Neil Jones took over as head coach of the Wisconsin men's soccer program for the start of the 2022 season.
Since his arrival in Madison, UW has regularly enjoyed top-20 recruiting classes and has helped the program make steady progress on the pitch, climbing in win percentage each season.
In 2024, Jones coached Big Ten Freshman of the Year Dean Boltz, who went on to become the highest Badger drafted in history at No. 3 in the MLS SuperDraft by the Chicago Fire. Top Drawer Soccer also recognized four Badger freshmen among the nation's top 100 with Matthew Zachemski, Julian Kuhr and Matisse Hébert joining Boltz on the list. As a team, UW went 7-5-3, including wins at No. 16 Kentucky and against No. 12 UCLA. The Badgers reached as high as No. 8 in the national rankings.
He served his second season as head coach for the Wisconsin men's soccer team in 2023, finishing 6-5-6, after leading the Badgers to a 6-6-4 finish his first season in 2022. Three of his players, Tim Bielic, Max Keenan, and Birgir Baldvinsson made the All-Big Ten Second Team. He previously was the head coach for the Loyola Ramblers for nine seasons.
Jones arrived in Madison with a diverse list of successes ranging from an NCAA title and NCAA tournament appearances to conference championships.
Among those accomplishments are a pair of Missouri Valley Conference championships and NCAA tournament appearances at Loyola, including the first NCAA win in program history. His teams played in three consecutive MVC championship games from 2018 to the spring of 2021. He also led the 2014 and 2016 Missouri Valley Conference Coaching Staffs of the Year.
Jones finished 82-54-26 (.586) in his nine years leading the Ramblers, with his teams also maintaining at least a 3.0 grade-point average in each campaign.
Before Loyola, Jones served as associate head coach at Northwestern for three seasons, helping aid the Wildcats to 2011 and 2012 Big Ten regular-season titles and the 2011 Big Ten Tournament championship. The 2012 team reached the NCAA round of 16. The squad went 32-19-11 during his time in Evanston.
Serving as an assistant coach at his alma mater, the University of California, Santa Barbara, Jones' teams made four NCAA tournament appearances (2006-09) in his time, culminating in the 2006 NCAA championship. The team also won Big West Conference championships in 2006, 2007 and 2009. The Gauchos finished 57-23-12 during his coaching tenure.
A two-year captain, two-time All-Big West selection, an Academic All-American and Big West Scholar Athlete of the Year, Jones played for a UCSB squad that reached the 2004 NCAA final and competed in the 2002 and 2003 NCAA tournaments. The team went a remarkable 66-15-7 during his four years on the pitch.
A native of Auckland, New Zealand, Jones represented his country internationally, playing at the under-17, under-20, under-23 and Full International levels.
In addition to his collegiate coaching experience, Jones boasts time since 2016 as a USA national team scout at the regional and national level for U-15, U-16, U-17 and U-18 boys. He also spent 2012 through 2020 as a professional match evaluator for MLS.
He holds bachelor's and master's degrees from UC Santa Barbara and a United States Soccer Federation 'A' coaching license.
Jones' Coaching Record
| Season |
Position |
Team |
Record |
Notes |
| 2024 |
Head Coach |
Wisconsin |
7-5-3 |
|
| 2023 |
Head Coach |
Wisconsin |
6-5-6 |
|
| 2022 |
Head Coach |
Wisconsin |
6-6-4 |
|
| Total |
|
|
19-16-13 (.531) |
|
| 2021 |
Head Coach |
Loyola Chicago |
9-5-2 |
|
| 2020 |
Head Coach |
Loyola Chicago |
7-4-2 |
|
| 2019 |
Head Coach |
Loyola Chicago |
11-5-4 |
NCAA Tournament First Round, MVC tournament champion |
| 2018 |
Head Coach |
Loyola Chicago |
10-7-2 |
|
| 2017 |
Head Coach |
Loyola Chicago |
7-8-3 |
|
| 2016 |
Head Coach |
Loyola Chicago |
14-4-1 |
NCAA Tournament Second Round; MVC regular season champion |
| 2015 |
Head Coach |
Loyola Chicago |
10-4-5 |
|
| 2014 |
Head Coach |
Loyola Chicago |
8-6-5 |
|
| 2013 |
Head Coach |
Loyola Chicago |
6-11-2 |
|
| Total |
|
|
82-54-26 (.586) |
|
| Combined |
|
|
101-81-39 (.545) |
|
| 2012 |
Assistant |
Northwestern |
13-6-4 |
NCAA Tournament Round of 16 |
| 2011 |
Assistant |
Northwestern |
21-4-1 |
NCAA Tournament First Round; Big Ten regular season champion; Big Ten conference champion |
| 2010 |
Assistant |
Northwestern |
8-8-2 |
|
| 2009 |
Assistant |
UC Santa Barbara |
17-5-2 |
NCAA Tournament Round of 16; Big West Champion |
| 2008 |
Assistant |
UC Santa Barbara |
10-7-5 |
NCAA Tournament Second Round |
| 2007 |
Assistant |
UC Santa Barbara |
13-4-4 |
NCAA Tournament Round of 16; Big West Champion |
| 2006 |
Assistant |
UC Santa Barbara |
17-7-1 |
NCAA Tournament Champions; Big West Champion |
PLAYING HISTORY
• Three NCAA tournament appearances as a player at UC Santa Barbara (record: 66-15-7)
• 2004 NCAA runner-up at UC Santa Barbara as player
• Two-time team captain
• Two-time All-Big West selection
• Academic All-American
• Big West Scholar-Athlete of the Year
• New Zealand National Team (U17, U20, U23, Full International)
NOTABLE
• Highest MLS SuperDraft pick in Wisconsin history
• Big Ten Freshman of the Year
• Missouri Valley Conference Coaching Staff of the Year (2014, 2016)
• Four MVC Players of the Year
• Three Loyola players chosen in MLS SuperDraft
• Coached 10 Loyola players who moved on to professional soccer
