April 12, 2006
ST. BONAVENTURE, N.Y. - Manoj Khettry has been named women's soccer coach at St. Bonaventure University, Director of Intercollegiate Athletics Ron Zwierlein announced today.
Khettry has spent the last three seasons as an assistant coach at Dayton. Prior to that, he was an assistant at the University of Missouri for two seasons. Khettry replaces Dan Magner, who guided the Bonnies for the last five seasons.
"Manoj brings a wealth of practical experience, strong leadership skills and an understanding of what it takes to be successful in the Atlantic 10," said Zwierlein. "His soccer background coupled with an understanding of the student first-philosophy of St. Bonaventure athletics makes him a good fit for our women's soccer program."
"Any time an assistant coach has the opportunity to become a head coach it's a great honor," Khettry stated. "It's also a wonderful opportunity for me to stay within the Atlantic 10 Conference - a conference with which I am very familiar and which I feel is extremely competitive and filled with some excellent coaches."
"I want to help create a soccer program where young women can strive for and be supported in their pursuit of personal and group excellence," said Khettry. "I can tell you that that our group of women are going to work harder than they ever thought was possible, achieve more than they ever thought was possible and my staff and I will make sure that they absolutely love what they are doing and be passionate about it."
In his three seasons as the top assistant at Dayton, Khettry helped lead the Flyers to two regular season Atlantic 10 championships, two conference tournament championships and a pair of visits to the NCAA Women's Soccer Championship. Dayton's combined record over Khettry's three seasons was 44-15-5. In 2004, the Flyer's held the nations longest wining streak (20 games) and finished the year ranked 20th in the final top 25 poll by the National Soccer Coaches Association of America (NSCAA). His primary responsibilities were recruiting and goalkeeper training. In 2004 and 2005, he helped the Flyers land the 66th and 38th ranked recruiting classes in the nation according to Soccer Buzz. Dayton's 2005 class was ranked third in the Great Lakes Region - the highest ranking in Flyers' history. Khettry helped coach three Atlantic 10 Players of the Year, as well as two All-Conference goalkeepers.
At Dayton, Khettry worked under head coach Mike Tucker, who was named the Atlantic 10 women's soccer Coach of the Year in 2004.
Khettry was an assistant coach at the University of Missouri from 2001-2003. Much like Dayton, top amongst his many responsibilities was goalkeeper training. He worked directly with the team's defenders and midfielders and in 2001, the Tigers posted the most shutouts in school history.
Khettry has been a member of the Region 2 Olympic Development Program (ODP) since 1996. This past year, he served as the assistant age group coach for the `86/'87 Region 2 (Midwest) team and will be an assistant coach for the '91 Region 2 team this year. Khettry will be on the ODP Region 1 (East) staff this year and will work camp in Providence, R.I. from July 17-21.
Khettry's professional experience extends outside the coaching realms, as he served as the Soccer Promotions Manager for US Youth Soccer and the NSCAA at adidas America from 1999-2001. There he handled all budgetary responsibilities of the $4 million adidas/US Youth Soccer contract. Also, during his two years at the Beaverton, Oregon based company, he oversaw the Girls Olympic Development Program and organization of the adidas cup, a foundation of the FIFA Women's U-20 World Cup.
In 1998, he served as the men's assistant coach at the University of California at Berkley. Khettry was a graduate assistant at Miami University of Ohio from 1991-1994.
A native of Calcutta, India, Khettry earned his bachelor's degree in English Literature and Spanish Language and Literature from Earlham College in 1988. There, he was a three-time NSCAA All-Mideast 1st team selection, a two-time team defensive MVP and was a Second Team NAIA All-American selection in 1987. He received his master's degree in Spanish Language and Literature from Miami University in 1997.
Khettry and his wife, Moira, a 1993 graduate of the University of Dayton, have two children, Kiran (3), and Lilli, who was born in March.
St. Bonaventure finished 2-15 and 1-8 in the A-10 last season. Thirteen players are slated to return to the team this fall, led by All-Conference forward Kerry O'Malley, who will be a senior.