Gail Mann
Head Women's Soccer Coach at Nazareth College
Back for her 27th season in 2019 as Nazareth's women's soccer coach, Gail Mann is Nazareth's longest-tenured coach. She long ago solidified the Golden Flyers' soccer tradition to the point that Nazareth is routinely recognized among the nation's Division III elite.
With a 9-5-4 overall record in 2018, the Golden Flyers recorded their 25th straight winning season. In addition, they have either shared or won outright the Empire 8 Conference title 11 times since 1999.
Mann secured her 300th coaching win with a 4-0 win over Utica in September of 2017. Her 26-year coaching record of 316-138-56 computes to a .675 winning percentage and ranks among the top active coaches in Division III. She has a record of 118-18-12 (.838) in conference games. Since 1995 she has coached 61 regional All-Americans and nine national All-Americans, including current goalie Hannah Miller who was honored by d3soccer.com in 2018.
The 2016 season was noteworthy for Mann's Golden Flyers as they reached the NCAA Division III Tournament for the 10th time. They also gained an automatic berth in 2014 and advanced two rounds before falling to Messiah in the round of 16. Nazareth also has won two ECAC titles (2005 and 2007) and advanced to the NCAA quarterfinals in 1999.
Mann has been at the coaching forefront for all of the Golden Flyers' most significant achievements since taking over as coach in 1993. In just her second season, the Golden Flyers finished 9-8-2 and reached the NYSWCAA Tournament. In 1996, they rolled to a 16-6-1 record and secured berths in both the NYSWCAA and ECAC Tournaments.
Nazareth's steady progression continued under Mann's direction in 1997 as the team finished 16-1-2 and landed its first-ever NCAA Tournament berth. Nazareth's first NCAA game was a memorable one -- a thrilling 3-2 triple overtime win over Oneonta. Mann was recognized that year as New York Region Coach of the Year, an honor that was duplicated in 2002. She was named Empire 8 Conference Coach of the Year in 1999 as Nazareth set a school record with 17 victories and captured the NCAA New York Region title. She was named E8 Coach of the Year again in 2010, 2013 and 2014.
In 2015, Mann was honored by the Rochester Press-Radio Club with the Jean Giambrone Community Service Award that is presented annually to a local person who has made an exemplary lifetime commitment to Rochester-area women's sports.
A native of Rochester, Mann came to Nazareth in 1993 after five seasons as an assistant coach at SUNY Brockport. She was head coach of the New York West Olympic Development U15 team from 1992-1998 and led the team to the Region 1 championship in 1995. She still coaches a U16 team during the summer.
Mann graduated from Spencerport High School, where she excelled in soccer, basketball and softball. She played soccer at SUNY Cortland and was a starting striker on the 1986 team that reached the Division III Final Four.
At Nazareth, in addition to coaching soccer, Mann was an assistant coach for the Golden Flyers' women's lacrosse team for 10 seasons (1995-2004) and helped the team to three NCAA tournament berths. She now serves as advisor to the Student Athlete Advisory Committee.
Mann lives in Rochester with her wife of 29 years, Dugan Davies, and dog Rooney.