Lamar University Women's Soccer

Nathan Kogut was named Lamar University head soccer coach on April 15, 2022. He comes to the Golden Triangle after a successful stint as an assistant on staff at Texas A&M. In 2024, the Cardinals finished 5-8-6 overall and 3-3-4 in the Southland Conference, which qualified them as the seventh seed in the conference tournament. The Cardinals would have two all-conference members in Arely Alaniz (first team) and Isela Ramirez (second team) while Alaniz was tabbed as the conference defender of the week.  The 2023 season saw a second straight SLC championship for the Cardinals in both the regular season and the tournament, the first time any SLC team achieved this feat since the conference's inception. LU posted a 15-3-3 record overall and went undefeated in the conference at 9-0-1. Once again, Kogut was tabbed the conference coach of the year while he would have a program best 10 all-conference winners including first teamers Alaniz (Defender of the Year), Alana Clark (Midfielder of the Year), Hollie Massey (Player of the Year), Nicole Panis (Goalkeeper of the Year), Cariel Ellis, Kaisa Juvonen, and Isela Ramirez along with second teamers Caragan Childs, Trinity Clark, and Maddie Janolo. LU would also receive national awards from Top Drawer Soccer for Panis (Player and National Team of the Week) and Cariel Ellis (College Soccer News Team of the Week) following a memorable 1-0 upset win over No.17 Xavier marking the first time ever LU had defeated a nationally ranked program. The Cardinals qualified for the NCAA Tournament losing to Texas in the first round. In his first season at Lamar, he guided the Cardinals to a 15-2-2 record overall and the double by winning both the SLC regular season title with a 10-1-1 record and the conference tournament. The Cardinals set a new record for the best start in program history going 9-0-1, which bested the previous mark in the spring of 2021. For that season, the SLC rewarded Kogut by tabbing him coach of the year. Kogut's inaugural team included six all-conference first teamers (Alaniz, Cariel Ellis, Juvonen, Christine Kitaru, Nicole Panis, and Ramirez) and one second teamer (Trinity Clark). Alaniz would be named defensive player of the year while Panis, who broke the school record for wins and shutouts, was selected as goalkeeper of the year. LU reached the NCAA Tournament losing to LSU in the first round. The list of success during Kogut’s four years on the staff includes three NCAA Tournament bids, two Sweet 16 appearances and a run to the Elite Eight during the 2020-21 campaign. The Aggies also claimed an SEC regular-season title during the 2020-21 season.   Kogut helped train three Aggies who were drafted in by the NWSL, including No. 6 overall pick Ally Watt in 2020. The list also includes Addie McCain and Jimena Lopez, selected in 2020. Numerous other players who have earned professional contracts, including Barbara Olivieri (Monterrey), Taylor Ziemer (Breidalblik UBK), Asdis Halldorsdottir (Valur Reykjavik) and Cosette Morché (OL Reign).   Under Kogut’s mentorship, the Maroon & White landed a United Soccer Coaches All-America First Team player in each season between 2018-20 and a total of three All-Americans during the elongated 2020-21 campaign with Lopez (first team), McCain (second team) and Karlina Sample (third team).   During his tenure, 12 Aggies have landed on the All-SEC team, including a league-best four members on the All-SEC First Team in 2020. During the 2020 campaign he mentored the SEC Midfielder of the Year (McCain), SEC Co-Defenders of the Year (Lopez & Sample) and the SEC Freshman of the Year (Olivieri).   Kogut’s career has included stops in Colorado, West Virginia, Tennessee, Alabama and Illinois gathering soccer knowledge. A local product, Kogut recently returned to the area as a head coach in the Brazos Valley Cavalry Football Club system.   Prior to his return to BCS, Kogut served as assistant coach for the men’s and women’s soccer teams at Illinois College in Jacksonville for the 2017 season.   In March 2016, the College Station native was hired to start up the women’s soccer team at Glenville State University in West Virginia.   He was hired as an assistant women's soccer coach at Alderson Broaddus University in 2014 and spent two seasons at the Philippi, W.Va., institution. During his time at Alderson Broaddus, he was also involved in the Mountaineer United Soccer Club, the Barbour County Youth Soccer program and served as a West Virginia ODP staff coach.    In 2013, Kogut served as assistant men’s coach at Rhodes College in Memphis, Tenn. He worked primarily with the attack while at Rhodes, helping a unit that had scored 30 goals combined in the two previous seasons score 27 times in 2013, and saw six players named to the all-conference teams. Prior to Rhodes, Kogut spent two years as a graduate assistant at the University of Alabama. During his time at Alabama, Kogut served a media relations contact and radio color commentator for the women’s soccer program, which made the NCAA Tournament in 2011 for the first time in 13 seasons. Kogut also coordinated social media for the softball program, which won the national championship in 2012. While at Alabama, he was a staff coach for the Tuscaloosa United Soccer Club.   As a youth, Kogut played for the Brazos Magic Soccer Club from 1996-2003, the Classics/Soccer Club from 2003-04 and the Texas Premier Football Club in 2004-05. Kogut earned his B.A. in Technical Journalism and Mass Communications from Colorado State in 2010. He added a M.E. in Human Performance from Alabama in 2012.    

