Green Mountain Soccer Academy
Coaching Staff
Head Coach Kristi Huizenga
Kristi Huizenga, a native of Colchester, Vt., was named the head women's soccer coach at the University of Vermont on November 10, 2010. The 2024 season will mark her 14th season at the helm of the Catamounts. She ranks second in school history with 78 career victories.
In 2023, the Catamounts advanced to the America East Semifinals for the ninth time in program history after earning a thrilling 2-1 victory at No. 3 New Hampshire in the quarterfinals. Vermont was well-represented on the America East All-Conference teams with Kate Bossert (First Team), Bailey Ayer (First Team), Maddy Cronin (Second Team) and Bridget Kennedy (All-Rookie) receiving recognition. Bossert was also recognized on the All-Academic team.
Following the season Kate Bossert was named a United Soccer Coaches Scholar All-America, just the second player in program history to receive the honor, and second player in the last three seasons after Ella Bankert in 2021.
The 2021 Catamounts won the America East regular season championship for the first time since 1996. The seven league victories are the most during her 12-year tenure and the most since the 1996 season. Vermont also earned their first NCAA Tournament berth in program history. UVM’s 12 overall wins matched the second most victories in program history (1996). The Catamounts earned their first ever America East Championship defeating UNH 1-0 at Virtue Field.
The 2021 Catamounts reached unprecedented heights leading America East play in goals scored (32), saves (122), total points (88), assists (24), average points per game (4.63), and league play goal differential of +10.
At the end of the 2021 campaign, the Catamounts earned three of the five major awards presented by the America East. Ella Bankert was named Midfielder of the Year and senior Lydia Kessel earned Goalkeeper of the Year – both first-ever in Catamount program history. Huizenga and her staff were named the Coaching Staff of the Year. Following the conclusion of the season, Vermont was represented by Alyssa Oviedo, Ella Bankert, Alex West and Lydia Kessel on the All-Conference First Team and Natalie Durieux was named All-Conference Second Team with Bankert and Kessel also earning All-Academic Team. First years Bailey Ayer and Maddy Cronin landed on the All-Rookie Team.
The 2018 Cats made their fourth straight trip to the America East Tournament - a first for the program. The four victories during the league slate matched the most during her eight-year tenure. UVM had one of the top defenses in America East and surrendered the third-fewest goals (22) and recorded the third-best goals-against average (1.22). At season's end, the Catamounts were represented by seniors Brooke Jenkins and Casey Garfinkel on the All-Conference Second Team and All-Academic Team while freshman Alyssa Oviedo landed on the All-Rookie Team.
Huizenga brought the UVM women's soccer program to new heights in 2017. The Catamounts made their first ever appearance in the America East Championship Game and became only the second team in the history of the league to earn a title game berth as a No. 6 seed. The 2017 Cats ended the season with a 9-9-2 overall record, their highest win total since the 2004 campaign. UVM had three players earn All-America East honors as Sarah Martin landed on the All-Conference First Team, Jenkins made the All-Conference Second Team and All-Academic Team, and Ella Bankert was honored with an All-Rookie Team nod.
The 2016 Catamounts made their second consecutive trip to the semifinal round of the America East Tournament, a first for the program. Three players earned America East honors – Martin was a Second Team All-Conference selection while Julia Smith and Jenkins made the All-Rookie Team. It marked the 12th straight season where a new Cat had garnered All-Rookie honors. In net, junior keeper Coco Speckmaier finished the season tied for the ninth-best goals-against average in program history at 1.05. She also cracked the top-10 in shutouts (6) and shattered the minutes played record (1,802).
Vermont hosted a playoff game for the second time in program history and second time in Huizenga's tenure. The Catamounts also earned their highest seed in the America East postseason (No. 3) and posted a 1-0 shutout win over No. 6 UMBC in the quarterfinal round. The match was also the first night game at Virtue Field since the facility opened in the spring of 2012.
Three Catamounts earned America East honors Nikki McFarland and Martin were named to the All-Conference Second Team and Garfinkel was an All-Rookie selection.
In her first three seasons as the head coach of the Catamounts, UVM made three straight trips to the America East Tournament, a first in the program's history. Huizegna has guided UVM to the America East Playoffs in five out of her first six seasons, including a trio of trips to the semifinals.
Huizenga spent three seasons as an assistant coach in the program. She was promoted to the first assistant position in 2009 after joining the Catamounts as a part-time assistant in 2008.
In her first season at the helm of the Catamounts (2011), UVM earned a berth to the America East Tournament for the first time in five years. UVM tied for fourth in the final America East standings, but due to tiebreakers earned the No. 6 seed and fell to No. 3 Albany in double-overtime in the quarterfinals.
In 2012, Vermont returned to the league playoffs and advanced to the conference semifinals for the first time since the field expanded in 2001. The Catamounts earned the No. 4 seed in the America East Tournament, after being picked to finish sixth in the preseason poll, and hosted a conference playoff game for the first time in 16 years. UVM advanced to the semifinals with a penalty kick shootout win over Albany at Virtue Field.
