JoshOldroyd

First joining the program in 2018, Josh Oldroyd enters his fourth season as the University of Kentucky men’s soccer assistant coach in 2021.

Oldroyd’s fourth season in Lexington in 2021 was one to remember as he helped lead the Wildcats to their second C-USA Tournament championship title in program history after defeating Florida Atlantic in an overtime thriller. Kentucky then went on to its fourth-ever and second-straight NCAA Championship Sweet 16 appearance.

Kentucky’s award haul in 2021 was nothing short of impressive. The Wildcats landed three players on the All-C-USA First Team, one on the Second Team, three on the Third Team, two on the All-Freshman Team, and four on the All-Tournament Team. Goalkeeper Jan Hoffelner was named the C-USA Goalkeeper of the Year and earned the Golden Boot Award, while he joined Luis Grassow and Marcel Meinzer on the USCA All-Region First Team.

Under Oldroyd, Hoffelner became the third UK player to ever earn United Soccer Coaches First-Team All-American in 2021. Hoffelner was also a MAC Hermann Trophy semifinalist and concluded the season as the NCAA Division I outright leader in goals-against average (.417), also tied for first with 12 shutouts.

During an extended 2020 season, Oldroyd helped guide the Wildcats to the third NCAA Championship Sweet 16 appearance in school history, marking the second such appearance in the last three seasons. Between the fall 2020 and spring 2021 semesters, redshirt senior Aimé Mabika was selected with the 26th pick in the first round of the MLS SuperDraft by Inter Miami CF. One week prior, Kalil ElMedkhar signed a two-year contract with FC Dallas after his Homegrown Rights were acquired from the Philadelphia Union.

At the conclusion of the spring, Mabika earned United Soccer Coaches All-Southeast Region honors and six Wildcats received C-USA postseason accolades, including first-team All-C-USA performer and C-USA Co-Midfielder of the Year Marcel Meinzer. Redshirt junior Leon Jones earned first-team All-C-USA and United Soccer Coaches Scholar All-Region distinction before embarking on his professional career with Dunfermline Athletic FC in his home country of Scotland.

In 2019, Oldroyd helped lead Kentucky to an NCAA Tournament victory at home for the second consecutive season with a 2-1 overtime victory over Loyola Chicago. Four Wildcats received United Soccer Coaches All-Southeast Region recognition, while seven earned Conference USA honors at the end of the season. Mabika was named C-USA Player of the Year and a United Soccer Coaches Scholar All-American.

Oldroyd was part of UK’s United Soccer Coaches Southeast Region Staff of the Year as the Wildcats marched to one of the most historic seasons in program history in 2018. The Wildcats enjoyed a record-setting fall that year, winning both the C-USA regular season and tournament title, setting the school record for wins (19), reaching the NCAA Tournament Elite Eight, going 5-1 against top-25 opponents, and welcoming multiple 3,000-plus crowds to The Bell.

Working with the team’s goalkeepers, Oldroyd helped Enrique Facusse earn United Soccer Coaches All-America honors in 2018. Overall, three Wildcats – JJ Williams (First Team), Facusse (Second Team) and Mabika (Third Team) – were named All-Americans by the United Soccer Coaches for the 2018 season. Williams was a finalist for the MAC Hermann Trophy, the highest individual award in college soccer, as he went on to sign a Generation Adidas Contract and be a first-round pick of Columbus Crew in the MLS SuperDraft.

Facusse was also named All-Region for the second year in a row as well as first-team All-C-USA. His .49 goals-against average ranked fourth nationally and his .84 save percentage ranked 12th in Division I. Facusse also led the nation in shutouts.

Oldroyd joined the UK staff after spending two seasons as an assistant coach at Evansville where the Purple Aces went a combined 21-16-5. His main duties involved training the team’s goalkeepers as well as working with the overall defensive strategy and scouting. He worked at Lindsey Wilson College as an assistant coach prior to joining the Evansville staff where he helped the Blue Raiders to a NAIA National Tournament berth in 2016.

Prior to beginning his coaching career, Oldroyd enjoyed a stellar playing career at Bryan College in the NAIA. The Leeds, England, native was a three-time all-league honoree, capping his senior season with the Appalachian Athletic Conference Defensive Player of the Year award. During his time with the Lions, he helped the team claim both a regular season and tournament crown.

Before his move to the United States, Oldroyd spent time with Altofts FC in West Yorkshire, England, and played a part in the club’s U19 squad lifting the Northern Alliance Premier League title in 2011. He also competed with the Leeds United FC academy as well as with NEW College Pontefract.