Katie Ely joined the University of Georgia soccer staff as an assistant coach in January of 2015. Ely came to UGA after spending two seasons with the Missouri program where she served as an assistant coach to 19-year veteran Bryan Blitz.
In 2015, her first season working with UGA goalkeepers, Ely guided Louise Hogrell to national recognition while posting four shutouts. Under Ely, Hogrell led the SEC in saves and saves per game in 2015 and was named SEC Defensive Player of the Week on Oct. 26 and national honorable mention player of the week by TopDrawerSoccer.com on Oct. 27.
Ely worked primarily with the Tigers’ goalkeepers while in Columbia, helping McKenzie Sauerwein set a school record in saves in 2013. Sauerwein recorded six shutouts in 2014, helping the Tigers advance to the second round of the NCAA Tournament and a 12-7-3 record.
Prior to joining the Missouri staff, Ely spent two seasons as the goalkeeper coach at Duke where she worked on the same staff as then associate head coach Billy Lesesne. While at Duke, Ely helped the Blue Devils reach the 2011 and 2012 NCAA College Cup. The Blue Devil goalkeepers also set single season records in shutouts (16) and goals against average (0.48) under Ely’s direction.
Ely spent four seasons as an assistant coach at Syracuse before joining Missouri’s staff. While with the Orange, she coached goalkeepers who set the school’s career saves and shutouts records and earned All-Big East Rookie Team honors.
Ely graduated from Fairfield (Conn.) University in 2007, where she helped the Stags win the MAAC regular season title in 2002 and the MAAC Tournament title in 2007. She ranks first in school history in saves average, fifth in saves and sixth in wins, shutouts and goals against average.