| Jay Vidovich |
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Jay Vidovich has not only grown into one of the top NCAA soccer coaches in the country, but he has brought the Demon Deacon program to uncharted waters.
Wake Forest has reached the NCAA Tournament each of the past six seasons, twice entering the tournament as the nation's top seed. In all, Wake Forest has captured a pair of ACC regular season championships and posted a record of 88-29-13 over the past six seasons. Vidovich has garnered three ACC Coach of the Year Awards and the Deacs have reached the Sweet 16 three times during that span.
In 2006, Vidovich guided the Deacs through their best post-season run to date, finishing conferenece play as ACC Co-Champions and following with a trip to the NCAA College Cup. The WFU skipper was honored by fellow conference coaches for his efforts with the ACC Coach of the Year award for his outstading leadership.
Vidovich, the most successful coach in Wake Forest soccer history, has an incomparable rapport with the student-athletes who play for him. He begins his 14th season as head coach of the Wake Forest men's soccer program in 2007. Vidovich has an overall record of 165-79-25 in his 13 years, never enduring a losing season as a head coach.
In 2005, the Demon Deacons went 13-8-2, reached their fifth straight NCAA Tournament and advanced into the Sweet 16 for the second straight year. All of this was accomplished with a squad that was without the services of 2005 MLS draftees Michael Parkhurst, Scott Sealy, James Riley and Amir Lowery. The team featured just one senior in the starting lineup and was a mere 22 seconds from the program's first-ever berth into the NCAA Tournament quarterfinals.
In 2004, the Deacs went 14-5-2 overall and 5-2-0 in the ACC earning the top seed in the 2004 ACC & NCAA Tournament. Wake Forest overcame an early season three-game losing streak to capture its second ACC regular season title in three years.
The Demon Deacons had six players featured on the respective All-ACC squads. Sealy was named Offensive Player of the Year, Parkhurst was tabbed Defensive Player of the Year and Vidovich was chosen as the Coach of the Year.
Justin Moose, Parkhurst and Sealy were selected to the NSCAA/adidas All-America team. Moose was named to the first team, while Sealy and Parkhurst were each second team selections.
Moose was Wake Forest's second-ever NSCAA first team All-America selection. Wake Forest and Indiana were the only schools with three selections. With three more All-Americans in 2005, the Demon Deacons have had 12 in the past five years.
In 2003, the Demon Deacons maintained their reputation as one of the nation's elite programs with another excellent season, finishing 15-5 overall, 4-2 in the ACC and a third straight appearance in the NCAA Tournament. Wake Forest defeated five nationally-ranked opponents during the course of the year including No. 3 North Carolina (4-0), No. 5 St. John's (3-1) and No. 10 UConn (2-0).
William Hesmer and Jeremiah White, both seniors, were named All-Americans and M.A.C. Hermann Trophy Award semifinalists. Hesmer was the program's first-ever NSCAA first team All-American in 2003. White was also selected as the ACC Player of the Year. White became the first Wake Forest player in history to earn the honor and to be selected to the All-ACC first team three straight years.
In 2002, Vidovich guided the Wake Forest soccer program to new heights.
For the first time in school history, the Deacons sat atop the national rankings, captured the ACC regular season title, went through the regular season undefeated and earned a number one seed in the NCAA Tournament. The Deacs finished 15-2-4, with losses during the ACC and NCAA tournaments only. Vidovich guided two players, Brian Carroll and Hesmer, to All-America status for the first time and Moose became Wake Forest's first-ever ACC Rookie of the Year.
For his efforts, Vidovich was named ACC Coach of the Year, the first time a Wake Forest coach had earned the honor since 1982, and the NSCAA South Region Coach of the Year.
In 2001, Wake Forest finished 13-6-2 and ranked 10th nationally by Soccer America. Vidovich also earned his 78th career victory to become the school's all-time winningest men's soccer coach that season.
He passed the legendary Walt Chyzowych, who is universally recognized as the most influential figure in the development of American soccer. Vidovich served as an assistant coach under Chyzowych, his longtime friend and mentor for eight years at WFU before taking over the reins of the program. Both arrived at Wake Forest in 1986 and shared the sidelines until Chyzowych's death just prior to the 1994 season.
Under Chyzowych's guidance, Vidovich gained experience in the international game as well as at the youth and collegiate levels, helping to develop some of the top young players in the country. Several players whom Vidovich has mentored have gone on to achieve success at the national level, including Neil Covone, who played in the 1990 World Cup, and Craig Conger and Craig Johnson, who were members of the Olympic team. Others have gone on to achieve success in the pro soccer ranks, including Serge Daniv, Hesmer, Lowery, Parkhurst, Eddie Pope, Riley, Sealy, Ben Stafford and Josh Timbers.
After taking over as head coach of the Deacons in 1994, Vidovich has developed a nationally competitive program that consistently ranks in the top 25 against top-quality schedules.
In 2000, the Demon Deacons posted their 10th straight 10-win season and earned a berth in the ACC Tournament semifinals. One of the wins came at eventual national champion, Connecticut. The first night game in Morrone Stadium history, the Deacons spoiled the party with a 2-1 overtime victory. The team finished with a 10-7-2 mark.
Vidovich guided the 1999 Deacons to one of the best seasons in school history with a 13-3-5 record. The team's .738 winning percentage was a new school record and the team was ranked as high as third. Wake finished third in the regular season ACC standings and reached the ACC Tournament semifinals and advanced to the NCAA Tourney for the second straight season.
In 1998, a young and talented Deacon squad turned in an 11-7-1 campaign and was ranked as high as No. 12 in the nation. High points of the season included a 2-1 upset of top-ranked Washington, a 2-1 win over No. 10 South Carolina, a 2-2 tie with No. 4 Virginia and its first NCAA berth since 1991.
Born in Detroit, Mich., Vidovich attended New Canaan High School in Connecticut, where he earned all-state accolades. He then played for Indiana on their nationally-ranked 1978 team before transferring to Ohio Wesleyan, where he was a three-year starter. In 1982, he served as captain while leading OWU to the NCAA semifinals.
In 1982, Vidovich received a bachelor's degree in physical education from Ohio Wesleyan, before proceeding to the University of Denver where he earned a master's degree in sports sciences in 1983.
While a graduate student at Denver, Vidovich began his coaching career as an assistant on the Pioneers' 1982 team, which won the NAIA Division II district and regional championships. Vidovich coached two NAIA All-Americans and six NAIA All-West players on that squad.
In 1983, Vidovich moved on to Regis College. As an assistant, Vidovich again helped a standout team, which included two NAIA All-Americans and three All-West players.
In his final stop before Wake Forest, Vidovich returned to his alma mater, Ohio Wesleyan, as an assistant coach. In his two years there the team posted a combined 30-8-2 record, ranking among the top 10 teams in the nation. Vidovich had another opportunity to work with athletes of national caliber there, coaching three All-Americans and nine All-Mideast players who led the team to two showings in the NCAA Tournament.
Vidovich has been active in a number of youth soccer programs, and a coach on North Carolina's Olympic Development Team staff. His credentials include a USSF "A" license and a NSCAA Advanced National Diploma.
Vidovich and his wife, Julie, live with daughters Zoe and Tess reside in Winston-Salem.
