Jeff Freeman enters his 13th season overall with the Fighting Illini and seventh as the soccer program’s associate head coach in 2023. Freeman has helped to guide Illinois to at least the second round of the NCAA Tournament three times during his time with Illinois, highlighted by a Sweet Sixteen appearance in 2013. Freeman helped to coach standout Vanessa DiBernardo to a pair of All-America honors and saw Jannelle Flaws lead the nation and break the school record for goals scored.

The Illini have turned in two of the top four single-season goal totals in school history during Freeman’s tenure in Champaign. The Orange and Blue netted 54 goals in 2013 and 53 goals in 2011, which rank third and fourth, respectively, on the all-time list. Since Freeman's arrival, UI has recorded 89 victories including a Big Ten Tournament Championship (2011), and the Illini have captured a trio of NCAA tournament berths, highlighted by the 2013 Sweet 16 run.

Freeman brought a wealth of experience and tactical expertise to Champaign, after serving as a member of the University of Miami (Fla.) women’s soccer staff from 2004-10, including the final three years as the associate head coach. He played a prominent role in Miami earning conference and national recognition with top-25 rankings and back-to-back appearances in the 2007-08 NCAA Tournaments as he assisted in all aspects of recruiting and team administration. As the recruiting coordinator, Freeman was responsible for the Hurricanes’ 2007 top-25 recruiting class, which included ACC Freshman of the Year Brittney Steinbruch, and fellow U-20 National Team member Brittney Macdonald.

Freeman joined the Hurricanes’ staff after serving as an assistant coach at his alma mater, Missouri State, for four years. The Bears’ goalkeeping units earned Missouri Valley Conference (MVC) Defensive Player of the Year and conference tournament MVP honors in addition to weekly MVC defensive accolades under Freeman’s tutelage, while Missouri State won the MVC crown and earned its first NCAA Tournament appearance with Freeman’s guidance.

As a student-athlete at Missouri State, Freeman earned academic all-conference recognition as a goalkeeper with the Bears and was a member of the 1997 squad that made the program’s first NCAA Tournament appearance after earning a top-10 national ranking and the MVC regular season title.

Freeman and his wife, Jamie, have two daughters, Ellie (17) and Rylie (15). Jamie was also a soccer standout at Missouri State. A four-year letterwinner, she was the team captain for three seasons. Jamie was a three-time MVC All-Conference First Team selection and was named to the 2006 MVC Centennial Team.

Freeman, who earned a bachelor’s and master’s in education from Missouri State, is accredited as a United States Soccer Federation (USSF) `A’ Licensed Coach and holds a NSCAA Advanced National Diploma. He has served as a clinician at 2014, 2015, 2016 and 2017 NSCAA Conventions.

Updated August 2023

Coaching Experience

2014-present Associate head coach, University of Illinois

2011-13 Assistant coach, University of Illinois

2008-10 Associate head coach, University of Miami (Fla.)

2004-07 Assistant coach, University of Miami (Fla.)

2000-03 Assistant coach, Missouri State University

Education

1999 B.S., M.S. in education, Missouri State University