University of Wisconsin - Milwaukee

UWM Athletics
The Pavilion - Rm 150 - 3409 N. Downer Ave. Milwaukee, WI 53211

Division 1 Wisconsin Midwest

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Coaches

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Kevin Boyd

The 2023 campaign will be the second for Kevin Boyd as the Milwaukee women’s soccer coach.

His first season was an impressive one, despite taking over one of the youngest teams in the country that was returning just two starters and four upperclassmen to the lineup. After opening the campaign at 3-3-1, he led the squad to a 9-0-2 finish the rest of the way before nearly taking down sixth-ranked Michigan State in the first round of the NCAA Tournament, losing 3-2 in double-overtime. The team claimed the Horizon League regular-season crown for the seventh time in the past eight seasons and earned a berth to the NCAA Tournament for the 16th time in program history.

Boyd brought over 20 years of head-coaching experience with him to Milwaukee, having spent two decades in the Pac-12 as head coach at both Arizona State University and at the University of California, Berkeley. No matter the stop, Boyd has been a proven winner, ranking as the all-time winningest coach during his final campaigns at both Pac-12 programs, while compiling over 200 victories in his career.

“We are truly excited to have someone with Kevin’s experience and proven track-record join the Panther family,” Director of Athletics Amanda Braun said at the time of his hiring. “The Milwaukee women’s soccer program is consistently a top team in the region and continues to make its name known nationally. We look forward to Coach Boyd leading our student-athletes and maintaining our tradition of success and excellence both on and off the field.”

Boyd’s 226-152-51 overall record as a head coach at the NCAA Division I level includes 14 appearances in the NCAA Tournament, helping his players move on to the professional level in every pro women’s soccer league that has existed. Boyd comes to the Panthers after spending two seasons as the associate head coach at Washington State, helping lead the Cougars to an overall record of 20-6-7 in that span.

“First and foremost, I am very excited to become the next head coach of the Milwaukee Panthers,” said Boyd at his hiring. “I look forward to coming in and continuing the tradition of excellence that has existed at Milwaukee for decades now and become the new coach to work to build upon that tradition and continue advancing deeper into the postseason.”

While at WSU he added a 14th overall NCAA Tournament appearance to his resume and a track record with drafted players that is hard to match across the nation. The Cougars have had seven players drafted professionally over his final three seasons, the second-most of any NCAA program in the country.

Boyd is the ninth coach in Milwaukee program history and takes over a program that, prior to his arrival, had made 15 NCAA Tournament appearances, won 21 regular-season league titles and 14 league tournament trophies, reaching the NCAA Tournament in each of the past four seasons (2018-21), as well as the second round in each of the past two (2020 and 2021).

Boyd spent 10 seasons as the Sun Devils head coach from 2007-16. During his time at ASU, Boyd guided his team to four NCAA tournaments, including a second-round appearance in 2014. Throughout his time, Boyd would compile a program-best 90 wins while his players would earn 23 all-conference awards.

Prior to Arizona State, Boyd guided the program as the head coach at Cal from 1997-2006. While at Cal, he compiled a school-record 124 wins while leading the team to eight NCAA Tournament appearances. He would lead the Bears to a Pac-10 championship in 1998 in his second season in Berkeley, while in 2005 he was named the conference Coach of the Year after guiding the Bears to the third round of the NCAA Tournament. One of his final recruiting classes included Alex Morgan, who went on to play for the United States National Team and was the first overall pick in the 2011 Women’s Professional Soccer Draft.

More recently, Boyd worked as the Academy Director and Technical Director for Legends FC (2017-2020). With the club, he was charged with running the organization’s US Soccer Development Academy Program, overseeing the Academy II program, while also coaching the Legends WPSL Semi-Professional Team.

Boyd is a graduate of Tri-State University (now Trine University) where he earned All-America honors for his play in the defensive backline. Among his many honors, Boyd earned induction into the Trojans’ Hall of Fame after finishing a professional career that took him to Hamar Kameratena, a Norwegian Elite team in the country’s First Division.

Boyd, and his wife, Kristi, have two children, Keegan and Kaiya.

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Steve Lucas

Steve Lucas was named the assistant coach for the Milwaukee women's soccer team in April of 2022.

Lucas arrived at Milwaukee with an extensive NCAA coaching background that extends over 20 years.

“We are excited to have Steve join us,” head coach Kevin Boyd said at the time. “He brings extensive collegiate coaching experience and has two championship rings as a player. He is also someone I have known and respected both as a coach and also as a person of great character.”

Most recently, Lucas served as the head coach at NCAA Division III member Pacific University for six seasons. During his tenure, 10 players earned All-Northwest Conference honors and nearly 60 student-athletes earned NWC scholar-athlete honors.

That followed nearly 15 years on the staff at Boise State, serving as the head coach from 2000 to 2012 as well as a three-year stretch as an assistant prior to earning the top spot.

He led the Broncos to the conference tournament on 10 different occasions over the course of moves to three different conferences (Big West, Western Athletic, and Mountain West), reaching the semifinals in 2010, 2008, and 2007. Boise State won the WAC tournament in 2009 and advanced to the NCAA tournament. In 2003, Lucas was named the WAC Coach of the Year, while recording 111 victories in his tenure as head coach.

His resume includes three years as an assistant at his alma mater, Southern New Hampshire, as well as stops with Indie Chicas, FC Nova, and Les Bois United, all in Boise.

A very successful collegiate career included NCAA National Championships with two different programs: one at NCAA Division II New Hampshire College (1989) and one at NCAA Division I Clemson (1987).

Lucas earned his bachelor's degree in marketing from New Hampshire College and carries a USSF A License and a USSF National Youth License.