Coach Mike Getman

During his time at UAB, Mike Getman led the Blazers to 280 wins.  The most of any coach in program history.  He also led the team to more Conference USA wins than any one in league history.  Along the way the team made 8 appearances in the NCAA Tournament.  In 1999 Getman led UAB to the Elite 8. Only 2 teams in all of UAB sports history made it this far, Men’s Soccer and Men’s Basketball.

Getman’s 322 career wins made him the #15 ranked coach in Division I College soccer.  53 of his players have also made it to the professional ranks.  Former players are currently playing for Birmingham Legion FC, Charleston Battery, Philadelphia Fury, Detroit City, North Texas SC and other pro clubs around the country.  Several players have even made it to their national teams.  In recent years Dejan Jakovic has been captain of the Canadian National Team and William White helped Bermuda qualify for the Gold Cup.

Through the years, Coach Getman’s players have received 130 All Conference awards, 93 Academic Awards, 47 All-Region Awards, and 11 All-America awards.

Many of his players were first identified through the Mike Getman Soccer Camp. 12 players on the 2018 UAB Soccer Team were past campers. In 2019, 13 players from the UAB roster were past campers.

See the List of Getman Players in the Pros.

Under Coach Getman, UAB Soccer went from an unknown soccer program to a National Contender.

“It was the summer of 1992 when a young, quiet, and focused Indiana native named Mike Getman arrived on the campus of UAB with the unenviable task of turning UAB’s soccer program into a winner. That September…a new era began not only for UAB soccer but for the sport as a whole in Birmingham.” – PORTICO Magazine

“When Mike Getman arrived in Birmingham… it was merely a question of time before the Blazers would be thrust into the national spotlight.” – The New York Times

“…Coach Mike Getman has turned around the program at the University of Alabama Birmingham, where the Blazers are making a run at the NCAA tournament.” – Soccer America

Harvard and The Final Four

Before coming to UAB, Mike Getman led his Harvard Univ. team to the NCAA “Final Four”. A program that had not won the Ivy League title in 17 years, did so in Getman’s first season. The team finished the year undefeated, losing only in the National Semifinal in penalty kicks. At the age of 28, Mike Getman was the youngest coach in NCAA history to lead his team to the Division I “Final Four”. Coach Getman has coached or played in four NCAA Division I Final Fours.

College and Professional Career

Before starting his coaching career, Mike Getman played professionally as a defender for the Detroit Express. He was named the team’s “Rookie of the Year” in 1982 as he helped the Express win the ASL Championship. In college he played for Indiana University, twice finishing as the NCAA runner-up.