Men’s Soccer: head coach Kos Donev released from contract
After joining the program as a player, Donev spent 30 years at the helm of the team.
FAU men’s soccer comes out of the Oxley Center after an hour and a half lighting delay before their game versus Fairfield University on Sept. 6. Ryan Lynch | Sports Editor
January 12, 2017
Following 30 years serving as the head coach of the Florida Atlantic Men’s Soccer team, Kos Donev was let go by the team early in December 2016.
According to assistant athletic director for media relations Katrina McCormack, Donev’s contract was not renewed by FAU Athletics at the end of the season. No specific reason was given for the choice to let him go.
Donev, who played soccer at FAU from 1985-86, went 212-279-32 during his time as head coach, winning two regular season conference championships and one postseason conference championship.
His recent tenure was not marked by success however, as his team had only one winning season since 2007.
Giovanni De la Rosa, an assistant coach who joined Donev’s team in 2013, currently sits as the interim head coach. McCormack said that the program is still looking for a new head coach for next season.
Ryan Lynch is the editor in chief of the University Press. For information regarding this or other stories, email [email protected] or tweet him @RyanLynchwriter.
John • May 27, 2020 at 8:42 am
Kos was instrumental in making me hate the game, I chose to play for him and get a useless education instead of going to Europe and playing first division. What a bad decision, never had a coach who had no belief in players he scouted, I think he preferred those Scandinavian dollar signs. Thirty years at the helm and couldn’t get one team to mesh together, all he did was divide us and take the self belief away. Can’t believe he was there 30years and achieved well quite nothing in the end, even with all the great local players and talent he chose not to play because of his obligations to his international students who had full scholarships on what basis no one truly knows., oh wait, money. What a terrible coach, I don’t care what any normie friend of his says, sure they might say he’s a nice guy but in 30years this guy could not harness or bring all that talent together because face it Kos, you’re just not as good a coach as you’d like to be or think. Sorry for you and sorry to all the men you didn’t believe in.
Jason • Jan 19, 2017 at 7:25 am
Coach Donev is an FAU great. He was driving force in establishing the FAU program. However, he will be greatly remembered for sharing his knowledge and enthusiasm for the game with many Boca Raton youth players. Some of whom went on to play at the college level. He was instrumental in helping my son fall in love with the game, and for that I thank him. I wish him the best and I believe our community will definitely miss him.