The 2003 season marks Bob Winch[apos]s 11th year at the helm of the UCF men[apos]s soccer program. During his tenure, the Golden Knights have compiled a record of 89-87-11 and his players have earned 43 all-conference awards and six all-region honors as well as All-America status.
In 2002, Winch celebrated his 10th anniversary with the program by guiding the Golden Knights to a 10-8-3 record as they earned their first Atlantic Sun Championship and advanced to the NCAA Tournament for the first time since the program began playing at the Division I level in 1984.
Last season was just part of the success the Golden Knights have enjoyed under Winch[apos]s guidance. He has guided UCF to six 10-plus win seasons thanks in part to an offensive-oriented philosophy that has seen the team score 416 goals during his tenure. That mark represents the most goals scored by the Golden Knights under the same head coach as a Division I team. His 1996 team set the school single-season scoring record by tallying 65 goals in 18 games, an average of 3.6 goals-per-game.
After a disappointing campaign in 2000, Winch rebuilt the squad by adding top-notch goalkeeping and some much needed attacking help. UCF responded by going 12-7 and narrowly missed qualifying for the NCAA Tournament in 2001. Seven players earned All-Atlantic Sun recognition and 13 were named to the conference all-academic team. The Golden Knights were named the most improved men[apos]s team in the nation according to an NCAA poll at the end of the season.
Winch has earned several awards along the way, including being named the 1996 UCF Coach of the Year by Into the Knights, a local sports publication. He has twice earned the awards from the Central Florida Intercollegiate Soccer Officials Association. After his first season in 1993, he earned the Coach[apos]s Sportsmanship Award, then last year he was named Coach of the Year by the organization.
Prior to his success at UCF, Winch served as an assistant coach and recruiting coordinator at Clemson University for three years from 1990-1992. His efforts there helped the Tigers advance to the NCAA Regional Tournament in 1990 and 1991. During his stint as an assistant, the team[apos]s record was 42-12-15, and the Tigers finished the 1992 season with a top 20 national ranking.
In 1989, Winch was a head coach for the Manchester (Connecticut) Junior College men[apos]s soccer team, and finished the season with a 10-10 record. Before coaching at Manchester, he was an assistant at Central Connecticut State for one season, helping to lead the Blue Devils to a 12-5 record, and a fifth-place regional ranking. He started his coaching career at Slippery Rock, while pursuing his master[apos]s degree, from 1986-1987.
Winch played for two years at Southern Connecticut State University before transferring to UNC-Pembroke. He played two more years there, serving as team captain in his final two seasons. He graduated in 1985 from Pembroke with a bachelor[apos]s of science degree in physical education.
During the off-season, Winch serves as the director for the Florida Soccer Training Center, which is based on UCF[apos]s campus. The center[apos]s goal is to develop the complete soccer player, working with all groups from novice to elite ODP players. He also serves as the director of coaching for the 1,000-member East Orlando Soccer Club.Winch holds a National Soccer Coaches Association of America (NSCAA) advanced diploma. A former Olympic development coach, he was the NSCAA Director of Coaching for the state of South Carolina.
Winch and his wife, Janet, reside in Oviedo with their three children, Sara (8), Nicholas (7) and Hayden (6).