Kentucky promotes assistant to head coach of women’s soccer team

Ian Carry, who has been with the Kentucky women’s soccer team the past four seasons as an assistant coach, has been named the third head coach in the history of the UK program, UK Athletics Director Mitch Barnhart announced Tuesday.

Carry replaces Jon Lipsitz, who was fired after the team finished 5-9-4 in 2016.

“(Carry) has a proven track record as a recruiter and possesses the technical skill that will translate in all areas as a head coach,” Barnhart said in a news release. “I believe his leadership will provide us the chance to re-energize our program and return us to where we want to be in the SEC and nationally.”

Kentucky finished 1-7-3 in league play in 2016, finishing 13th out of 14 SEC teams.

“I’m blessed to be afforded the opportunity by Mitch Barnhart to lead my dream program and facilitate these extraordinary young women.” Carry said. “I can’t wait to work with those who are already within the program, and the women who are committed over the next few years. We want to develop the complete student-athlete at Kentucky so that when our players graduate, they will have not only been successful on the playing field, but prepared for life as well.

“We will create a championship environment at Kentucky, which will culminate in Southeastern Conference titles, deep runs within the NCAA Tournament and ultimately national championships. When a player commits to Kentucky, they will develop the physical and mental mindset necessary to fit into our championship environment, which will result in banners and trophies on and off the field.”

Carry, a native of Dunshaughlin, Ireland, joined the Kentucky coaching staff in 2013 after two years as an assistant at Central Michigan. Carry has spent more than 15 years in both professional and college coaching.

Carry’s contract is a two-year deal paying the new head coach $110,000 per season in base salary.

Carry, a graduate of Bell College of Technology in Hamilton, Scotland, played goalkeeper for the Irish National Team in 2010-11. His club play included the Shamrock Rovers and Sporting Fingal of the Emerald League. He then went into coaching, training goalkeepers in the Scottish Premier League before coming to the Unite States.

This story was originally published November 22, 2016 at 1:19 PM with the headline "Kentucky promotes assistant to head coach of women’s soccer team."