Dave Giffard

David Giffard
Current position
TitleHead coach
TeamVCU Rams
ConferenceAtlantic 10 Conference
Biographical details
Born (1975-08-29) August 29, 1975 (age 49)
Alma materMacMurray College
Playing career
1993–1997MacMurray Highlanders
Coaching career (HC unless noted)
1998–1999MacMurray Highlanders (assistant)
1999–2000Westminster Blue Jays (assistant)
2000–2004UAB Blazers (goalkeeper)
2005–2006Indiana Hoosiers (assistant)
2007–2009Akron Zips (assistant)
2010–VCU Rams
Head coaching record
Overall86–64–28 (.562)
Accomplishments and honors
Championships
Atlantic 10 Regular Season (2018)

Dave Giffard (born August 29, 1975) is an American soccer coach.

Career

Giffard was raised in Illinois, where he attended MacMurray College from 1993 to 1997, and played for the school's soccer team as a goalkeeper. After finishing college at MacMurray, with a Bachelor's degree in physical education, Giffard immediately went into the sport as a coach, coaching at various institutions as an assistant coach or goalkeeping coach for the next 15 years. Following his tenure as an assistant at MacMurray, Giffard was an assistant on the Westminster College Blue Jays, where they achieved their first 12-win season in program history. During his final years at Westminster, Giffard enrolled for postgraduate studies at the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB).

While at UAB, Giffard earned his Master of Arts in Education, achieving his master's at the end of the 2002–03 academic year. Following his achievement, Giffard joined the UAB Blazers men's soccer program as an assistant to Mike Getman. At UAB, Giffard primarily worked as a goalkeeping coach. During his time at UAB, Clint Baumstark became the first goalkeeper at UAB to be capped by the United States U-20 national soccer team.[1]

Upon leaving UAB, Giffard served as volunteer for Indiana University before joining Caleb Porter and the Akron Zips men's soccer program. During Giffard's time as an assistant to Porter, the Zips had a 23–1–1 season, and won the 2010 NCAA Division I Men's Soccer Championship, beating Louisville.

Starting in 2010, Giffard earned his first head coaching position in his career, becoming the head coach for the VCU Rams men's soccer program. In his three years, Giffard returned the Rams to the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2004, and had the team nationally ranked for the first time since 2005.

Head coaching record

Statistics overview
Season Team Overall Conference Standing Postseason
VCU (Colonial Athletic Association) (2010–2011)
2010 VCU 8–5–6 5–2–4 2nd CAA Semifinals
2011 VCU 11–9–0 6–5–0 T–6th
VCU (Atlantic 10 Conference) (2012–present)
2012 VCU 12–3–5 6–1–2 4th A-10 Runners-up
NCAA Second Round
2013 VCU 11–8–2 5–2–1 3rd A-10 Semifinals
NCAA First Round
2014 VCU 7–8–5 4–1–3 3rd A-10 Quarterfinals
2015 VCU 7–10–4 3–2–3 8th A-10 Runners-up
2016 VCU 8–9–4 4–3–1 5th A-10 Runners-up
2017 VCU 12–7–0 6–2–0 2nd A-10 Runners-up
NCAA Second Round
2018 VCU 10–6–2 6–1–1 1st A-10 Semifinals
2019 VCU 0–0–0 0–0–0 — —
VCU: 86–64–28 (.562) 45–19–11 (.673)
Total: 86–64–28 (.562)

      National champion         Postseason invitational champion  
      Conference regular season champion         Conference regular season and conference tournament champion
      Division regular season champion       Division regular season and conference tournament champion
      Conference tournament champion

Honors

References

  1. ^ "Player Bio: Dave Giffard". UABSports.com. Archived from the original on March 3, 2016. Retrieved March 31, 2013.
  2. ^ "Loebe, Oland, Haji, Klein, and Giffard win Top Atlantic 10 Men's Soccer Awards". Atlantic10.com. Atlantic 10 Conference. November 8, 2018. Retrieved November 28, 2018.
  3. ^ "Five Programs Garner Major Men's Soccer Awards in A-10 End-of-Season Awards". atlantic10.com. Atlantic 10 Conference. November 13, 2023. Retrieved November 20, 2023.