Northwestern University Athletics
Russell Payne Named Head Men’s Soccer Coach
5/7/2021 1:16:00 PM | Men's Soccer
EVANSTON, Ill. – Russell Payne has been named Northwestern's head men's soccer coach, Combe Family Vice President for Athletics & Recreation Mike Polisky announced Friday. Payne comes to Evanston after 11 seasons as head coach at Army West Point.
"We are ecstatic to welcome Russell, Vanessa, Harper and Kellen to the Wildcats family," said Polisky. "During a comprehensive, three-month search, chaired skillfully by sport administrators Kevin White and Marcus Attles, he clearly rose to the top of a deep candidate pool. His track record of identifying, recruiting and developing high-character and talented student-athletes is outstanding, and his broad experiences as a player and coach inform a deep understanding of the game.
"Over two decades Tim Lenahan built the foundation of a championship program here in Evanston, and Russell is the perfect leader to carry that tradition forward."
Payne has developed talent at the highest level, serving as the United States Men's National Team goalkeepers coach from 2015-17 and as a current assistant coach and goalkeepers coach for four youth national programs. He has mentored 31 All-Patriot League standouts in his 11 years in West Point, including 16 All-Region selections, a two-time Patriot League Goalkeeper of the Year, and two-time Patriot League Defensive Player of the Year.
A top-flight recruiter in the college soccer community, Payne signed two classes ranked among the Top-25 nationally over the past five years - including the No. 18 class in 2020 - according to Top Drawer Soccer. He played a major role in the development of Zac McGraw, the program's first Major League Soccer Superdraft selection in 2020.
In 2013, Payne oversaw one of the best individual seasons in Army West Point history as goalkeeper Winston Boldt earned National Soccer Coaches Association of America (NSCAA) All-America honors with a program-record 12 shutouts. In addition to becoming the Black Knights' first All-American since 1974, Boldt was named back-to-back Patriot League Goalkeeper of the Year in 2013 and 2014.
Before coming to West Point, Payne was an assistant at his alma mater, Maryland, for five seasons under renowned head coach Sasho Cirovski. In his time on the sidelines in College Park, the Terrapins won two national championships (2005, 2008) and compiled the best five-year win total in program history (83) en-route to five straight NCAA tournament appearances.
At Maryland, Payne mentored eight NSCAA All-Americans, 15 All-Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) selections, an NSCAA Player of the Year, a pair of Academic All-Americans, an NCAA Scholar-Athlete of the Year and 12 MLS draft picks.
Payne also has coached internationally with the United States Soccer Federation. Under Jurgen Klinsmann, Payne was the goalkeepers coach of the senior men's national team during the 2015 CONCACAF Gold Cup and the 2016 Copa America Centenario, where the USA made a run to the semifinals. Payne worked with acclaimed goalkeepers Tim Howard and Brad Guzan as well as current Brugge (Belgium) keeper Ethan Horvath and Colorado Rapids goalkeeper William Yarbrough.
Prior to his time with the senior team, Payne was an assistant coach and goalkeepers coach of the USA U-20 men's team during two U-20 World Cups in 2013 and 2015. Payne worked with American standouts Cody Cropper and Zack Steffen, who is the first-choice goalkeeper for the senior men's national team and English Premier League club Manchester City, currently in pursuit of a historic treble.
Since 2017, Payne has been an assistant coach and goalkeepers coach for the U-14, U-15 and U-19 boys' national teams and the U-15 girls' national team.
Before coaching, Payne had a prolific international and domestic career, playing for SV Elversberg (Germany), Shamrock Rovers (Ireland) and AZ Alkmaar (Netherlands), as well as New York/New Jersey Metrostars, Colorado Rapids and DC United in Major League Soccer. The highlight came in 2002 when he was named the Premier League of Ireland Goalkeeper of the Year during his second season with Derry City.
Payne also enjoyed a successful college playing career at Maryland from 1993 to 1996 as a four-year starter between the goalposts. He shined brightest as a senior, leading the ACC with an .835 save percentage and 0.88 goals against average while helping Maryland to its first-ever ACC Tournament Championship and garnering All-Tournament honors. A second-team All-ACC pick as a sophomore, Payne totaled 22.5 shutouts and 340 saves during his career at Maryland. His 10-save performance opposite Duke on Sept. 29, 1996 still stands as a single-game record in the Terrapin annals. Graduating with a Bachelor of Science degree in Biology from Maryland in 1998, Payne was the recipient of the Benjamin Banneker Fellowship for Math and Science.
