CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. – Virginia head men’s soccer coach George Gelnovatch has agreed to a contract extension that runs through December 2031, University of Virginia Director of Athletics Carla Williams announced Friday (May 1).
“George has had an immense impact on UVA men’s soccer and college soccer,” Williams said. “He continues to set the standard with sustained success at the highest level, and his understanding of today’s college soccer landscape provides tremendous confidence in the future of Virginia men’s soccer.”
Gelnovatch comes off his 30th season as Virginia’s head men’s soccer coach in which he was named ACC Coach of the Year after leading the Cavaliers to the ACC regular season title with an unbeaten 5-0-3 record in conference play. The Cavaliers reached the ACC Championship Final in 2025 and have appeared the ACC semifinal in three of the last four seasons.
Virginia earned the No. 2 overall seed in the 2025 NCAA Tournament and is one of just three programs in NCAA Division I to earn a first-round bye in each of the last four tournaments. Of those teams, Virginia is the only program to earn multiple top-four overall seeds in that span.
"I want to thank Carla Williams and the administration for their trust and continued support of our program," Gelnovatch said. "I am so grateful for the opportunity to be part of such a successful athletic department over the years — first as a student-athlete, and now as a coach.
“I'm equally thankful for every team and every player I've had the privilege of coaching — and for the way this school and program have helped shape their lives. We have an incredible, supportive alumni base and a rich tradition of winning here, and I'm going to continue to do everything I can to honor and build on that tradition."
Since he was named head coach in 1996, Gelnovatch has amassed an overall record of 395-165-79 with a 113-78-40 mark in ACC play. Among active coaches in Division I men’s soccer, Gelnovatch ranks fifth in career wins, boasting a winning percentage of .680.
Under Gelnovatch, the Cavaliers claimed NCAA championships in 2009 and 2014 and have reached six NCAA College Cups. Gelnovatch has led the Cavaliers to the NCAA tournament 28 times, coached the team to five ACC tournament titles, and four ACC regular season titles.
A former All-American as a UVA player, Gelnovatch’s first coaching position at Virginia began in 1989 when he became a part-time assistant and helped guide the Cavaliers to a share of the NCAA title and then an outright national championship in 1991. Over the course of time at Virginia, he has been a part of all seven of the program’s national championships.