April 15, 2005
LAS VEGAS - Katherine Mertz has been named head women's soccer coach at UNLV, Director of Athletics Mike Hamrick announced Friday.
Mertz comes to Las Vegas from UCLA, where she was an assistant coach for the women's soccer program for the last five years. While on the Bruins' staff, she helped guide them to three trips to the College Cup and two NCAA championship game appearances (2000, lost to North Carolina 2-1, 2004, lost to Notre Dame on penalty kicks). UCLA advanced to the NCAA Third Round all five of her years on the staff, and won three PAC-10 Titles.
"We're delighted that Katherine has accepted our offer to become the third head coach in UNLV women's soccer history," said Hamrick. "She comes from a program with very high standards, and we aspire for the same with our program here at UNLV."
"I am extremely excited to come to a great university such as UNLV, and one that has had good success in women's soccer," said Mertz. "I feel that for my first head coaching job, the tools are in place here to keep the program at a national level. I also believe in the vision that Mike has for the athletic department and was glad to see where women's soccer fits into that. There is a great group of girls that will return for next season, and we should be able to contend once again for Mountain West Conference championships and NCAA appearances, which is what I want to be an annual goal for UNLV soccer."
She is also currently serving as assistant coach for the U-15 Women's National Team, and will be at their camp on April 16-23 at the Home Depot Center in Carson, Calif.
Mertz was a four-year starting goalkeeper at North Carolina State from 1994-97, and helped the Wolfpack advance to the NCAA Tournament her first three years, including the NCAA Quarterfinals in 1995. She ranks second in ACC history with 24 shutouts, and set the conference mark with 24 shutouts. Mertz graduated from the school in 1998 with a degree in natural resources.
Following a year as an undergraduate assistant for NC State in 1998, she continued her soccer career as the goalkeeper for the Raleigh Wings in the W-League, who won the USISL Championship in 1998 and 1999. Mertz then served a year as assistant coach at Virginia in 1999 under former national team head coach April Heinrichs before moving to UCLA in 2000.
Mertz becomes the third head coach in the program's history, and replaces Dan Abdalla, who resigned in March after five seasons. UNLV finished 2004 with a 12-5-2 record while winning its first MWC regular season title with a 5-1 mark. The Rebels also earned their first-ever trip to the NCAA Tournament with an at-large bid, and will return eight starters from last year's squad.
