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Eric Faulconer
Eric Faulconer was promoted to the position of head coach for North Florida women's soccer in November of 2018 and has since then turned in a 34-19-10 record and since then has seen the growth of two conference players of the year and 12 all-league performers.
Faulconer joined the North Florida women's soccer sideline in 2017 after 12 seasons at the helm of the Armstrong State University women's soccer program. He was promoted to Associate Head Coach for the Ospreys in 2018. The Armstrong soccer program and the athletic department were eliminated due to consolidation with Georgia Southern University during the 2017-2018 academic year.
In 12 seasons at ASU, Faulconer compiled a 172-54-23 record for the Pirates, leading them to the NCAA Championships nine times, earning three Peach Belt Conference regular season and three tournament titles, two NCAA Southeast Region titles and advancing to the DII Final Four in 2011. He is a member of the Armstrong State Athletic Hall of Fame, being inducted in 2017 and was selected to the Armstrong State University Wall of Honor recognizing the top 250 employees in the 83 year history of the institution.
In his first season leading the Ospreys (2019), Faulconer guided the squad to an 11-6-2 record (5-2-1 ASUN) which marked the best record in the program's Division I era. The five wins in ASUN play were the most since 2012. Under his leadership, five players garnered ASUN All-Conference accolades including first-team selections Thais Reiss & Hollyn Knight, second-team members Kendra Hoffman & Leah Ferlin and All-Freshman honoree Devyn Encalada. The Ospreys offense produced 33 goals, second most in the ASUN, while the defense set a school record with a 1.06 GAA.
Faulconer improved on his Osprey debut success in his second season (Spring 2021). UNF finished with a 10-2 (6-0 ASUN) record while claiming the ASUN South Division Title. The team advanced to the conference semifinals for the first time since 2012. Two student-athletes earned ASUN Conference Player of the Year Honors with Thais Reiss being named ASUN Player of the Year and Mercedes Sapp garnering ASUN Goalkeeper of the Year. Four Ospreys were named to the ASUN All– Conference First Team along with two named to the ASUN All-Freshman Team. A record five Ospreys were named to the United Soccer Coaches (USC) All-Region South Team and Ariana Munoz was named to both the USC Scholar All Region Team and Scholar Al-American team.
In his third season as the head coach of the UNF women's soccer program, the Ospreys went 9-4-3, finishing 4-3-2 in conference competition. The Ospreys were tabbed tied for first in the ASUN Women's Soccer Preseason Poll alongside Lipscomb. The Ospreys defeated Lipscomb, 2-1, in overtime Sept. 23. Four Ospreys earned ASUN Postseason accolades, headlined by Thaiss Reiss' fourth-career All-ASUN First Team honor. Kendra Hoffman nabbed her second-career All-ASUN Second Team honor, while freshman Lauren Weiss joined Hoffman to go with her ASUN All-Freshman honors. Allyna Thurston also provided a spark on UNF's backline, landing on the ASUN All-Freshman team. UNF's laurels extended to the region as well, with Reiss making more history with her fifth United Soccer Coaches All-Region selection. The Curitiba, Brazil, native finished her tenure second in ASUN history for game-winning goals and 10th in goals with 42.
Faulconer's fourth season at the helm saw the Ospreys go 4-7-5, with a 3-3-4 conference record. The Ospreys were picked fifth in the ASUN Women's Soccer Preseason Coaches Poll with 132 points. Three student-athletes earned ASUN Postseason Accolades, with captain defender Zara Siassi securing her first-career ASUN All-Academic honor. Defender Allyna Thurston notched her first-career All-ASUN Third Team honor, with both defenders playing key roles in bringing UNF five straight shutouts to close the regular season. Freshman Allie Fekany nabbed a spot on the ASUN All-Freshman team in her debut season with the Ospreys. The Orlando, Florida native led the Ospreys in goals and points on the season with four and nine respectively. UNF didn't permit a single goal at Hodges Stadium all season, while goalkeeper Sofia Miliancano finished third in the nation in goals/against average, permitting just 0.40 goals/allowed per game.
His overall record stands at 270-109-34 thru 21 seasons. With UNF's 10 wins in Spring 2021, Faulconer led teams have won 10+ matches in 18 seasons. Faulconer currently ranks in the Top 20 for NCAA Division II's all-time coaching winning percentage at .694. Throughout his two-decade collegiate coaching career, he has been named the NSCAA Region Coach of the Year six times. Faulconer owns winning season records in 20 of his 21 years as a head coach.
In his career, Faulconer has produced 12 All Americans, 13 Scholar All Americans, 65 All Region selections, 84 All Conference Selections, 6 Conference Players of the Year, 1 Conference Goalkeeper of the Year, 2 Region Players of the Year and 2 Freshman of the Year. His squads have earned 19 United Soccer Coaches Team Academic Awards.
Faulconer was tabbed to start the Armstrong State women's soccer program in 2005 after a successful stint at Thomas University, where he also built the Night Hawks program from scratch, beginning in 1999.
He led the Night Hawks to the NAIA National Championships in 2003, also earning NSCAA Region Coach of the Year honors, and the last three seasons his Thomas squad was ranked nationally in the NAIA.
In addition to his coaching duties, Faulconer served as the Interim Athletic Director at Armstrong State University from April 1-July 1, 2009 while also serving as the NSCAA National Chair of NCAA Division II Women (2014-2017), the NSCAA National Advocacy Committee College Coaches Representative (2015-2017) and the Region Chair of NSCAA Southeast Ranking Committee (2011-2013). He is currently the ASUN representative on the USC National Top 25 ranking committee. He has also co-authored three successful soccer training session plan books.
Born in New Jersey, Faulconer's family moved to Naples, Florida, in 1979. He graduated from Florida State University with a bachelor's degree in political science in 1992 and a master's degree in public administration in 1996, with additional graduate course work in sports administration.
He holds a USSF National B License and also served as an assistant coach with United States Youth Soccer South Region 2003 Girl’s Olympic Development Program team.from 2016-2019.
Faulconer and his wife, Ginger, have two sons, Zachary and Ethan. They reside in St. Augustine, Fla.
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