Former Spartan Coach, Keeper Set For DI National Championship Game
12/13/2008 12:00:00 AM | Men's Soccer
Dec. 13, 2008
Spartanburg, S.C. - Former USC Upstate standout goalkeeper and assistant coach Jeff Negalha is one step away from NCAA men's soccer's biggest accomplishment - a national championship. An assistant at North Carolina, Negalha and the Tar Heels are set to take on Maryland Sunday afternoon at 1:00 in the national championship game.
Negalha and North Carolina claimed a thrilling 1-0 victory over Wake Forest to advance to the final against fellow ACC foe, Maryland.
Negalha came to Upstate, then USC Spartanburg, in 1997 as the team's starting goalkeeper under head coach Greg Hooks. In just two years in the program, the JUCO transfer from Massasoit College led the Spartans to an appearance in the 1998 NCAA Division II national championship game. Upstate fell in the final and settled for second-place. As the starting keeper, he led Upstate to two regular season championships and two tournament titles in the Peach Belt Conference. He recorded 19.5 shutouts in two years, allowing just 33 goals in over 3,900 minutes in goal.
As an assistant coach at Upstate, Negalha led the Spartans to an ELite Eight appearance and a final No. 5 national ranking in 2002. He left his alma mater to serve as an assistant coach at South Florida and helped recruit the No. 3-rated recruiting class in 2004.
Negalha is in his fourth season as an assistant coach at North Carolina and has the primary resonsibility of coaching the goalkeepers. He was recognized by College Soccer News as one of the "20 Top Assistant Coaches of 2006" and has coached the Tar Heels to seven shutouts this season.
