With nearly two decades of experience as a coach at the Division I level, JJ Wozniak was named an assistant coach with the Sacramento State women’s soccer program beginning with the 2026 campaign.
“JJ is someone I’ve developed a close relationship with—as both a friend and a fellow coach—since his time at UNLV,” Head Coach Tim Strader said. “His ability to connect with student-athletes, his strengths as a recruiter with deep ties throughout the Central Valley and Northern California, and his commitment to player development are all qualities I’m excited for our student-athletes to experience.
“We have big goals as a program to compete for championships and make deep postseason runs, and JJ brings a wealth of experience that will complement the strengths of our coaching staff, both as a former goalkeeper and as a tactician. I’m thrilled to welcome JJ, his wife Carrie, and his son Jacob to our Hornet soccer family.”
Wozniak joins the Hornets’ sideline after spending five seasons (2021-24) at nearby Pacific, joining the staff as an assistant coach prior to the 2020 campaign, which was delayed until the spring due to the pandemic, before taking over as Co-Head Coach for the final four years.
In July of 2021, he was elevated to the position of Co-Head Coach and made an immediate impact, guiding the Tigers to a 10-6-3 overall record — the program’s best in 12 years — including an 8-1-1 non-conference record. The team finished with nine shutouts on the year as junior Brenna Crump was named the West Coast Conference Goalkeeper of the Year and Wozniak was named the WCC Coach of the Year along with Co-Head Coach Danesha Adams.
A year later, Wozniak helped Pacific out to another quick start with a 5-0-6 mark in non-conference play, including a win over perennial power Santa Clara, and finished with 10 points in the WCC standings — an improvement of two points over the previous season and finished 7-3-10 overall.
In all, three of his four seasons as Co-Head Coach ended with records of .500 or better, which included a 9-9-1 mark in 2023. He left Stockton having won 28 matches and drawing 15 more.
Prior to taking the position with the Tigers, Wozniak was the Associate Head Coach at UNLV from 2015-19, helping lead the Rebels to the 2016 Mountain West Conference regular season and conference tournament titles while posting a 57-40-7 overall record during his tenure.
He helped guide UNLV to four consecutive double-digit win seasons while in Las Vegas, including a 16-4-3 record during that championship 2016 campaign en route to an NCAA Tournament berth. While with the Rebels, Wozniak mentored 15 All-Mountain West selections, including the 2016 league offensive (Lily Sender) and defensive (Chidera Akubuilo) players of the year, and the program’s first-ever All-American in Sender.
A native of San Diego, Calif., Wozniak’s collegiate coaching career began as an assistant coach in charge of goalkeepers for the Fresno State men’s program from 2000-03, then served three seasons as the top assistant for the men’s program at Belmont University from 2011-13.
Outside of his collegiate experience, Wozniak held the title of Director of Coach for Cal Odyssey SC from 2002-2011 and again from 2014-2015. He first started with the program as an Assistant Director of Coaching and Director of Soccer Operations in March of 2002 before being promoted to Director of Coaching in April of 2007. Wozniak's teams saw much success, as California Odyssey was one of the original 63 clubs invited into the US Soccer National Development Academy. The program won five national championships under Wozniak's guidance while having back-to-back Development Academy National Finalists in 2009 and 2010.
He also served as the Director of Coaching for Downtown Las Vegas SC from 2015-2017, while also coaching ECNL and ECRL teams for Heat FC from 2017-2020.
Wozniak played collegiately at Saint Louis and Fresno State, twice earning all-region honors and Mountain Pacific Sports Federation laurels in 1995. He went on to a professional career in Major League Soccer with the LA Galaxy and San Jose Clash (now Earthquakes) as well as time in the USL and USISL where he was named the league’s goalkeeper of the year award in 1997 and 2001.
Graduating from Fresno State with a degree in sociology in 2000, Wozniak also holds a National “B” Coaching License from the United States Soccer Federation.
