Michigan Hires Dave DiIanni as New Head Women’s Soccer Coach
- Jonathan Turner
- 3 days ago
- 3 min read
NATIONAL SOCCER NEWS: www.nationalsoccernetwork.com
ANN ARBOR, Mich. — The University of Michigan has named Dave DiIanni as the program’s new head women’s soccer coach, Director of Athletics Warde Manuel announced Tuesday (Jan. 27). DiIanni becomes just the fourth head coach in the 32-year history of Michigan women’s soccer.
“We are excited to bring Dave and his family back to the state of Michigan,” Manuel said. “He is a proven, national championship-winning coach who has been successful at every level. Dave brings a wealth of experience, and we look forward to his leadership of our women’s soccer program.”
DiIanni returns to Michigan following a highly successful 23-year head coaching career that includes stops at Grand Valley State and Iowa. He ranks 19th among active NCAA women’s soccer head coaches with 346 career wins, compiling a 346-100-48 (.749) record. His .749 winning percentage ranks third among current Division I head coaches. In 2024, he was inducted into both the Spring Arbor Hall of Fame and the Grand Valley State Hall of Fame.
“I want to thank Warde Manuel and Lisa Savoury for their guidance throughout this process,” DiIanni said. “My family and I are excited to be coming home to Michigan, where we spent so many years raising our children. I’m honored to lead this program and pursue the standard of excellence the University of Michigan is known for. We will be process-driven, growth-minded and relentless in our pursuit of success on and off the field.”
DiIanni spent the past 12 seasons as head coach at Iowa, where he became the winningest coach in program history with a 125-82-30 record. Under his leadership, the Hawkeyes made five NCAA Tournament appearances, including the program’s first-ever trip to the Round of 16 in 2024. Iowa also captured two Big Ten Tournament championships in 2021 and 2023, with the 2023 title coming as the lowest seed (No. 8) to ever win the conference tournament.
In 2025, Iowa earned a No. 4 seed in the Big Ten Tournament and climbed as high as No. 5 in the national rankings, finishing the season 12-5-4 overall and 6-2-3 in conference play. The Hawkeyes secured their third straight NCAA Tournament berth, advancing to the second round for the third consecutive season.
DiIanni’s impact extended beyond wins and losses. At Iowa, 23 players earned All-Big Ten honors, 14 received all-region recognition and two players earned CSC Academic All-America honors twice. The program also excelled academically, with 180 student-athletes earning Academic All-Big Ten recognition.
Known for building elite defensive teams, DiIanni coached Iowa to program records for most shutouts in a season (13 in 2023) and fewest goals allowed (12 in 2024). His teams held opponents to one goal or fewer in seven of his 12 seasons in Iowa City.
Prior to Iowa, DiIanni spent 11 seasons at Grand Valley State, compiling a dominant 221-18-18 record. He led the Lakers to three NCAA Division II National Championships, seven Final Four appearances, nine GLIAC titles and was named National Coach of the Year three times. Before his collegiate head coaching career, DiIanni coached seven years at Jackson Lumen Christi High School and worked with Michigan’s Olympic Development Program, guiding teams to four national championships. He also gained early collegiate experience at Hillsdale College.
DiIanni holds a USSF B License, earned his associate degree from Seneca College and his bachelor’s degree from Spring Arbor University. He and his wife, Kristy, have two daughters, Karissa and Kelsey.
He now takes over a Michigan program looking to continue its rise on the national stage under proven championship leadership.
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