UCLA Alum Vanney Named MLS Coach of the Year
November 27, 2017 | Men's Soccer
NEW YORK – UCLA men's soccer alum and Toronto FC head coach Greg Vanney has been named the 2017 Major League Soccer Coach of the Year, announced the MLS on Monday.
He becomes the second Bruin alum to win the award as Sigi Schmid is a two-time MLS Coach of the Year (2008, 1999).
Vanney (1993-95) was a Soccer News honorable mention All-American and third team NSCAA All-Far West selection for the Bruins in 1995. He was also a two-time all-conference selection. Vanney was the hero in UCLA's 1994 Final Four run, scoring late-game goals to win the second round and quarterfinal games.
In his third full season at the helm, Vanney led Toronto to one of the best regular seasons in MLS history, earning a league record with 69 points to break the previous mark of 68 by the 1998 LA Galaxy, en route to claiming the 2017 Supporters' Shield.
Vanney's squad has been prolific on both sides of the ball this year, posting the second-best regular-season goal differential in league history (plus-37). Offensively, Toronto led the league with 74 regular-season goals, which ties for the second-most in MLS history, while defensively, Toronto led the Eastern Conference this year with a conference-low 37 goals conceded.
Toronto's 20 regular-season victories also tie for the most since the post-shootout era (since 2000), matching Seattle Sounders FC's 20-win campaign in 2014.
Vanney is the first MLS Coach of the Year winner for a Canada-based club. He took over Toronto's head coaching duties on Aug. 31, 2014, after previously serving as the club's assistant general manager and academy director. Since 2015, Vanney has led Toronto to the Audi MLS Cup Playoffs in three consecutive seasons, including an MLS Cup Finalist run in 2016 as a runner-up to Seattle. Outside of league play, Vanney managed Toronto to back-to-back Canadian Championship crowns in 2016 and 2017.
The 43-year-old Vanney has a long history in the league that goes back his MLS SuperDraft selection by the LA Galaxy in 1996. The former defender spent seven seasons and advanced to three MLS Cup Finals with the Galaxy. He also was a fixture for the U.S. Men's National Team with 37 international caps. Vanney transitioned to coaching as Real Salt Lake's academy director from 2008-11 before serving as an assistant coach for former MLS side Chivas USA.
The MLS Coach of the Year award is decided by active players, media and club technical staff. Vanney received 37.07 percent of the average vote.
