American University announced Wednesday morning that it extended men’s soccer head coach Zach Samol’s contract to 2029.
Named head coach in 2019, Samol led the Eagles to a Patriot League tournament victory in the 2020-21 spring season, which began a run of three straight appearances in the final.
This season, he guided the Eagles to an overall record of (8-8-2) including going 7-1-1 in conference play. He led the Eagles to the #1 seed and a first round bye in the Patriot League Tournament. He also secured American’s first regular season Patriot League title since 2016, and his staff was awarded the 2025 Patriot League Coaching Staff of the Year.
Director of Athletics and Recreation JM Caparro said in today’s statement, “From a Patriot League title to multiple postseason runs and top national competition, he has elevated AU men’s soccer while developing exceptional student-athletes on and off the field. We’re proud to have Zach continue leading this program into the future.”
“I’m thankful to JM, President Alger and everyone at American University for their continued belief in our program,” Samol said in the statement. “It’s been rewarding to see how far we’ve come and how invested our players are in representing AU the right way. I’m excited for what’s ahead as we keep pushing this program forward.”
This article was edited by Connor Sturniolo, Penelope Jennings and Walker Whalen. Copy editing done by Sabine Kanter-Huchting.
