Gonzaga University Women's Soccer

Gonzaga Director of Athletics Chris Standiford announced the promotion of Katie Benz as the Head Coach for Gonzaga women’s soccer Dec. 15, 2023.   After four seasons with Montana, the 2021 season was Benz’s first year as an assistant coach with the Gonzaga women's soccer program. During her second season as head coach in 2024, Gonzaga placed third in the final West Coast Conference standings, winning its last three contests. The Zags ended the regular season winning five out of their last six. GU was unbeaten in six of its last seven, with the lone loss at then-ranked No. 10 Santa Clara, 2-1. The Bulldogs clinched their seventh 10-win season over the last eight seasons, with the exception being seven wins in the Spring 2020 shortened season. Prior to the last eight seasons, GU had five 10-win seasons in the program's history.   In 2023, Benz and Gonzaga celebrated unprecedented success in the 2023 season. The program advanced to the NCAA Tournament for the second time, and first since 20005, winning its first tournament game ever. The Bulldogs won the West Coast Conference title for the first time, beating Portland, Pepperdine and Santa Clara all in the same season. GU's six conference wins were the most in program history.   The Zags' 14 overall victories were the second-most in program history. Gonzaga set new single season scoring (56), assist (44), and point total (156) program records. The Bulldogs had the No. 5 scoring offense in the nation.   Following the season, the GU coaches were named the West Region Staff of the Year. The honor is a result of a vote by other coaches in the region who are also members of the United Soccer Coaches College Services program.   In the 2022 season, the Zags matched their best WCC finish in program history at the time and reached 10 wins in season for the 10th time.   In her second season with GU, the Zags posted a program record 12 shutouts with the guidance of Benz. The Bulldogs won a program record of 15 games with just five losses.   In her first season at Gonzaga, the Bulldogs finished third in the WCC with a record of 5-2-1. This was the first time since 2005 that the Zags have finished top-three in the WCC, and the second time in program history. Benz was also part of the staff that was named West Region Staff of the Year by the United Soccer Coaches College Services program in 2020-21.   At Montana, she was on staff for a pair of Big Sky Conference championships, a tournament title in 2018, which sent the program to its first NCAA tournament since 2011, and a regular-season championship in 2019.   In her first season with Montana, in 2017, the Grizzlies finished second in the Big Sky and advanced to the conference tournament semifinals.   Montana has gone 24-22-16 with Benz as an assistant coach. She oversaw the program for four months in early 2018 while the Grizzlies were between head coaches.   Benz spent the 2016 season working as director of operations at Denver, her first year working at the collegiate level, and coaching in the Colorado Rush club program.   Born in Halifax, Nova Scotia, but raised in Sonoma, Calif., Benz played collegiately at California.   She scored three goals in her first three seasons playing behind Alex Morgan. Each of those teams advanced to the NCAA tournament.   As a senior in 2011, Benz, a one-time Pac-12 Player of the Week, scored 10 goals in Cal’s first eight matches, including a hat trick against Denver, before suffering a career-ending broken leg midway through a season that concluded with another trip to the NCAAs.   Benz graduated from Cal in 2012 with a degree in legal studies. She spent one year after college writing, recording and touring with the band The Youngest. She is married to Patrick Owen and they have two daughters, Annie and Daisy.

Guante was welcomed to the Gonzaga staff in February 2024. Guante spent six seasons at New Mexico State under Head Coach Rob Baarts. The 2023 season was Guante’s second full season as the Associate Head coach for the Aggies. In 2022, Guante helped lead the Aggies to their best season in program history with a 13-5-3 overall record – the most wins in program history – including an undefeated record at home (7-0-2), which culminated in the programs first conference championship after three shutout victories in the WAC Tournament.   In addition, Guante helped seven players secure All-WAC honors: Loma McNeese (first team), Makenna Gottschalk (second team), Landy Williams (second team), Xitlaly Hernandez (second team), Jena Johannes (freshman team), Sofia Beerworth (freshman team) and Sydnee Johnson (freshman team) all earned a spot on the WAC's yearly awards lists.   Five more players later secured WAC All-Tournament Team recognition after the team won it’s first conference title since the program’s inception in 2009. Loma McNeese, Sofia Beerworth, Xitlaly Hernandez, Tati Jerman and Makenna Gottschalk all earned All-Tourament recognition with Gottschalk taking home the Tournament MVP award.   In 2021, Guante helped the Aggies to a 9-11-0 record, nearly doubling their win total from the year prior. The Aggies made their second consecutive WAC tournament appearance but lost to Lamar 1-0 in the first round. Guante helped Hannah Leitner and Xitlaly Hernandez earn All-WAC Second-Team Honors while Mya Hammack and Thalia Chaverria earned Freshman All-WAC Honors.   The 2021 season got off to a hot start for the Aggies after the team won its first four games of the season. This was the best start of a season for the Aggies since 2017 when the Aggies opened that campaign 4-0-1.   During the 2018 season, Guante helped guide Aileen Galicia as she became the school’s all-time leading goal scorer. Nine Aggies also earned Academic All-WAC Honors following the 2019 seasons.   Prior to NMSU, Guante spent the 2017 season at his alma mater, the University of Portland. Prior to his return to UP, the Fort Huachuca, Ariz., native served as the head coach for the Lincoln High School girls’ varsity team from 2013-17 with stops at Valley Catholic High School and Central Catholic High School as well.   Guante played for Baarts during his time with the Pilots as an assistant (2002-05) and helped guide the team to the second round of the NCAA Playoffs three of his four years. The 5-9 midfielder was also a four-time All-West Coast Conference honoree while at UP and finished his career with six goals and six assists.   He was also a member of the Olympic Development Program Region IV Team (2000-02), Arizona ODP. During that same time span, Guante was a member of the U-18 National Team from 2001-02 after spending time with the U-17 National Team pool from 2000-01. He was the Arizona Gatorade Player of the Year in 2001-2002.   He went on to play professionally in Major League Soccer (MLS) for FC Dallas, Miami FC and the Portland Timbers.   After his professional career, Guante served as the ECNL Assistant Director while coaching at FC Portland from (2003-17) where he helped development and coach one of the nation’s top clubs for over a decade. During that span, Guante coached several players to NCAA Division I programs as well as the U.S. Youth National Team Camps.   Guante coached former and current GU players Meg Rapp, Taylor Kernion, Sophie Bruan, Maddie Kemp, and Chelsea Le. In addition to recent NWSL draft picks Sydney Collins and Katie Duong.   Guante and his wife Caitlin, have four children Lilia, Xavier, Lucas, and Mateo.