LAWRENCE, Kan. — Lengthy-suffering Kansas soccer is as soon as once more in new fingers.

The Jayhawks on Friday morning stuffed their emptiness at head coach with the hiring of Lance Leipold, who arrives at KU after a six-season stint in that function with Buffalo. Leipold, 56, is now tasked with resurrecting a program that has misplaced 115 of its final 136 video games in a skid that dates again to the center of the 2009 season — the Jayhawks have chewed by means of 5 full-time head coaches in that timeframe.

Particulars of Leipold’s contract settlement weren’t instantly accessible from KU, which introduced the hiring simply after 9 a.m.

“It’s an thrilling and humbling alternative, and this can be a day I’ll always remember,” Leipold stated. “We’re going to construct this program by means of growing gamers, self-discipline and willpower. The philosophies engrained in our packages alongside the best way will probably be key as we flip this round. This can be a program that has loads of younger expertise on the roster and has the infrastructure in place to succeed.

“The most effective days for this program are forward, and my household and I are ecstatic to be part of it. I’m able to get to work and provides all the things I’ve to the Jayhawks.”

Leipold earned the nod over Military head coach Jeff Monken, Louisiana Tech head coach Skip Holtz and Texas A&M defensive coordinator Mike Elko, with ESPN reporting that quartet because the listing of finalists for the opening. That emptiness was created when the Jayhawks’ earlier head coach, Les Miles, accepted a buyout of the remaining three years of his contract on March 8 amid resurfaced allegations of sexual harassment from his tenure at LSU.

When Leipold’s first season with KU kicks off with a matchup in opposition to South Dakota on Sept. 4 at David Sales space Kansas Memorial Stadium, the workforce will probably be seeking to break a 13-game shedding streak. The Jayhawks dropped 17 of their remaining 18 video games below Miles.

Athletic director Travis Goff labeled Friday a “great day” for KU.

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“(Leipold) is a person of integrity, a developer of younger males, a program builder and a winner,” stated Goff, who himself was employed April 5. “His monitor report of sustained excellence is strictly what we had been searching for in our subsequent chief, and is what the College of Kansas and our followers deserve. His dedication to maximizing our student-athletes’ talents and expertise on the sphere, within the classroom, in the neighborhood, and in life after KU is inspiring. These qualities will appeal to people and develop them into distinctive Jayhawks.”

Leipold amassed a 37-33 report at Buffalo, although he’s loved his biggest success during the last three seasons, the place he’s led the Bulls to a 24-10 mark with three straight bowl recreation appearances. And the Jefferson, Wis., native has already illustrated a capability to seek out success at a troublesome place to win — previous to Leipold’s arrival, Buffalo had made simply two bowl recreation appearances in its historical past and posted solely two successful campaigns throughout its first 14 seasons within the Mid-American Convention.

A two-time MAC coach of the 12 months, Leipold led the Bulls to extra victories during the last 4 seasons (30) than every other member of their convention. And late final season, Buffalo cracked The Related Press Prime 25 ballot for the primary time in program historical past, a spotlight in a 12 months that culminated with a 5-1 report and a victory within the Camellia Bowl.

Leipold’s biggest achievements arguably got here on the Division III degree. Previous to taking the Buffalo job, Leipold served as head coach at Wisconsin-Whitewater, the place the previous standout quarterback amassed a 109-6 report with six nationwide championships in eight seasons along with his alma mater. Acknowledged six occasions as a nationwide coach of the 12 months, Leipold holds the excellence of reaching 100 profession victories quicker than every other coach in NCAA historical past.

Leipold’s profession additionally consists of stints as an assistant coach and later offensive coordinator at Nebraska-Omaha (1994-2000; 2004-06), time as a recruiting assistant at Nebraska (2001-03) and early-career stops as an assistant at Wisconsin-Whitewater (1987-88; 1990) and Doane (1989). Leipold additionally served as a graduate assistant at Wisconsin (1991-93).

“We have now an obligation to offering a world-class expertise for our student-athletes and that remained on the forefront all through the search,” Goff stated. “Moreover, we owe our followers, donors and alumni a soccer program that will probably be constructed for sustained success. I’m assured that’s what we’ll present below the management of Coach Leipold.”

KU’s spring recreation is ready for six p.m. Saturday. It’s unclear what function Emmett Jones, who served as interim head coach following Miles’ departure, would serve on a Leipold-led employees ought to he stay with the Jayhawks — Jones, who has been large receivers coach for KU since 2019, was named a candidate for the everlasting opening on April 15.

This text initially appeared on Topeka Capital-Journal: Kansas Jayhawks soccer hires Buffalo’s Lance Leipold as head coach