It took Frank Kohlenstein just one season to earn ASUN Coach of the Year honors as head man of the University of Central Arkansas men's soccer program.

    Kohlenstein, who was hired to lead the UCA program in May of 2021, led the Bears to a co-championship in their first season in the ASUN Conference and a No. 2 seed in the 2021 ASUN Championship Tournament. UCA finished its initial season in the new league with an 11-6 overall record and a 5-2 conference mark.

    The Bears featured the ASUN Player of the Year and Defensive Player of the Year (Alberto Suarez), along with All-ASUN first-team selections Suarez and Karim Diao, second-team selections Vicent Abaso and Zach Schawl and two All-Freshman team selections in Kris Naicker and Jonathan Randall. Also, Pablo Azcona was named to the ASUN All-Academic team.

    Suarez and Diao were both named to the Atlantic All-Region First Team by The United Soccer Coaches.   

    Kohlenstein is not a newcomer to the UCA program, having served in a consultant's role with the UCA men's program since 2017 as a friend and associate of former head coach Ross Duncan. He has a long resume of college and professional coaching, most recently at Colorado School of the Mines, where is he the winningest coach in school history and took teams to the postseason in 17 of his 19 seasons.

    "We are fortunate to be able to attract someone with the vast experience of Frank Kohlenstein,' said Dr. Brad Teague, UCA's director of athletics. "Coach Kohlenstein has been a mentor to many coaches around the country and has been a successful head coach in Division I soccer as well as the professional ranks. I am proud that someone of his character and accomplishments will lead our young men and I look forward to continued success for our great program.'

    Kohlenstein coached previously at the University of South Carolina-Spartanburg, the University of North Carolina-Charlotte, and professionally with the Raleigh Flyers and Richmond Kickers. Kohlenstein holds a bachelor's degree from Florida State University and a master's degree from Montana State University. He is an A-license in U.S. Soccer, a FIFA coaching certificate and a Brazilian coaches certificate, and is certified by the U.S. Olympic Coaches College.

    "I'm very excited about the opportunity to continue to be involved with the special group of student athletes on the Bears men's soccer team,' said Kohlenstein. " This group has been taking steps forward and together we are poised to have more progress toward reaching an even higher level. One of the key reasons for wanting to become a full-time part of the program was the draw of these athletes.

    "The leadership of (UCA President) Dr. (Houston) Davis and Dr. Teague was very important to me in making my decision to join the UCA staff. They have a vision for the university and athletic program that has the institution and department on track to be a top emerging program. Their vision for the soccer program is one that compelled me to take on the role of leader in making our dreams for the program come to fruition 

    A seven-time RMAC Coach of the Year (2000-02, 2006, 2009-10, 2015), Kohlenstein ranks as the all-time winningest men's soccer coach at Colorado School of Mines, holding an overall record of 231-120-38 and .643 winning percentage since 1998. He has led the Orediggers to 13 or more wins six times, 13 consecutive winning seasons, 16 straight conference tournament appearances and six NCAA postseasons.

    Kohlenstein led Mines to arguably its greatest season under his tenure as they finished the 2015 season with an 18-1-3 overall record and 9-0-1 mark in conference action while finishing No. 9 in the final NSCAA National Poll. The Orediggers went on to sweep the RMAC regular-season and tournament championships, won the South Central Region Championship and advanced to the quarterfinals of the NCAA Tournament. 

    The first head coach of the Colorado School of Mines women’s soccer program, Kohlenstein quickly turned the Orediggers into a conference and national power, accumulating an overall record of 55-36-9, including 32-15-6 in the RMAC during his five-year tenure (2005-09). The Orediggers made three trips to the RMAC Tournament (2007-09) and earned two at-large berths to the NCAA postseason (2008-09).

    Prior to his arrival in Golden, he served as head coach of the Raleigh Flyers in 1995 and Richmond Kickers in 1997, both of the United Systems of Independent Soccer Leagues.

    Previously, Kohlenstein spent 10 years as the gaffer at University of South Carolina-Spartanburg (1979-88), where he began the soccer program as a club sport in 1979 and eventually led the Rifles to three consecutive third-place finishes at the NAIA National Tournament between 1983 and 1985. Recognized as District Six Coach of the Year four times, he was named the NAIA Coach of the Year in 1983 and the NSCAA Coach of the Year in 1983 and 1984.

    A 2001 Athletics Hall of Fame inductee, he finished 128-45-11 at USCS, coaching 13 different NAIA All-Americans, nine NSCAA All-Americans, 13 NAIA All-Area and 21 NAIA All-District Six selections, and two NAIA District Six Players of the Year. He also oversaw a two-time Academic All-American and three academic all-district choices.

    Kohlenstein became head coach at NCAA Division I University of North Carolina at Charlotte in July, 1989, a position he held for six seasons (1989-94). He quickly transformed the 49er program into a national power, posting a cumulative record of 77-32-12 and taking UNCC to a No. 2 national ranking in 1992 and back-to-back NCAA tournament berths in 1991 and 1992.

    In 34 years at the helm, he has amassed a career record of 538-242-64 (.637), including 474-232-64 (.615) at the collegiate level.

    In addition to taking five different teams on five different levels to the postseason, he has coached 37 All-Americans, 19 Academic All-Americans, one Rhodes Scholar, six National Team players and 170 all-conference honorees.

    Kohlenstein received his undergraduate degree in physical education from Florida State in 1976 before going on to earn a master’s degree in exercise physiology from Montana State in 1977.