In 2013 she guided the team to six wins and freshman McFarland was named the America East Rookie of the Year. She became the first Catamount to earn the honor in 17 years and just the second overall.
A former University of Connecticut and Colchester (Vt.) High School standout, Huizenga came to Vermont after spending two seasons as an assistant coach at Trinity College in Hartford, Connecticut. She was also a member of the FSA SoccerPlus FC staff with Tony DiCicco, the former U.S. Women's National Team coach, since 2005.
Huizenga graduated from the University of Connecticut in 2006 after an outstanding four-year career with the Huskies. She helped UConn win three Big East regular season titles and two tournament championships in her four years.
The Huskies also advanced to the NCAA Tournament four times, including an appearance in the Final Four and national championship game in 2003.
Huizenga served as a team captain as a senior and earned team MVP honors that year. She was also named to the NSCAA All-Northeast Region and NEWISA All-New England teams in 2005. She closed out her career ranked among the all-time leaders in games played at UConn with 93 appearances.
Prior to her collegiate career at Connecticut, Huizenga played locally at Colchester High School. She was the Gatorade Player of the Year and Vermont Player of the Year twice and was named to the all-state first team all four years. Huizenga also earned NSCAA/Adidas all-America honors twice during her scholastic career.
Huizenga also played for one of the top club programs, the Bethesda (Md.) Fury, prior to beginning her collegiate career. She won three state championships, two regional championships and one national championship in 2001 with the Fury. Prior to joining the Fury, Huizenga played locally with the Far Post and Nordic Club programs.
She was a member of the Region 1 ODP Team from 1998-2002, and a U.S. National Team Pool player from 1998-2001 at the U-14, U-16, and U-19 levels. She also was named to the U.S. U-16 Youth All-American Team in 2001.
Huizenga continued her playing career following her graduation from UConn. In 2006, she led the New Jersey Wildcats of the W-League to the Eastern Conference Regular Season Championship and served as captain of the SoccerPlus Connecticut Reds of the Women’s Premier Soccer League (WPSL) from 2007-2008.
Huizenga holds several coaching credentials including a USSF "A" License and an NSCAA Premier Diploma, the highest coaching badges awarded by each organization. She is also a member of the Region 1 Olympic Development Program Coaching Staff.
Michael Skelton | Associate Head Coach
Mike Skelton joined the Vermont Catamounts women’s soccer program in 2021. He will be entering his fourth season with the Catamounts in Fall 2024.
Skelton was promoted to associate head coach in April 2023.
In 2023, the Catamounts advanced to the America East Semifinals for the ninth time in program history after earning a thrilling 2-1 victory at No. 3 New Hampshire in the quarterfinals. Vermont was well-represented on the America East All-Conference teams with Kate Bossert (First Team), Bailey Ayer (First Team), and Bridget Kennedy (All-Rookie) receiving recognition.
In his first year in Vermont, Skelton was a part of the America East Coaching Staff of the Year, as well as helping lead the Catamounts to a 12-6-1 record. Their appearance in the NCAA tournament in 2021 was their second ever, following a season in which they won the America East Championship for the first time. Skelton helped coach Ella Bankert (America East Midfielder of the Year) and Lydia Kessel (America East Goalkeeper of the Year), as well as five All-Conference players and two All-Rookie team players.
Skelton comes to Catamount Country after a two-year stint at Niagara University in the same role. Skelton was involved in all aspects of the program at Niagara including individual player development, scouting reports, recruiting, video analysis and travel management. In his time with the Purple Eagles they were 11-11-2 and advanced to the MAAC Semifinals in 2019 and the MAAC Quarterfinals during the spring of 2021.
During his stint in Western New York Skelton was also the Head Coach of the 2009 and 2006 WNY Flash girls teams. Prior to Niagara, he served as an assistant coach at Colby College and UNC Asheville.
Skelton, a native of Conway, N.H., was an All-American soccer player at Lasell College in Newton, Mass. He served as team captain in three of his collegiate seasons and was named GNAC Player of the Year twice. He holds the Lasell College record for goals and points in a season and career goals and points. Following the completion of his collegiate career, Skelton spent time playing semi-professional soccer in England.
Mack Kingman | Assistant Coach
Kingman joined the Catamounts in August of 2024 after serving as Associate Head Coach/Recruiting Coordinator at her alma mater Lasell University (Mass.).
Kingman began her coaching career after graduating from Lasell in 2017 with a degree in Hospitality Management. During her four years as an Assistant/Associate Head Coach for the Lasers she coached numerous All-Conference, All-Region, and All-American player, Carly Zdanek (’19). In 2021 she joined the Pfeiffer University Falcons program as an assistant until Spring 2023.
Prior to coaching, Kingman was a four-year starter for the eight-time GNAC Championship team. During her tenure as a Lasell student-athlete, Mack and her senior teammates did not lose a single conference contest (41-0-3). Her four years as a player she was named GNAC All-Conference three times, National Soccer Coaches Association of America All-Region twice, and GNAC Defensive Player of the Year in 2016. After her senior season in 2016 she became the college’s first female NSCAA All-American, being named to the second team as a defender. Kingman was also named as GNAC Woman of the Year, also a historical first for the college.