UC Davis hires new women's soccer head coach
Legendary coach Kat Mertz takes over for Tracy Joyner, who is now at Oregon
Kat Mertz, a highly successful leader at a number of schools, has been named head coach of the UC Davis women's soccer program.
UC Davis Director of Athletics Rocko DeLuca made the announcement Wednesday that Mertz would become the fifth head coach in UC Davis women's soccer history.
"I want to thank our outstanding student-athletes for their dedication and achievements that have elevated UC Davis women’s soccer to new heights," DeLuca said.
"Their success on and off the field has generated tremendous interest in this position, making it a highly sought-after opportunity in college soccer."
Mertz replaces Tracy Joyner, who recently left UCD after six seasons to take the head coaching position at Oregon.
Joyner's teams improved every year, finishing 13-5-2 in her final season last fall, including 6-2-2 in the Big West Conference. She was named Big West Coach of the Year in 2023.
Added DeLuca of the newest addition to the Aggie family, "Kat Mertz’s extensive head coaching experience and proven success in the Mountain West Conference, coupled with her impactful leadership in the Olympic Development Program, make her the ideal choice to lead our women’s soccer program. We are excited for her to bring her vision, expertise and passion to UC Davis as we prepare for our final season in the Big West."
Late in 2024, DeLuca announced that UCD would be leaving the Big West to join the Mountain West Conference in most sports except football, which will continue to compete in the Big Sky Conference.
Aggie athletes will play in the Big West through the Spring season of 2026, then begin Mountain West competition in the Fall of 2026. Thus Mertz will face just one season - Fall 2025 - in the Big West before the switch.
Noted Mertz, "I would like to thank Director of Athletics Rocko DeLuca and the search committee for believing in me for this role. UC Davis has a tradition of excellence both on the field and in the classroom. I am eager to build on the established success and ready to take the women’s soccer program to new heights. I am thrilled for my family and I to become a part of this vibrant community and I cannot wait to get started.”
Mertz's long string of building programs at various stops speaks for itself.
She has over two decades of success at both the NCAA Division I and II levels, most recently at Metropolitan State University of Denver, where she guided the Roadrunners to a record of 39-20-19 over four seasons, including the post-season in 2024. MSU Denver went 10-4-7 last fall, giving up just 13 goals in 21 games.
Before taking over at MSU Denver in 2021, Mertz served as an assistant coach at Oklahoma for one season. Prior to that, Mertz held head coaching roles at Oregon, Saint Louis and UNLV. Throughout her coaching career, Mertz has been a part of nine NCAA Tournament appearances.
With the Aggies ready to join the Mountain West in 2026, Mertz brings familiarity with the conference from her successful run at UNLV, where the Rebels won three straight Mountain West titles during her tenure, earning her conference Coach of the Year honors in 2007.
Earlier in her career, Mertz was an assistant at Texas, UCLA and Virginia.
Noted current St. Louis head coach Katie Shields, “UC Davis has made an incredible hire in Kat Mertz. Kat is a tremendous recruiter, teacher and culture builder. Her ability to develop future leaders and coaches is a testament to her transformational leadership style. With Kat’s commitment to excellence and diverse experience in college soccer, it’s only a matter of time until she leads UC Davis to the top of the Mountain West Conference. I am thrilled to watch Kat and her family build something special at UC Davis.”
Added Utah State head coach Manny Martins, “Kat Mertz is an outstanding choice for UC Davis, especially as the university embarks on its transition to the Mountain West Conference. Kat’s wealth of experience, coupled with her track record of success in the conference, position her perfectly to drive the program toward sustainable success.”
As a player, Mertz was a goalkeeper at North Carolina State from 1994 to 1997, helping the Wolfpack qualify for three NCAA Tournaments and reaching the 1995 national quarterfinals. She started 88 of 90 games, set school records for career saves (436) and single-season saves (135 in 1994), and posted 24 career shutouts. After college, she played two seasons for the Raleigh Wings in the United Soccer League's W-League.
Mertz earned a bachelor's degree in natural resources and ecosystem assessment from North Carolina State in 1998. She holds a United States Soccer Federation "A" national coaching license and a National Soccer Coaches Association of America Advanced National Diploma. She is also a member of WeCOACH, an organization dedicated to the recruitment, advancement and retention of woman coaches across all sports and levels.
Mertz and her wife, Erica, have a son, Jackson, and a daughter, Blake.
Reach Bob Dunning at bobdunning@thewaryone.com
Funny that a former Oregon women's soccer coach is now at UC Davis, while a former UC Davis women's soccer coach is now at Oregon. To complete the triangle, Graeme Abel must take over the helm at Metro State (or MSU Denver as they call themselves now).