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Richmond Kickers

Kickers Add Oregon State Goalkeeper Coach Evan Munn to Coaching Staff

January 17, 2024 - United Soccer League One (USL1)
Richmond Kickers News Release


RICHMOND, Va. - The Richmond Kickers are pleased to announce the hiring of Oregon State Men's Soccer Goalkeeper Coach Evan Munn to the club's technical staff. Munn will also join Richmond United as the Director of Goalkeeping.

Munn's addition to the staff of both the Richmond Kickers and Richmond United will allow for the continued modernization of the youth development pathway in the central Virginia area. Along with coaching the Kickers professional goalkeepers to compete in USL League One, he will work to help the RU goalkeepers develop and pursue their goals, whether they be with the Kickers' pro team, W League Richmond's pre-professional women's team, or at the collegiate level.

Munn joins the Kickers after serving on the Oregon State men's soccer team's coaching staff headed by Greg Dalby who led the Beavers to the NCAA Final Four during the Fall 2023 season. Munn worked directly with OSU's standout goalkeeper Luis Castillo who enjoyed a career year between the pipes. Castillo was an All-PAC-12 First Team honoree while posting six shutouts and only allowing three goals in five postseason games.

Before serving on Dalby's staff, Munn assisted the Bend Timbers FC's goalkeeping director and coached girl's teams from 2021-22. In 2021, he also coached at Philomath High School outside of Corvallis, Ore. when the Warriors claimed the Class 4A State Championship.

The Olympia, Wash. native reunites with Kickers' Chief Sporting Officer and Head Coach, Darren Sawatzky after Sawatzky coached Munn throughout his youth playing career in the Seattle Sounders Academy where Sawatzky was the director of the academy.

Munn's college career began at Tacoma Community College from 2015-16 where he was team captain and the team's most valuable player in his freshman and sophomore seasons. During his sophomore year, the Titans finished as Northwestern Athletic Conference Champions while posting a 13-2-7 record. Munn earned seven clean sheets, made 103 saves, and assisted three goals.

His success at TCC earned him a roster spot at New Mexico University in Division I during his junior season where he redshirted. Following the end of the 2017 season, the Lobos discontinued their men's soccer program, and Munn transferred to Oregon State to play for the Beavers. During his redshirt junior and senior seasons, Munn played alongside former Real Madrid youth keeper Adrián Fernández.

During the collegiate summer breaks, Munn again played for Sawatzky on the Seattle Sounders U23 team that competed in USL League Two further strengthening the pair's relationship. Munn also played with U23 club side Tacoma Narrows FC (formerly South Sound FC) who won the United States Adult Soccer Association (USASA) 2018 Open Championship.

Evan Munn, Richmond Kickers' Goalkeeping Coach and Richmond United Director of Goalkeeping said:

"I am extremely excited to work with Darren again and for the Richmond Kickers. Darren has been a long-time mentor to me and am grateful to be given the opportunity to win trophies with the first team and help develop the youth soccer scene in Richmond."

Darren Sawatzky, Richmond Kickers' Head Coach and Chief Sporting Officer said:

"Evan is a coach I have known for a long time. He played for me as an elite youth player in the Sounders Academy, as a young adult in the Sounders U23 team in USL League Two, and then he took his game to New Mexico and Oregon State to play Division I soccer. Through this process, he has been mentored by high-level professional goalkeeper coaches, and he has developed good goalkeepers while winning. He is a man of character and drive, which fits into the model we are continuing to build here in Richmond. We are elated to add another quality person and coach to the Richmond community."

Mika Elovaara, Richmond United Technical Director and Richmond Kickers' Head Assistant Coach said:

"My excitement for Evan's hire is two-fold. Our goalkeepers with the pro team will benefit tremendously from having a modern position-specific coach to work with them. With Richmond United, it has always been a priority for us to find a positive long-term solution for our goalkeeper coaching, and we have prioritized finding the best fit. In Evan, we finally found one, and I know the staff, players and families at RU share my joy for this hire."

Season Tickets are now available for the 2024 season! Fans can unlock massive savings, access to exclusive events, a complimentary CityStadium+ Membership and so much more. Be a part of every out-of-your-seat experience in 2024 with Season Tickets! Additional information can be found at richmondkickers.com/seasontickets.

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