Barnhart wanted coach with ‘history of success.’ He found one for UK women’s soccer.
The Kentucky women’s soccer program has its new leader.
On Tuesday, Troy Fabiano was announced as the next head coach of Kentucky women’s soccer.
Fabiano comes to Lexington after spending seven seasons as the head coach at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee in the Horizon League.
Over those seven seasons at Milwaukee, Fabiano and the Panthers went 101-16-13 (W-L-D) with a 58-2-4 record in conference play. Milwaukee won six Horizon League regular-season titles during Fabiano’s seven seasons as head coach, which included five undefeated seasons in conference play.
Milwaukee also won the Horizon League Tournament in each of the last four seasons, securing an automatic spot in the NCAA Tournament.
“(Fabiano’s) methodical, organized and consistent approach are hallmarks of his ability to develop outstanding players and teams that excel on and off the pitch,” said UK Athletics Director Mitch Barnhart in Tuesday’s announcement. “We are confident Troy will build a winning program here.”
After Kentucky fired former women’s soccer head coach Ian Carry in October, Barnhart told the Herald-Leader in a statement that UK’s goals for its women’s soccer program are to compete for Southeastern Conference championships and national championships.
Barnhart also told the Herald-Leader that UK was open to both assistant coaches and head coaches in the search for the program’s next leader, although it appears Fabiano’s previous head coaching experience and success was a significant factor in his hiring.
“We are seeking an individual with a history of success on the pitch, one who is committed to the athletic, academic and personal development of our students and is dedicated to building an elite program,” Barnhart said of the coaching search.
Fabiano earned six Horizon League Coach of the Year awards during his time at Milwaukee, the latest of which came this season as Milwaukee went 19-2-0 overall, 11-0-0 in conference matches and reached the second round of the NCAA Tournament. The 19 wins tied the school record for wins in a season.
The Panthers were a force at both ends this season, leading the country in goals (62), shots on-goal per game (10.7), save percentage (.908) and goals-against average (0.31) prior to the start of the postseason.
Fabiano made the NCAA Tournament four times (2018, 2019, last season and this season) at Milwaukee, while the Kentucky women’s soccer program hasn’t reached the NCAA Tournament since 2014.
“Everyone I have met throughout this entire process has been incredible and genuine, and I cannot thank Mitch (Barnhart) enough for affording me this opportunity,” Fabiano said in Tuesday’s announcement. “I am eager to meet the team and begin developing an environment that’s competitive in the SEC and on the national stage.”
Success in conference play was a hallmark of Fabiano’s time in Milwaukee. The Panthers went 1,617 days between regular-season conference losses from September 2016 to March 2021, a streak that spanned 36 matches.
Conversely, success in SEC play has evaded the UK women’s soccer team in recent seasons.
UK hasn’t posted a winning record in SEC play since 2014.
Under Carry, the former women’s soccer head coach who assumed his post before the 2017 season, UK went 27-52-8 overall and 7-37-4 in conference matches, including matches played this season under the guidance of interim coach Paul Babba.
This season Kentucky went 7-10-2 overall and 1-9-0 in SEC matches and was led in scoring by junior forward Jordyn Rhodes with 11 goals, giving her 30 goals for her UK career.
The Wildcats haven’t finished a season with a winning overall record since 2015.
But Fabiano isn’t a stranger to quickly turning a program’s fortunes around.
At Milwaukee, Fabiano took over a program that won just six games in 2014, but in his first season the Panthers recorded 11 wins and went unbeaten in Horizon League play.
Fabiano’s coaching career began at Robert Morris University — his alma mater where he played men’s soccer and led the school to its first NCAA Tournament appearance — where he served as the men’s soccer assistant coach before he became the interim head men’s soccer coach at Eastern Illinois.
Fabiano then spent one season as the women’s soccer assistant coach at the University of Wisconsin-Parkside, an NCAA Division II school, before being promoted to women’s soccer head coach and spending 17 years in that role at Parkside starting in 1998.
Fabiano had 16 consecutive winning seasons and made eight NCAA Division II Tournament appearances at Parkside before leaving for Milwaukee in 2015.
Prior to the start of his coaching career, Fabiano played professionally for indoor and outdoor lower-league teams in Milwaukee and Pittsburgh.
Fabiano is a native of Kenosha, Wisconsin, and has three sons — Stefano, Marco and Nico — with his wife Melissa.
