Coaches
Stefani Workman
Head Coach
snworkma@uncg.edu
240-529-8332
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Stefani Workman joined the Spartan staff in August 2017 as an assistant coach, was promoted to associate head coach in July 2022, and promoted to head coach in November 2023.
Workman was an integral part of helping the Spartans win back-to-back SoCon Tournament Championships in 2017 and 2018. Workman has a variety of different roles on and off the field including office administration, recruiting, game day management, and training the Spartan goalkeepers.
The Spartans concluded the fall 2021 season 4-8-6 overall and 3-4-2 in Conference play, including seven shutouts. Sophomore Caroline Woods led the Spartans with four goals and one assist, earning All-Conference second team honors, while freshman Chloe Lausell was tabbed on the All-Freshman Team. Senior Ashley Avelino was recognized on the SoCon All-Tournament Team, following the Spartans' appearance in the SoCon Quarterfinals, falling to No. 3 Western Carolina 1-0 in overtime. UNCG was ranked in the top 50 in three categories: 17th in save percentage (.848), 28th in shot accuracy (0.535), and 33rd in saves per game (6.22). Fifth-year goalkeeper Aiyanah Tyler-Cooper climbed the UNCG and SoCon record books in multiple categories. Among UNCG history, Tyler-Cooper now leads the way in career saves with 360, tied for second in shutouts with 25, fourth in minutes with 6,444:56, and fifth in goals against average with 0.98. She is tied for sixth in SoCon career history in shutouts and tied for 15th in goals against average. Tyler-Cooper was also the fourth women's soccer player in the past five years to sign a contract after the completion of her career in the Blue & Gold. The goalkeeper signed with FC Málaga City Femenino in Spain.
UNCG fell short of the SoCon Tournament in the Spring 2021 season with a 4-5-2 overall record and 4-4-1 Conference mark, tallying five shutouts. Defender and redshirt sophomore Ashley Avelino earned All-Conference second team honors. Avelino, Maddy Gilhool, and Caroline Woods each contributed two goals apiece to lead the team.
Under the tutelage of Coach Workman, freshman goalkeeper Abby Buchholz delivered five shutouts over her 16 starts in 2019, with four coming in conference play. Her 0.89 goals against average when playing conference opponents ranked fourth in the SoCon, while her four clean sheets against ETSU, Mercer, Wofford and VMI placed her in a tie for the top mark in the conference. After going 0-3-0 in her first four career appearances, Buchholz’ play continued to improve over her debut campaign with the Spartans, closing out the season on a 9-3-1 streak, and making a team-high 53 saves on the year.
In her first two seasons working with the Spartan goalkeepers, Workman guided Aiyanah Tyler-Cooper to among the best in the Southern Conference in every statistical category. Cooper led the SoCon in save percentage (.848) in 2018, while finishing second in saves (106) and shutouts (8) and third in goals against average (0.94). She allowed just one goal in the conference tournament with a .032 goals against average, 0.952 save percentage and 20 saves that pushed the Spartans to win their eighth SoCon Tournament, and first since 2010. In 2018 Tyler-Cooper was selected to the All-SoCon Second Team with a 15-5-1 record on the year. She ranked second in the conference in shutouts (6), third in saves (87), fourth in save percentage (.813) and fifth in goals against average (0.97).
In addition to her experience at the collegiate level, Workman currently serves as a US Soccer Youth National Team Scout where she identifies top talent for regional Identification Centers and Youth National Team Camps. She also serves as the Director of Goalkeeping for NC Fusion Triad.
Workman comes to Greensboro following a two-year stint as an assistant coach and recruiting coordinator at the University of Dayton. In 2016, she helped the Flyers capture an Atlantic 10 Conference Championship and a birth in the NCAA tournament. During her run in the Buckeye State, Workman also served as the Director of Goalkeeping for Thunder United in Cincinnati and the head coach of the U15 Ohio South Olympic Development Program (ODP) Team.
Prior to her time at Dayton, Workman spent one season as an assistant at the University of Georgia where she mentored three All-Southeastern Conference performers, and helped guide the Bulldogs to a trip to the NCAA Tournament in 2014.
Before making the move to Athens, Georgia, Workman made her debut as a head coach at NCAA Division II program Concord University in Athens, West Virginia . From 2010-14 the Mountain Lions posted a 34-31-4 record, boasting 14 All-Conference selections in the Mountain East Conference. While serving as head coach, Workman also acted as the Director of Academics for the athletic department where she helped develop and run the Graduation Retention Improvement Program (GRIP) for all student-athletes at Concord University.
Workman spent the 2008 and 2009 seasons on the women’s soccer staff at West Virginia University under the leadership of Nikki Izzo-Brown. While with the Mountaineers, she coached the goalkeepers to 26 shutouts, a Big East Regular Season Title and a pair of NCAA Tournament appearances. During her time at WVU, Workman also earned a Master’s of Science in Athletic Coaching Education.
She began her coaching career in 2005 as an assistant coach at the University of Cincinnati. Her main responsibilities included video analysis, individual development plans, recruitment of student-athletes, and on-field coaching of goalkeepers and the defensive unit.
Workman has served on staff of the U.S. Youth Soccer Region I/II Olympic Development Programs and state ODP programs (KY, NC, OH, WV). She completed her U.S. Soccer Talent Scout License in 2021 and began instructing the class in Spring 2022. Previously, she obtained a National “B” License from the U.S. Soccer Federation (USSF) and an Advanced National Goalkeeping Diploma from the United Soccer Coaches (USC) Association.
In her playing career, Workman started all four seasons as a goalkeeper at Morehead State University. She earned multiple Ohio Valley Conference (OVC) Player of the Week awards while helping the Eagles to multiple OVC Tournament appearances. She earned a bachelor's degree in exercise science from Morehead State in 2005, graduating with summa cum laude honors. Furthermore, Workman was the Vice President of the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC) and attended the NCAA Student-Athlete Leadership Conference as the Champ Life Skills Coordinator for Athlete Activities.
A native of Poca, West Virginia, Workman was named the 2000 West Virginia Soccer Coaches Goalkeeper of the Year. A four-year starter at Poca High, she was named to the All-State team four times, including first-team recognitions in 1998, 1999, and 2000. Workman played club soccer in West Virginia from 1992-2001.
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