Grand Valley State University Soccer
Head Coach David Dilanni
David Dilanni
Head Coach
Dave DiIanni is in his ninth season as the head women's soccer coach at Grand Valley State University. DiIanni has tallied a 157-15-10 (.890) record in his eight seasons and has guided the Lakers to eight consecutive NCAA Tournament appearances. DiIanni is just the second head coach in the program's 15-year history. His .890 winning percentage ranks him second among active Division II head coaches.
DiIanni finished the 2010 season with a record of 22-1-2 and guided the Lakers to back-to-back NCAA DII National Championships. GVSU finished the regular season ranked the No. 9 team in the nation and set two NCAA DII records for most shutouts in a season with 21 and set a tournament record with 17 goals scored. The tough Laker backline also held opponents to just five goals on the year, which were all recorded on the road and during the regular season. Senior defender Jenna Wenglinski was the second Laker to be honored with the National Soccer Coaches Association of America (NSCAA) Women's NCAA Division II National Player of the Year.
During the 2009 campaign, GVSU notched an undefeated record of 22-0-4 and claimed the program's first national championship title. The Lakers were undefeated in regular season for the third consecutive year at 17-0-2. GVSU ended the regular season ranked the No. 3 team in the nation and won its fifth consecutive GLIAC title. Following the season, two Lakers were named to all-american teams and forward Irie Dennis was named the NSCAA Women's NCAA Division II National Player of the Year. DiIanni was named the 2009 CaptainU Division II Women's Soccer Coach of the Year.
In 2008, DiIanni led the Lakers to their second consecutive undefeated regular season with a 21-0 overall record. GVSU was ranked No. 1 in the National Soccer Coaches Association of America for 11 consecutive weeks. Grand Valley State closed out the season with a 22-1 record and a spot in the Midwest Regional Championship, as well as its fourth consecutive GLIAC?title. Three Lakers were named to all-american teams following the season.
After leading his 2007 squad to a perfect 17-0-0 regular season record and a school-record 21-1-1 overall record, DiIanni was named the National Soccer Coaches Association of America (NSCAA)?Great Lakes Region Coach of the Year. He led the Lakers to their second trip to the NCAA Final Four in as many years.
GVSU was ranked No. 1 overall for nine consecutive weeks in 2007. The Lakers claimed their third straight GLIAC title and second straight Great Lakes Regional Title, as well as the inaugural GLIAC Tournament title.
In 2006, DiIanni improved upon his previous success at Grand Valley State. Once again, the Lakers had a school-best year, finishing with a record of 19-2-1. GVSU advanced all the way to the school's first NCAA Division II National Championship game before losing 1-0, in overtime, to Metro State.
Then-sophomore Katy Tafler set a school record, notching 33 goals and 73 points on the year, breaking her own records of 25 goals and 58 points set in 2005. Tafler also placed first in the nation in Division II, recording 3.32 points per contest. For his accomplishments, DiIanni was named the NSCAA/Adidas Great Lakes Region Coach of the Year.
DiIanni guided the Lakers through a year of firsts in 2005, capturing GVSU's first-ever GLIAC and NCAA Great Lakes Regional Championships. The 19-3 overall record was, at the time, the best in school history, with the Lakers rolling off 11 consecutive victories in the season. GVSU finished the season ranked eighth in the NSCAA/Adidas national poll.
The Lakers' 7-1 GLIAC record helped them claim their first-ever Great Lakes Regional Championship and advance to the NCAA Quarterfinals. GVSU captured the regional title with a 1-0 win over SIU-Edwardsville and a 2-0 win over host Northern Kentucky in the final. The Lakers dropped a 2-0 decision to eventual national champion Nebraska-Omaha in the quarterfinals.
In 2004, DiIanni's Lakers recorded a 15-5 overall record, while finishing second in GLIAC play with a conference mark of 6-2. GVSU made its second-straight NCAA Division II Great Lakes Regional Championship appearance. The Lakers fell 1-0 to host Wisconsin-Parkside.
DiIanni guided the Lakers to a then-school best record of 17-2-2 (.857) in 2003. GVSU recorded its first-ever NCAA Tournament appearance as they hosted the NCAA Division II Great Lakes Regional Championship. GVSU defeated Wisconsin-Parkside 4-0 in the first game before falling, 4-3, to Northern Kentucky in the championship match.
DiIanni joined Grand Valley after seven years as the head coach of the Jackson Lumen Christi High School women's soccer team. DiIanni also spent three years as an assistant coach at Hillsdale College, where he helped begin the men's and women's soccer programs. During his stint at Hillsdale, the women's team finished fourth in the GLIAC in just their third season. The men's team was also nationally ranked for one week.
DiIanni turned in a 100-19-18 overall coaching record while at Lumen Christi. The Titans advanced to the state finals in 2000, dropping a 1-0 decision to Detroit Country Day.
In addition, Lumen Christi made it to the state semifinals three times under DiIanni and to the regional finals twice. DiIanni was a five-time district coach of the year and a four-time regional coach of the year. DiIanni has spent six years working with the Olympic Development Program in Michigan, training and developing the highest level of soccer in the state. He is presently the head coach of the 89 ODP age group. He is also a USSF B-licensed coach, which is highly recognizable among soccer coaches.
DiIanni and his wife, Kristy, have an eight-year old daughter, Karissa, and a four-year old named Kelsey.
