Larry Zelenz, head men’s soccer coach at Gustavus Adolphus College, recently picked up the 300th win of his collegiate coaching career. Zelenz recorded victory number 300 on Sunday, Sept. 7 when the Gusties earned a 5-1 win over Marian University of Fond du Lac, Wisc.
Zelenz recorded 39 victories in six years at Gettysburg College in Pennsylvania before coming to Gustavus where he has compiled a mark of 261-104-40 in 23 seasons. Zelenz’s career collegiate coaching record is now 300-152-48 for a winning percentage of .648. Ironically, Zelenz’s 300th win came in the 500th game of his coaching career.
Zelenz has built the men’s soccer program at Gustavus into a powerhouse in the Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (MIAC). He has led the team to seven conference titles (1993, 1994, 2000, 2004, 2005, 2006, and 2007) and eight national tournament bids (1993, 1994, 2000, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, and 2007).
In 2006, Zelenz was named Division III National Coach of the Year by the National Soccer Coaches Association of America (NSCAA) after leading the Gusties to a 17-3-5 record and a trip to the NCAA Championship game. He was also named Division III West Region Coach of the Year by the NSCAA in both 2004 and 2005.
Zelenz holds a 146-52-21 record in MIAC games. His teams have finished in the top five of the conference in all 22 years that he has been at the head of the program without a single losing season.
Thirty-four players have earned a total of 58 all-conference honors during Zelenz’s tenure at Gustavus. Four of Zelenz’s players have been named MIAC Player of the Year in the past eight years. He has coached one Academic All-American and six student-athletes to a total of eight All-America honors.
For more information about Zelenz and the men’s soccer program at Gustavus, visit the men’s soccer page at gustavus.edu/athletics/msc/.
Leave a Reply