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02/02/2012 KU Soccer Inks Three National Letter of Intent Signees01/24/2012 KU Soccer Announces Spring Slate12/19/2011 Kansas To Offer High School Soccer Camp in February11/13/2011 Postgame Quotes11/11/2011 NCAA Soccer Tournament Comes to Lawrence When Kansas Hosts Georgia Sunday02/02/2012 2012 Soccer Signing Day - Coach Francis11/13/2011 Postgame Interview - Kansas11/08/2011 Press Conference - Mark Francis09/17/2006 KU Soccer vs. Central FloridaKU Soccer vs. Central Florida (Photos by Jeff & Laura Jacobsen) 08/25/2006 KU Soccer vs. FurmanKU Soccer vs. Furman (Photos by Jeff & Laura Jacobsen) Coaching Honors
A 15-year veteran in the collegiate coaching ranks and a former professional soccer player, head coach Mark Francis enters his 13th season at the helm of the University of Kansas soccer program.
Under his guidance, KU has posted double-digit wins eight times and has gone on to an NCAA Tournament appearance on four occasions (2001, `03, `04, `08). In 2004, his squad also won the Big 12 title, while Francis' teams have advanced to the Big 12 Soccer Championship in 10 of the last 12 seasons.
The London, England native became the fourth-fastest Big 12 coach to amass 100 wins in league history, reaching the milestone in 2007 after just 177 matches. Francis is also the winningest coach in Kansas soccer history at 135-99-17 (.572) overall.
Last season, Kansas was quick to light up the highlight reel as it picked up a 2-1 upset versus No. 14 Northwestern early in the year, the eighth-straight season Francis' squad has knocked off a top 25 opponent. The year concluded with sophomore Whitney Berry, the team's top offensive threat in 2010, selected to the All-Big 12 Second Team after earning preseason distinctions as one of the top 20 players in the Big 12 by TopDrawerSoccer.com.
In 2009, Francis' Jayhawks battled injuries throughout the season and managed a 12-8-2 overall mark, which qualified them for a 10th-consecutive conference tournament berth. KU opened the season at 7-1-1, and was ranked as high as No. 17 in the country. This marked the seventh-straight year that the Jayhawks found themselves in the national polls for at least one week.
Francis coached three All-Big 12 selections, as well as three players who were selected all-region by the National Soccer Coaches Association of America (NSCAA). Following the season, senior defender Estelle Johnson was drafted by the Los Angeles Sol of the Women's Professional Soccer League, the first Jayhawk to be drafted by a professional soccer league. Freshman Sarah Robbins was also honored by being invited to try out for the Canadian National U-20 team.
The 2008 season was one for the record books as Kansas recorded 13 wins and returned to the NCAA Tournament. The Jayhawks knocked off four nationally-ranked teams en route to their tournament berth including a pair of wins over long-time nemesis Texas A&M. KU became the first team in three years to defeat the Aggies twice in the same season.
Francis' Jayhawks opened the season with a 3-0 rout of No. 20 Purdue to earn a spot in the national polls, marking the sixth-consecutive year that KU has spent at least one week in the Top 25.
The Jayhawks defeated four other ranked teams during the season and capped their remarkable run with a 2-1 triumph over Denver in the first round of the NCAA Tournament.
The Kansas offense produced the second-most goals (45) in school history in 2008, with Monica Dolinsky and Shannon McCabe tying for the team lead with nine tallies.
Several players received accolades throughout and following the season. Freshman Emily Cressy was named a Freshman All-American by Soccer Buzz as well as Soccer America, while teammates Dolinsky and Johnson joined her on the All-Central Region Team. Dolinsky was also named All-Big 12 First Team, while Cressy became KU's first Big 12 Rookie of the Year.
In 2007, Francis' Jayhawks recorded a 5-2-3 mark in the Big 12 to place third in the league. It marked the fifth-straight year that Kansas placed fourth or better in the conference, and the fourth time in Francis' tenure that KU placed in the top three in the conference standings. Despite injuries to key players early in the season, the Jayhawks reached their eighth-straight Big 12 Soccer Championship in San Antonio.
KU capped its thrilling run in Big 12 play with a memorable 2-1 triumph over nationally-ranked Missouri in the final contest of the regular season.
Junior Estelle Johnson and freshman Katie Williams both earned All-Central Region honors, marking the seventh time in the last eight years that Francis has coached multiple all-region honorees.
In 2006, Francis' team finished with double-digit victories for the sixth year in a row. The Jayhawks finished fourth in the Big 12 with a 6-4 conference record.
KU's season was highlighted by a 4-3 come-from-behind victory against No. 12 Duke on Sept. 10, which featured a four-goal rally in the second half by the Jayhawks. KU also posted road victories at Oklahoma, Nebraska, Iowa State and Missouri and earned a national ranking in the top 25 polls for the fifth time in the last six seasons. The team jumped to No. 18 in the Soccer America poll, and No. 21 in the Soccer Times poll on Sept. 11.
The Jayhawks finished the 2005 season in a four-team tie for second place in the Big 12 Conference. The season was highlighted by a one-goal victory against Texas on CSTV, KU's first-ever win against the Longhorns and an overtime win against Border Showdown rival Missouri. The Jayhawks also earned a trip to their sixth-straight Big 12 Soccer Championship in the process.
The 2004 season was a year filled with program firsts as numerous records were broken. The Jayhawks compiled a program-best record of 18-5 on their way to the Big 12 Championship. It was the first for the soccer team and second among KU women's sports, the first going to basketball in 1997.