Payne and his wife, Vanessa, come to Evanston with their daughter, Harper Elizabeth, and son, Kellan James.
"We are ecstatic to welcome Russell, Vanessa, Harper and Kellen to the Wildcats family," said Polisky. "During a comprehensive, three-month search, chaired skillfully by sport administrators Kevin White and Marcus Attles, he clearly rose to the top of a deep candidate pool. His track record of identifying, recruiting and developing high-character and talented student-athletes is outstanding, and his broad experiences as a player and coach inform a deep understanding of the game.
"Over two decades Tim Lenahan built the foundation of a championship program here in Evanston, and Russell is the perfect leader to carry that tradition forward."
Payne has developed talent at the highest level, serving as the United States Men's National Team goalkeepers coach from 2015-17 and as a current assistant coach and goalkeepers coach for four youth national programs. He has mentored 31 All-Patriot League standouts in his 11 years in West Point, including 16 All-Region selections, a two-time Patriot League Goalkeeper of the Year, and two-time Patriot League Defensive Player of the Year.
A top-flight recruiter in the college soccer community, Payne signed two classes ranked among the Top-25 nationally over the past five years - including the No. 18 class in 2020 - according to Top Drawer Soccer. He played a major role in the development of Zac McGraw, the program's first Major League Soccer Superdraft selection in 2020.
In 2013, Payne oversaw one of the best individual seasons in Army West Point history as goalkeeper Winston Boldt earned National Soccer Coaches Association of America (NSCAA) All-America honors with a program-record 12 shutouts. In addition to becoming the Black Knights' first All-American since 1974, Boldt was named back-to-back Patriot League Goalkeeper of the Year in 2013 and 2014.
Before coming to West Point, Payne was an assistant at his alma mater, Maryland, for five seasons under renowned head coach Sasho Cirovski. In his time on the sidelines in College Park, the Terrapins won two national championships (2005, 2008) and compiled the best five-year win total in program history (83) en-route to five straight NCAA tournament appearances.
At Maryland, Payne mentored eight NSCAA All-Americans, 15 All-Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) selections, an NSCAA Player of the Year, a pair of Academic All-Americans, an NCAA Scholar-Athlete of the Year and 12 MLS draft picks.
Payne also has coached internationally with the United States Soccer Federation. Under Jurgen Klinsmann, Payne was the goalkeepers coach of the senior men's national team during the 2015 CONCACAF Gold Cup and the 2016 Copa America Centenario, where the USA made a run to the semifinals. Payne worked with acclaimed goalkeepers Tim Howard and Brad Guzan as well as current Brugge (Belgium) keeper Ethan Horvath and Colorado Rapids goalkeeper William Yarbrough.
Prior to his time with the senior team, Payne was an assistant coach and goalkeepers coach of the USA U-20 men's team during two U-20 World Cups in 2013 and 2015. Payne worked with American standouts Cody Cropper and Zack Steffen, who is the first-choice goalkeeper for the senior men's national team and English Premier League club Manchester City, currently in pursuit of a historic treble.
Since 2017, Payne has been an assistant coach and goalkeepers coach for the U-14, U-15 and U-19 boys' national teams and the U-15 girls' national team.
Before coaching, Payne had a prolific international and domestic career, playing for SV Elversberg (Germany), Shamrock Rovers (Ireland) and AZ Alkmaar (Netherlands), as well as New York/New Jersey Metrostars, Colorado Rapids and DC United in Major League Soccer. The highlight came in 2002 when he was named the Premier League of Ireland Goalkeeper of the Year during his second season with Derry City.
Payne also enjoyed a successful college playing career at Maryland from 1993 to 1996 as a four-year starter between the goalposts. He shined brightest as a senior, leading the ACC with an .835 save percentage and 0.88 goals against average while helping Maryland to its first-ever ACC Tournament Championship and garnering All-Tournament honors. A second-team All-ACC pick as a sophomore, Payne totaled 22.5 shutouts and 340 saves during his career at Maryland. His 10-save performance opposite Duke on Sept. 29, 1996 still stands as a single-game record in the Terrapin annals. Graduating with a Bachelor of Science degree in Biology from Maryland in 1998, Payne was the recipient of the Benjamin Banneker Fellowship for Math and Science.
Payne and his wife, Vanessa, come to Evanston with their daughter, Harper Elizabeth, and son, Kellan James.
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