Kiefer previously led the Bulls to four conference titles and 10 NCAA Tournament appearances in 15 seasons leading the program

TAMPA, DEC. 10, 2025 – University of South Florida CEO of Athletics Rob Higgins today announced his selection of George Kiefer as head coach of USF men's soccer, returning one of the most successful coaches in program history to the Bulls.

Kiefer previously led USF men's soccer from 2002-16 and delivered one of the most successful periods in program history as the Bulls collected four conference titles and made 10 NCAA tournaments appearances–including reaching the NCAA Elite Eight twice–during his 15 seasons. Kiefer posted a 162-86-51 (.627) record in his first stint leading the Bulls, ranking him second all-time for wins among head coaches in program history and first in NCAA tournament appearances. His six NCAA Tournament wins leading South Florida also rank first all-time. South Florida finished as high as No. 9 (2011) in the final season RPI rankings and posted eight top 40 finishes.

"George Kiefer is a name synonymous with the proud history of South Florida men's soccer, and we are thrilled to welcome back one of the most accomplished leaders in our program's history," Higgins said. "I've known George for many years, and I know he has tremendous respect and affection for the University of South Florida and our Bay Area community as well as a drive to win at the highest level."

Kiefer returns to South Florida after two seasons leading Grand Canyon men's soccer, leading the Lopes to a WAC conference championship and NCAA Sweet 16 appearance in 2025. GCU finished with a 14-4-5 record, downing San Jose State in the WAC Tournament championship game and UCLA and San Diego in the NCAA Tournament.
 
"I am thrilled to return to the University of South Florida and lead the men's soccer program once again," Kiefer said. "The Bulls hold a special place in my heart. Together, we will work to build on the strong foundation we've established, striving for both conference titles and deep NCAA Tournament runs. I can't wait to see Corbett rocking again!

"I want to extend my gratitude to Rob Higgins for his belief in me, as well as Lelo Prado and Jim Fee for their support during the search process. I also want to thank Jamie Boggs at Grand Canyon; my journey there helped me build a strong foundation in the Lord, and the community at GCU will always be dear to me. I look forward to connecting with Bob Butehorn–whom I consider a friend–and ensuring he remains a part of Bulls Soccer as we continue our tradition of excellence."

Kiefer has served as head coach at three different programs–South Florida, North Carolina State and Grand Canyon– and led teams to 14 NCAA Tournament appearances, four Sweet 16 appearances, two Elite Eights and five conference titles while compiling a 230-151-82 record in his 24 seasons as a head coach. He ranks among the top 40 in career wins among 211 active men's soccer coaches. During a 13-season span from 2007-2019, he led South Florida and NC State to 12 NCAA Tournament appearances in 13 seasons.

Kiefer's winning ways began during his playing career. He helped lead Southern Connecticut State to a 74-8-8 (.867) mark in his four seasons. The Owls won two NCAA Division II National Championships and won their league all four seasons. 

After a two-year professional playing career with the Connecticut Wolves, Kiefer immediately launched his coaching career by returning to his alma mater in 1995. For the next seven years, he worked as an assistant coach under legendary college soccer coach Ray Reid, the 10th-winningest men's soccer coach in NCAA history. 

While Kiefer served on Reid's staffs at both Southern Connecticut State and then at UConn, the teams went 123-26-8 (.809). UConn made four consecutive NCAA tournaments from 1998 to 2001 while Kiefer was an assistant, and the Huskies won the 2000 national championship. 

Kiefer landed his first head coaching opportunity at South Florida in 2002, beginning a successful 15-year run leading the Bulls. South Florida qualified for the NCAA tournament in 10 of his last 12 seasons and the Bulls advanced as far as the quarterfinals (final eight teams) in 2008 and 2011.

The Bulls won two Big East championships – winning a regular season title in 2005 and claiming a tournament title in 2008 – and two American Conference championships – winning the tournament in 2013 and a regular season title in 2016.The National Soccer Coaches Association of America shined a spotlight on Kiefer's success by naming him the region's Coach of the Year in 2005 and 2015. 

His USF teams protected the home pitch with a 104-27-23 (.750) record including an impressive home win streak of 30 matches. South Florida posted a winning record against ranked opponents at 29-26-11. Twenty South Florida players were selected in the MLS SuperDraft during Kiefer's tenure. 

Kiefer moved to college soccer's toughest conference in 2017, taking the head coaching position at NC State in the ACC. 

In his first season in Raleigh, Kiefer and the Wolfpack went 8-6-4, defeated two top-five-ranked opponents and ended the program's seven-year postseason drought. A year later, NC State advanced past the first round of the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 1994. In 2019, the team finished fifth in the ACC for its best league finish since 2005. 

In his first three seasons at NC State, each of Kiefer's Wolfpack teams posted winning records, finished in the top 50 of the RPI and made an NCAA tournament appearance. 

About USF Athletics
USF Athletics sponsors 21 varsity teams, with 20 competing at the NCAA Division I level in the American Athletic Conference, including the recent additions of women's lacrosse and women's beach volleyball. The Bulls' athletic program, founded in 1965, will enter its 60^thseason in 2025-26.
       Nearly 500 student-athletes train and compete in the Tampa General Hospital Athletics District on the east end of USF's Tampa campus. The Bulls have won 154 conference titles across 16 sports, with 82 men's championships and 72 women's championships. Men's tennis and men's soccer lead with 20 titles each, while women's programs have been headlined by women's tennis (14) and volleyball (13). Since joining the American Athletic Conference in 2013, USF has secured 36 conference team titles.
      Academically, USF student-athletes have achieved a program record of 21 consecutive semesters with a combined GPA of 3.0 or above as of spring 2025. Since 2015, more than 800 Bulls have earned their degrees.
 
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