8/10/23

Adam Kleman is in his first year as the head women's soccer coach at USC Aiken.

“I am very pleased that Coach Adam Kleman wanted to lead our women’s soccer program, “Wilkinson said. “His passion and enthusiasm for USCA and our team was uplifiting as we got to know each other. His successful experience as an Associate Head Coach at Indiana State and Assistant Coach at Eastern Kentucky and Southeast Missouri State brings the Pacers a coach that has been around a high level of play.

“He knows what an elite team looks like and will lead a Pacer team that is hungry for this level of success. USC Aiken women’s soccer is on the rise and Coach Kleman’s leadership is perfect timing. Pacer women’s soccer is in great hands going forward. Go Pacers!”

“I am delighted for the opportunity to work with the student-athletes at USC Aiken and to be part of a university and athletic department with a rich history of success,” Kleman stated. “I would like to thank Todd Wilkinson, Brent Hager, Brennan Hand, Jaclin Poole and Ike Ofoje for their belief in me to lead the Pacer Women’s Soccer program. I am excited to start working with the talented young women at USC Aiken and to continue to build upon the foundation of success already in place. We will work relentlessly to mold an elite program that demands excellence in the classroom, on the field and in the community. I am grateful for my past experiences and mentors that have helped shape my philosophies preparing me for this moment. My family and I cannot wait to arrive in Aiken. Go Pacers!“

Kleman comes to USC Aiken from Indiana State where he was the Associate Head Coach. He also served as the recruiting coordinator and college camp coordinator while leading team training sessions and overall growth and development of each student-athlete. He also assisted with film analysis and scouting. The Sycamores have racked up 20 Missouri Valley Conference postseason awards under his assistantship and the 2022 season was highlighted by four Academic All-District awards and a State Farm Good Neighbor Award recipient.

Kleman helped lead the Sycamores to multiple program bests on and off the pitch in his third season at ISU. In the fall of 2021, the Sycamores posted back-to-back winning MVC seasons and hosted MVC Tournament games in consecutive seasons for the first time in program history. They scored a program record 16 goals in MVC play en route to the program’s second-best MVC record. 

In the spring 2021 season, Kleman assisted in guiding the Sycamores to their most conference victories and shutouts in program history. ISU hosted its first MVC Tournament game since 2016 and advanced to the semifinals as the No. 2 seed, and two Sycamores were selected to the MVC All-Tournament Team. That season, the Sycamores jumped up 176 spots in the RPI rankings from the previous year.

Off the pitch, the Sycamores tallied the highest Team GPA for the entire department for two academic years as well as the fall 2022 academic term. 

Kleman arrived at Indiana State after spending the 2018 campaign as an assistant coach at Eastern Kentucky. During the fall, the Colonels earned the program's first-ever win over neighboring Kentucky in September and finished the regular season 8-8-4 (4-4-3 OVC). EKU advanced to the Ohio Valley Conference semifinals for the third consecutive season before falling to No. 1 seed UT Martin.

He arrived at Eastern Kentucky following four seasons as an assistant coach at Southeast Missouri (2014 to 2017) where he served as the goalkeepers coach, handled team travel and compliance, and led recruiting efforts while assisting in overall player development.

In his first season at SEMO, Kleman helped guide the Redhawks to their fifth OVC title. Kleman mentored the team’s freshman goalkeeper who went on to be the first player in league history to earn both OVC Defensive Player of the Year and Freshman of the Year honors. The student-athlete also earned first team All-OVC and All-Newcomer accolades. The Redhawks led the OVC in goals allowed (0.71), goals against average (0.70), and shutouts (8) in 2014.

Kleman's work with the goalkeepers lent to SEMO recording 11 shutouts in 2015 during his second season with the program. The Redhawks finished the 2015 campaign with a goals against average of 0.93 and an 80.7% save percentage. SEMO's 0.93 goals against average and 1.00 goals allowed per game each ranked third in the league while its 11 shutouts ranked first.

The 2016 season featured seven shutouts and was highlighted by a season-opening 1-0 shutout of SEC contender Tennessee. The Redhawks began the season 6-0-1, five of those wins coming by way of a shutout. Their 18 goals allowed ranked third-best in the OVC as did their 0.95 goals against average. SEMO continued to be one of the top defensive teams in the OVC in 2017, ranking third in the league in goals-against average (0.91) and shutouts (7).

Before his stint at SEMO, Kleman served as the graduate assistant at EKU where he was responsible for on-field coaching, off-campus recruiting, travel arrangements, and video editing. He was part of the memorable 2012 season in which the Colonels set then-program records for wins (10), conference victories (6), goals (22), assists (18), points (62) and shots (253). EKU posted an undefeated home record (8-0-1) for the first time in school history that season and had three players named first-team All-Ohio Valley Conference, the most in program history.

Kleman has a USSF National ‘C’ license. He holds a United Soccer Coaches Advanced National Diploma and a United Soccer Coaches Goalkeeping Level III Diploma. 

A native of Elida, Ohio, Kleman competed collegiately as a defender at Transylvania University (2004-07). The Pioneers posted a 56-10-13 record during his career, won four consecutive Heartland Conference titles, and advanced to the NCAA Sweet 16 in 2007.

Kleman earned a bachelor's degree in Business Administration from Transylvania in 2008 and a master's degree in Sports Administration from Eastern Kentucky in 2013.