Francis earned Big 12 Coach of the Year as well as the Central Region Coach of the Year honors. He also won his 100th overall match with a victory against Texas Tech on Oct. 1.
KU's 8-2 league record was its best in program history. Along the way, the Jayhawks beat Texas A&M for the first time, 1-0, at College Station. The Jayhawks also received their first-ever national top 10 ranking, topping out at sixth, and were ranked in the top 20 for most of the season. They also advanced to the NCAA tournament for the second year in a row, this time entering as the eighth-seed and hosting the first two rounds.
In 2004, Kansas players rewrote the record books. Caroline Smith added 11 goals to her previous mark in 2004, totaling a program-best 42. Meghan Miller also tacked on 11 shutouts to her record, finishing with 30 career shutouts and a program-low 0.57 goals against average (GAA). The team also broke the record for goals scored with 47 and had the most shutouts with 13.
The Jayhawks also garnered individual awards with eight players making the all-conference teams, the most of any Big 12 team. KU also boasted four All-Americans, the highest total among any team across the country.
In 2003, Kansas soccer reached new heights under Francis' leadership. The Jayhawks posted an 18-6-1 mark and advanced to the Sweet 16 round of the NCAA Tournament. With a 6-3-1 record in the Big 12, KU finished third. Along the way, the Jayhawks posted their first-ever win in program history against Big 12 rival Nebraska and defeated Border Showdown foe Missouri twice in Columbia, including a 2-0 win in the NCAA Tournament.
Along with the team accomplishments, several players were honored for their efforts during the 2005 campaign, including Caroline Smith being named to several All-America teams as well as Holly Gault being selected as a Freshman All-American by Soccer Buzz. With Francis' help, KU's players etched their names in the record book, as Smith became the program's all-time leader in goals, points and game-winning goals and Miller set the school mark in career shutouts and career GAA.
In 2002, Francis led Kansas to an overall record of 11-7-2, including a then-school record six-straight wins and a seven-game unbeaten streak during the first half of the season. The Jayhawks opened the season 6-1-1, marking their best start ever. Francis' team ranked in the Central Region's Top 10 for 10 consecutive weeks.
During KU's second consecutive winning season, Francis helped develop one of the most prolific freshmen in Jayhawk history, Caroline Smith. After setting a KU single-season record with 12 goals scored, Smith was named to the Big 12 All-Newcomer team, as well as Soccer Buzz's Freshman All-America Third Team, Central Region All-Freshmen Team and All-Central Region Third Team.
In 2001, Francis guided the Jayhawks to a 13-7-0 overall record and 7-3-0 Big 12 mark. For his efforts, Soccer Buzz named Francis the 2001 Central Region Coach of the Year, as he led his Jayhawks into the NCAA Tournament for the first time in school history. The Jayhawks finished the season ranked sixth in the Central Region, marking the ninth-best turnaround in the nation, improving five games from the previous season.
The 2001 Kansas team shattered many school records, including more than 10 single-season individual, seven career and over a dozen team records. In addition, Francis saw four of his players - Pardis Brown and Hilla Rantala (second team), and Monica Brothers and Meghan Miller (freshman team) - garner All-Big 12 honors.
In 1999, the Jayhawks set a team season record with eight victories and tied the KU record for home wins with five. Francis' attack-oriented system contributed to single-season records for points (87) and assists (29).
A 1987 graduate of Southern Methodist University, Francis was a three-time All-American selection for the Mustangs. As a senior, he was named SMU's Male Athlete of the Year, the Dallas All-Sports Association College Athlete of the Year and was selected to Soccer America's All-College MVP Team. In addition, he was a two-time nominee for the Hermann Trophy, given to the nation's most outstanding soccer player.
Professionally, Francis played 10 seasons as a member of the Dayton Dynamos (NPSL), Mobile Revellers, Dallas Rockets (USISL) and the Orlando Lions (APSL).
After being hired at South Alabama just a few weeks prior to the start of the 1996 season, Francis inherited a depleted roster and finished his first season with a 2-17 record. The following year, he led the Jaguars to an 18-3-1 mark, including an unbeaten regular season in Big South Conference play. The 16-win turnaround is still the biggest in NCAA Division I soccer history.
His 1997 squad surpassed nearly every offensive school record at South Alabama, including goals scored. He was named 1997 Central Region Coach of the Year by Soccer Buzz Magazine.
South Alabama finished 13-5 in 1998 and Francis earned Big South Conference Coach of the Year honors for the second-consecutive year.
In the summer of 2003, Francis served as an assistant for the U.S. Under-21 National Team that won the gold medal in the Under-21 Nordic Cup in Denmark. Francis was with the team when training began in January at the U.S. Soccer Training Headquarters in Chula Vista, Calif., and traveled with the squad as it toured Brazil.
Francis has served as an Olympic Development Program staff coach in Region II and III and is a Kansas state ODP coach. He holds an "A" coaching license from the United States Soccer Federation, a National Certificate and premier license in Brazil from the National Soccer Coaches Association of America and a youth certificate from the Dutch Soccer Federation.
A native of London, England, Francis and his wife, Tiffany, reside in Lawrence with their three children: Carlin, Hayley and Caleb.
The Francis File
Coaching Experience
Coaching Record
Kansas Soccer During the Francis Era
Education Playing Experience Playing Honors |
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