Colton Bryant enters his third season as assistant coach to Lamar University's women's soccer team. Previously, Bryant has spent stops at Jackson State, Columbia State Community College, Tennessee Southern, and Xavier. The 2023 season saw a second straight Southland Conference championship for the Cardinals in both the regular season and the tournament, the first time any SLC team achieved this feat since the conference's inception. LU posted a 15-3-3 record overall and went undefeated in the conference at 9-0-1. Bryant would help the program have a best 10 all-conference winners including first teamers Arely Alaniz (Defender of the Year), Alana Clark (Midfielder of the Year), Hollie Massey (Player of the Year), Nicole Panis (Goalkeeper of the Year), Cariel Ellis, Kaisa Juvonen, and Isela Ramirez along with second teamers Caragan Childs, Trinity Clark, and Maddie Janolo. LU would also receive national awards from Top Drawer Soccer for Panis (Player and National Team of the Week) and Cariel Ellis (College Soccer News Team of the Week) following a memorable 1-0 upset win over No.17 Xavier marking the first time ever LU had defeated a nationally ranked program. The Cardinals qualified for the NCAA Tournament losing to Texas in the first round. In his first season at Lamar, Bryant helped guide the Cardinals to a 15-2-2 record overall and the double by winning both the Southland Conference regular season title with a 10-1-1 record and the conference tournament. The Cardinals set a new record for the best start in program history going 9-0-1, which bested the previous mark in the spring of 2021. This team included six all-conference first teamers (Arely Alaniz, Cariel Ellis, Kaisa Juvonen, Christine Kitaru, Nicole Panis, and Isela Ramirez) and one second teamer (Trinity Clark). Alaniz would be named defensive player of the year while Panis, who broke the school record for wins and shutouts, was selected as goalkeeper of the year. LU reached the NCAA Tournament losing to LSU in the first round. Bryant joins LU after a stint as Assistant Coach to Jackson State's women's soccer program in 2021. He was previously the head coach of the first ever women's soccer team at Columbia State Community College in 2018. In the three seasons in Columbia, Tenn., the Chargers won back-to-back conference championships in 2019 and 2020 and achieve a national ranking of 14th in the latter season. In 2018, Bryant was an assistant coach for the Nashville Rhythm of the Women's Premier Soccer League. Prior to that, he was a youth development specialist for the Massive Soccer Academy down in South Florida. From 2012-2016, Bryant was a student assistant for the men's soccer team at University of Tennessee Southern of the NAIA. 2013 saw great success for the Firehawks as they went on a magical run to claim their first ever national championship as a program. Bryant has also spent time abroad in Argentina earning a UCEL Certificate of Excellence. In addition, he was a coaching intern for the Newell's Old Boys, an Argentine program based out of Rosario, Santa Fe. Bryant has a BA in Human Performance and Physical Education at UT Southern and a M.ED in Coaching Education and Athlete Development at Xavier University. Bryant is a native of Norman, Oklahoma.