Sam Koch (2021) - Hall of Fame - University of Massachusetts Athletics

Sam Koch

Induction:
2021

Koch recorded a 222-182-45 record at Massachusetts over his 23 seasons leading the program and a career record of 280-235-64 in 29 seasons as a collegiate head coach. He finished with a 118-80-19 (.588) Atlantic 10 Conference record in his 23 seasons, including 14 campaigns above .500 in conference play. Koch was named the NSCAA Mid-Atlantic Coach of the Year in 2008, New England Coach of the Year in 1992, 2001 and 2008, and Atlantic 10 Coach of the Year in 1992, 1994, 2002 and 2008, and was also a finalist for the NSCAA National Coach of the Year in 2007 and 2008.

Koch produced 14 winning seasons at Massachusetts, made 12 appearances in the Atlantic 10 Championship and took three trips to the NCAA Tournament, including advancement to the 2007 Final Four. The all-time winningest coach in UMass men's soccer history, Koch owns 99 more wins than the next coach (Lawrence Briggs) and has the highest win percentage (.545) of all the program's coaches who have coached more than three seasons/32 total games.

Koch led UMass to its best season in program history during 2007, when UMass set its single-season record for wins and defeated Boston University (first round), Boston College (second round), Central Connecticut (third round) and Loyola-Chicago (quarterfinals) en route to the NCAA Championship Final Four. He tutored two-time all-American Jeff Deren (2001, 02), the program's first all-American since 1977, and coached 2007 all-American and UMass Athletics Hall of Fame inductee Zack Simmons.