A fresh face on the pitch: A new era for Miami soccer

Head Coach Ken Masuhr finishing out his first career win as the Hurricane's womens soccer head coach at Cobb Stadium on Aug. 29, 2024. Photo Credit: Trevor Castleman

Ken Masuhr has kicked off a transformative first season as head coach for the Hurricanes women’s soccer team, drawing from his past experiences to create a successful program.

Masuhr’s nearly 20 years of coaching experience will bring a new vision to the team, and his transition marks the beginning of an exciting chapter for the University of Miami’s soccer program.

A big factor that drew Masuhr to The U was the quality of life and the high standard of academics.

“It’s in the academic reputation of the school too…It’s a top 50 school in the country in an unbelievably vibrant city, and the soccer culture is fantastic,” he said.  

Masuhr is also excited about joining the Atlantic Coast Conference this year to go head-to-head with some of the best teams in the country.

While the name “Atlantic Coast” may seem contradictory with the inclusion of some West Coast schools, Masuhr views it as a positive opportunity for growth.

“I think it’s great … we talk about the ACC being one of the premier conferences in the country and women’s soccer specifically, it’s the best soccer conference in the country year in and year out,” he said. “So any time that you were able to play high-level competition, that’s where we want to be.”

Embracing his past experiences at the University of Pennsylvania and Vanderbilt comes a unique coaching philosophy centered on fostering a positive team environment and continuing to grow and become stronger.

Despite facing challenging opponents such as Virginia and Stanford, Masuhr and his team are determined to use these experiences as learning opportunities.

Playing Stanford and California was one of the highlights of the season for Masuhr on their trip to the West Coast.

While the primary focus was competing against top-ranked opponents, Masuhr also saw the trip as an opportunity to provide his players with unique experiences beyond the game.

“Some girls have never been to the West Coast before, so the ability to provide that was really special and fun to be a part of,” he said.

For Masuhr, creating memorable experiences for the team is just as important as seeing success on the field.

Masuhr noted that Miami’s fast-paced environment is different from the West Coast. However, it helped build team unity.

“25 young women, being around each other for five and a half, six days — it was a good team bonding experience,” Masuhr said.

Beyond these trips, he has allowed connections to be formed by encouraging challenging conversations among players.

“We provide opportunities within our team to have moments of conflict that require conversation and deep thought … so when we talk about growing together, it is the ability to have tough conversations with the people that you care about,” he says.

Masuhr ensures the team emphasizes players  developing not just as athletes but also as individuals who can communicate with others effectively and navigate difficult situations.

This is key in fostering strong teammate bonds and building meaningful connections that are formed through honest conversation, leading to a more unified team.

Masuhr has worked his way up with many teams to become the head coach at Miami and also coached alongside now-assistant coach for the ’Canes, Kelly Keelan, at Vanderbilt, who can attest to Masuhr’s coaching style after working with him for years.

“He is probably one of the hardest-working coaches I know … His drive in that sense and willingness to just do whatever it is that we need to do showed me what real work looks like,” she said. 

She also spoke on the commitment he makes every day and how it pushes everyone around him to be better as well.

 “He sacrifices a lot of his time and honestly his family time too, but it shows because of kind of the work that he does put in, you can see the product at the end, and it’s really rewarding to see all that,” Keelan said. “His drive makes me drive that much harder, so it makes us a good team.”

“I started coaching as a way to make some money and be around the game … and it turned into something I never imagined,” Masuhr said.

His journey has been characterized by time spent learning from decorated mentors like Krissy Turner at Penn and Darren Ambrose at Vanderbilt, who each provided him with valuable lessons that have shaped his coaching philosophy.

Transitioning from associate head coach at Vanderbilt to true head coach at Miami and using those lessons has been a rewarding yet challenging experience for Masuhr.

“You talk about a program that underperformed for a few years … It was really fun and challenging to try to build something of my own,” Masuhr said.

Now, Masuhr is focused on establishing a strong culture within the program, one that prioritizes hard work, team unity and mental toughness.

Though still in the early days of his time at Miami, Masuhr has already made strides with the team.

“We’ve won four games … Virginia was the only game where it was more than a two-goal lead,” he said. 

For Masuhr, the incremental wins are just as important as the final score.

As Miami’s players embark on their inaugural season under Masuhr, they are focused on building a strong foundation of teamwork and resilience to elevate the program and compete with the nation’s best.

The Hurricanes will next face off on the pitch at Syracuse on Oct. 24 at 7 p.m.