Blitzers tab ‘Coach K’ to lead FCB forward

Krzyzanowicz

FC Buffalo is proud to announce Dan Krzyzanowicz as the second head coach in the history of its program.

“Our supporters will be love Coach K’s ambition, soccer IQ and intelligence, qualities which are on display from the moment you meet him,” the team said in a statement. “More importantly, he possesses an honesty and humility that make him not just a coach, but a person we need associated with the club.”

Fresh off an appearance in the Sweet Sixteen of the NCAA Tournament, the Medaille College head coach and his players have written the name Medaille in the NCAA men’s soccer record books a remarkable 20 times in nine short seasons. A national powerhouse, the Mavericks have been to the NCAA tournament five times under his watch and spent time in the D-III Top 25 in each of the past five campaigns.

“I would like to thank the owners of FC Buffalo — Scott Frauenhofer, Brent Garner, and especially Nick Mendola — for this outstanding opportunity to coach a team within a top notch organization,” said Krzyzanowicz “They have an outstanding vision for FC Buffalo and Buffalo soccer in general. It is one that I am excited to be a part of.”

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Twenty-one current and former Mavericks have risen into the ranks of the NPSL, MISL, USL 1, USL or PDL during Coach K’s tenure. His current 130 wins and 74% winning percentage currently ranks him 14th in NCAA Division III winning percentage. Krzyzanowicz was thrice named the AMCC Coach of the Year (2002, 2005, 2009).

Even more remarkable is Coach K’s reputation within the community, as Coach K was honored in 2009 by the Am Pol Eagle as their Citizen of the Year in the sports category.

“I have always loved and believed in soccer in Western New York and I am very excited to coach a team competing in the highest level of soccer in Buffalo,” Krzyzanowicz said. “Buffalo and Western New York have a lot of outstanding players and I am excited to start to assemble our roster.”

2010 Medaille men's soccer: NCAA Sweet Sixteen

“He leads men,” FC Buffalo co-owner Nick Mendola added. “We have 100 percent faith that Coach K and his family are a terrific addition to the growing community of FC Buffalo. He’ll choose a team that represents our area’s ‘never say die’ mentality.”

Coach K has worked some of the most prestigious soccer camps in the country including Akron University, Penn State University, and Indiana University. During those camps Coach K increased his knowledge while working with some of the top Division I coaches in the country and current Major League Soccer (MLS) players. Coach K holds a NSCAA Premier, Advanced National, and National Diplomas and received a Masters degree from Medaille College in 2003, a Bachelor’s degree from Defiance College in 2001 and an Associate’s degree from Herkimer County Community College in 1998. He was a two-year starter on the Defiance College soccer team and participated in both indoor and outdoor track and field.

In 2001 Coach K was named head coach of the Ripley (NY) High School boys varsity soccer team. Under his tutelage, the team qualified for the Section VI finals and broke five school records. He also held the varsity track head coaching position at Frankfort (New York) High School in 1999 — the first year of the school’s track program — and mentored several section finalists while the team finished second in the conference. Coach K is a very active member of the local community, working with youth clubs for 20 years as a coach for the NCSA soccer organization in Chautauqua County, Clarence Soccer Club and he is currently the Director of Coaching at the Orchard Park Soccer Club.

“Lastly, I would like to thank the entire FC Buffalo staff, our sponsors — in particular Spot Coffee, Mineo and Sapio, Northtowns Orthopedics, Papa Jake’s and Jared Mobarak Design. I’d especially like to thank all of our fans and supporters. I look forward to putting together an outstanding, exciting team and an outstanding season!”

A formal press conference will be held after the first of the year, though Coach K is immediately available to speak on both his appointment as FC Buffalo manager and the successes of Medaille soccer. For his full bio, please click here. Media inquiries should be made to: nick@fcbuffalo.org, while those supporters wishing to contact Coach K are encouraged to email as well.