New York's Wolyniec Earns USL Coach of the Year Honor

November 2, 2016 - United Soccer League Championship (USL) News Release

TAMPA, Fla. - The United Soccer League announced today New York Red Bulls II Head Coach John Wolyniec had been voted the 2016 USL Coach of the Year after leading the club to a record-setting regular season that was capped by a victory in the 2016 USL Cup Final, Presented by Nike.

The 2016 USL Awards were voted on by team management and a league-wide media panel that included representation from every USL market. Voting was conducted following the conclusion of the 2016 USL regular season.

"I feel like I have a nice, even-keel personality that allows me to be both honest with players, but at the same time encouraging of players," Wolyniec said. "I try and work all that in, and I feel like I tick off a lot of the boxes that you would want in a coach that says, 'all right, I'm going to take this player from A, to B, to C.' I enjoy it, and anything you enjoy doing you go at it with passion and hard work, and usually you're successful."

USLSoccer.com: NYRBII's Wolyniec Puts Tools to Use

Appointed to lead the Red Bulls II prior to the club's inaugural season, Wolyniec and his side set numerous milestones on their way to both the USL Regular Season Championship and the 2016 USL Cup. A club legend on the field during his days with NYRB and the N.Y./N.J. MetroStars, Wolyniec helped push forward some of the club's top young players to standout seasons, including USL 20 Under 20 selections Tyler Adams, Junior Flemmings and Derrick Etienne Jr.

The Red Bulls II set USL regular-season records for total wins with 21 as the side ended the regular season on a 10-game undefeated streak that included nine victories. New York also set regular-season records for goals scored (61), points (69) and road victories (13), while also conceding the fewest goals of any team in the USL.

New York's season was capped by its first USL Cup, which saw Wolyniec's side defeat the Swope Park Rangers 5-1 on October 23 at Red Bull Arena in the 2016 USL Cup Final.

2016 USL Awards

Goalkeeper of the Year: Mitch Hildebrandt, FC Cincinnati

Defender of the Year: Aaron Long, New York Red Bulls II

Coach of the Year: John Wolyniec, New York Red Bulls II

Rookie of the Year: Announced November 3

Most Valuable Player: Announced November 4

USL

The United Soccer League, the longest-standing professional affiliate member of U.S. Soccer, is the largest professional soccer league in the United States and Canada, and the world, with 29 teams in 19 U.S. states and three Canadian provinces during the recent 2016 season. The USL has more than doubled in size since 2014 and built a stable, highly competitive professional soccer league on a national footprint with strong ownership groups in major markets positioned for long-term success. The 2016 season marked the introduction of six teams - Bethlehem Steel FC, FC Cincinnati, Orlando City B, Rio Grande Valley FC, San Antonio FC and the Swope Park Rangers. The league has confirmed the additions of Reno 1868 FC, the Tampa Bay Rowdies and Ottawa Fury FC in 2017 and Nashville SC in 2018. The USL's teams are divided into two conferences - Eastern and Western - with each team playing 32 regular season games starting in 2017. In addition to league play, USL teams compete in the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup as well as various domestic and international exhibitions. The USL is the strongest U.S. men's professional soccer league below Major League Soccer. Follow the USL at USLSoccer.com, on YouTube (www.YouTube.com/USL), and on social media via Twitter, Facebook, Vine and Instagram.

New York's Wolyniec Earns USL Coach of the Year Honor

United Soccer League Championship Stories from November 2, 2016

• NYRB II's John Wolyniec Named USL Coach of the Year - New York Red Bulls II
• ESPN, MLS All-Star Taylor Twellman to Emcee FC Cincinnati Town Hall - FC Cincinnati
• New York's Wolyniec Earns USL Coach of the Year Honor - USL
• New York's Wolyniec Earns USL Coach of the Year Honor - USL

The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.