former Cal Poly standout defender Brian Reed will begin his fourth season as a member of Paul Holocher’s managerial staff in 2010. Charged with overall player training and development, Reed has also reprised his recruiting role from his initial three-season assistant coaching stint on the Mustang touchline (2006-08).

A three-year starter, two-year captain and a 2003 All-Big West first team selection during his playing career at Cal Poly (1999-03), Reed’s first coaching foray culminated during the 2008 campaign as the Mustangs posted their highest finish in the Big West standings (second), qualified for the NCAA Tournament for the first time in 13 years and produced the first postseason victory at the Division I level – a 1-0 victory at UCLA. The Mustangs finished their finest season ranked No. 23 in the final NSCAA/adidas Top 25 poll.

Recruited and constructed in part by Reed, Cal Poly’s 2008 backline allowed a program-record 0.94 goals per game. Eric Branagan-Franco – who recorded nine clean sheets for the second-straight year and retired with eight Cal Poly career records, including save percentage (.805) and shutouts (25) – became the first Mustang to earn Big West Goalkeeper of the Year honors while center back Patrick Sigler was named Co-Big West Freshman of the Year. Both players earned NSCAA Far West Region praise.

The 2007 Mustangs allowed just 1.05 goals per game en route to establishing program records for overall victories (11), Big West wins (6) and conference points (22).  Led by K.J. Lenehan’s first team selection, three Mustang defensive players garnered All-Big West praise.

Reed’s influence upon Cal Poly’s backline was felt immediately. A year after the program leaked 39 goals in 20 matches, the 2006 Mustangs yielded just 20 in 19 outings. With the defense tightened, Cal Poly posted a fourth-place finish in the Big West table – a distinction that, at the time, matched the program’s best showing in the conference standings.

Having helped Cal Poly compile the three-lowest goals-against averages in program history, Reed-coached Cal Poly sides have also produced 25 clean sheets and allowed just 64 goals in 61 matches. During Reed’s watch, five Mustang defensive players have earned all-conference recognition.

Prior to departing the program for the 2009 season, Reed helped cull a recruiting class ranked No. 33 among Division I programs by College Soccer News.

Reed spent the 2009-10 term working under former United States Men’s National Team head coach and 2005 Major League Soccer Cup-winning manager Steve Sampson with the GSI Soccer Academy in Agoura Hills, Calif.

Assistant Coach Ryan Hopkins

Ryan Hopkins joins the men’s soccer staff at Cal Poly after spending five years as an assistant coach at NAIA powerhouse Concordia University-Irvine and at one of the nation’s elite youth soccer clubs, the Irvine Strikers.

From 2004 to 2008, Hopkins served as the lead assistant at Concordia University-Irvine. During his time with the Eagles, Hopkins helped transform the program into one of the best in the NAIA. Concordia advanced to the NAIA National Tournament three times during his tenure and reached the NAIA Championship game in 2007. The Eagles also spent five weeks as the No. 1 team in the NAIA national rankings during the 2007 season. Concordia won back-to-back Golden State Athletic Conference championships in 2005 and 2006. Hopkins coached 10 NAIA All-Americans, eight NAIA All-Far West Region and 20 All-GSAC players while at Concordia. The Eagles were also ranked in the NAIA top-25 for 33 straight weeks from 2005-2008.

From 2004 to 2008, Hopkins served as a staff coach and college coordinator for the Irvine Strikers Soccer Club, a member of the U.S. Soccer Federation’s Development Academy. Hopkins coached various ages and teams during his time at the youth soccer power. Hopkins also played a large role during the college recruiting process for the club’s older players as the college coordinator.

Hopkins began his coaching career in 2004 at University High School in Irvine, Calif. as the head boy’s varsity coach and the girl’s assistant varsity coach. University High won two Pacific Coast League titles with Hopkins at the helm and advanced to the CIF Southern Section Playoffs all three years he was at the school.

A four-year starting goalkeeper (2000-04) at Concordia University, Hopkins led the Eagles to the school’s first ever appearance in the NAIA National Tournament in 2003. Hopkins was also named a NAIA All-American twice during his playing career and his name is stamped all over the school record books. He finished as Concordia’s all-time leader in career wins, No. 2 in goals-against average and shutouts and No. 4 in career saves.

Hopkins graduated from Concordia University with his bachelor’s degree in political science in 2004 and obtained his master’s degree from Concordia in Athletic Administration in 2008. Hopkins also holds his USSF “A” license and is the boys’ coaching director for the North County Football Club as well as the Director of the Mustang Goalkeeper Academy.

Volunteer Assistant Mark Jones

Mark Jones, another former Cal Poly player, is entering his third year as an assistant coach for the Mustang soccer program. Jones, who played with great pace in his days as a Cal Poly player, is in charge of speed and strength development. Jones also works closely with the strikers on the team and has had a huge impact on Cal Poly’s offensive-minded attack. In 2007, Cal Poly upped its scoring tally to 33, well ahead of the 21 scored during Jones’ first year with the staff. Jones also helped develop Soccer America Freshman All-American David Zamora, one of the premier forwards in the Big West.

As a player at Cal Poly, Mark led the Mustangs in scoring his freshman and sophomore years while receiving Big West honors as a defender in his junior and senior seasons. Mark was a kinseology major at Cal Poly and graduated in 2005.

Jones was a Regional ODP player with great speed, who had a stellar career at Bellarmine College Prep in San Jose. He helped that program reach a No. 1 national ranking as the team’s leading scorer.

Director of Soccer Operations Glen Fens