Pace Highlights 

As a Staff Member

2018 National Championship 

Three Big Ten Tournament Championships (2014, 2015, 2016)

Two Big Ten Regular Season Championships (2014, 2016)

Nine NCAA Tournament Appearances

93 wins 

Four All-Americans

11 MLS SuperDraft Selections

Four MLS Homegrown Signees

Two US Men's National Team Players  

As a Player

Two College Cups (2012, 2013)

Three ACC Tournament Championships (2010, 2012, 2013)

Two ACC Regular Season Championships (2012, 2013)

Five NCAA Tournament Appearances 

85 wins

13 Career Goals

Former Terrapin standout Jake Pace is entering his sixth season as assistant coach after serving as director of soccer operations for the previous four seasons. Pace was named an assistant by head coach Sasho Cirovski in January of 2018.

Pace's association with Maryland soccer has been filled with wins. In his 12 seasons with the program as a player and staff member, Maryland has won 178 matches, captured a national title, advanced to three College Cups, won six conference tournament championships and won four conference regular season championships. The Terps have been to the NCAA Tournament in all 12 of Pace's seasons with the program. 

In 2021, Pace helped mentor six All-Big Ten selections, including Big Ten Midfielder of the Year Ben Bender and Big Ten Freshman of the Year Joshua Bolma. The Terps made their 21st consecutive NCAA Tournament, the second longest streak in the country. 

In 2020, Pace and the Terps advanced to the NCAA Tournament for the 20th consecutive season. The Terps had four players named All-Big Ten selections and a program record 14 student-athletes placed on the Big Ten All-Academic Team. The Terps had two more players selected in the MLS SuperDraft in Ben and Matt Di Rosa. 

In 2019, Pace helped a young Terps team advanced to the program's 19th straight NCAA Tournament. Maryland had six players named All-Big Ten selections, including first-team picks Johannes Bergmann and Eli Crognale, who went on to sign professional contracts in USL. 

In his first season as an assistant, Pace helped lead the Terps to the 2018 National Championship, Maryland's first since 2008. He helped cultivate a Maryland back line that did not give up a goal in the entirety of the NCAA Tournament and featured All-American Donovan Pines. The Terps had four players (Dayne St. Clair, Chase Gasper, Andrew Samuels, Amar Sejdic) taken in the MLS SuperDraft, while Pines signed a homegrown deal with D.C. United. As the Terps' primary goalkeeper coach, Pace was key in the development of St. Clair, who emerged as one of the top keepers in the country in his final season.

As director of operations, Pace managed the Terps' budget, fundraising, travel logistics and team events. During his time as director of ops, Maryland won two Big Ten Regular Season titles and three Big Ten Tournament titles. Between 2012 and 2016 as a player and staff member, Pace played a role in five consecutive conference tournament championship squads (ACC and Big Ten). 

After seeing action as a reserve defender as a freshman, Pace moved up top to the striker position where he shined in his final three seasons at Maryland. He finished his career with 13 goals, including a career-high six as a captain his senior year. Pace played an important role in back-to-back Atlantic Coast Conference championships in 2012 and 2013 and helped guide the Terps to the College Cup in each of his last two seasons at Maryland.

Pace won a pair of state championships with River Hill High School as a two-time Baltimore Sun First Team All-Met selection prior to his arrival to College Park. He earned a bachelor's degree in kinesiology from Maryland and recently received his MBA from UMUC. 

Updated June 6, 2023

Personal Information

Full Name: Jacob A. Pace

Hometown: Columbia, Maryland

Education: Maryland, 2013 (kinesiology)

Playing Experience

2009-13: Maryland, forward

Coaching Experience

2014-18: Maryland, Director of Soccer Operations

2018-present: Maryland, Assistant Coach