James Kryger

  Director of Campus Recreation
  Alma Mater: Cleveland State/Campbell University
  E-mail: james_kryger@pba.edu
  Office Phone: (561) 803-2526

James Kryger has been the head coach of the Palm Beach Atlantic University women's soccer team since 2008 while recently transitioning into an additional role on campus as the Universities Director of Campus Recreation.

This new administrative role for Kryger will allow him to utilize his experience in facilities and sports management which includes the development of sports leagues, facilities maintenance, tournament scheduling and event planning.

He will continue to serve as the leader of the women's soccer program where he has successfully led his team to solid marks both on the soccer pitch and in the classroom.

Kryger led his program to new heights in 2010 as they made an appearance in the NCCAA National Championship match falling eventually in penalty kicks to be named the National Runner-Up.

Kryger's teams have also continued to prove successful in the classroom as they earned their fourth straight NSCAA/Adidas Team Academic Award following the 2011 season.

A total of seven PBA women's soccer players would go on to earn All-ICAA honors for the Fish in 2010 highlighted by forward Angie Kuhn and goalkeeper Allison Fox being named the ICAA Defensive Player of the Year and Freshman of the Year. Kryger would take home a much-deserved ICAA Coach of the Year honor as well as NCCAA South Region Coach of the Year accolades.

The Sailfish made history in December when they earned a first-round win at the NCCAA National Tournament as they would tally a second-round victory as well and move on to the NCCAA National Championship match versus #1-seed Spring Arbor University. After a 1-1 tie after regulation and overtime, the Fish would come up just short for the ultimate prize as they settled for a NCCAA Runner-Up finish after losing out to the Cougars in penalty kicks. The Blue and White became the first NCCAA South Region team to come away with a first-round victory at the NCCAA National Tournament before making their run to the title game.

Kryger led the team to a program-best record of 14-5-2 and their second-straight NCCAA South Region Championship which landed Coach Kryger the NCCAA South Region Coach of the Year honor. Senior Angie Kuhn was tabbed as the NCCAA South Region Player of the Year after a record-setting season for the Sailfish with a team-record of 27 goals scored. Kuhn would be named the NCCAA National Tournament Most Outstanding Offensive Player while garnering NCCAA All-American 1st-Team status. Joining Kuhn on the All-American 1st-Team was senior Alex Regin and sophomore Ashley Shoaf.

In addition to their success at the NCCAA National Tournament, Kryger's bunch also produced wins during the regular season over NCAA Division II institutions such as Ouachita Baptist University, Eckerd College, the University of South Carolina-Aiken, North Greenville University, Flagler College, and Chowan University while drawing a tie with Lynn University.

The Sailfish increased their win total by six victories from Kryger's first season in 2008 to 2009 while also earning the NCCAA South Region championship and a trip to the NCCAA National Tournament. The Fish finished 2-1 at NCCAA Nationals while closing out their season with a 3-1 victory over Dallas Baptist University.

For the second consecutive season, the Fish closed out the year in fine form as they won seven of their final eight matches including NCAA Division II wins over the likes of North Greenville University, Eckerd College, and Dallas Baptist University.

The 2008 season saw Kryger lead the Sailfish to four wins in their last five matches and monumental ties against nationally-ranked Rollins College and Lynn University. It was a win vs. NCAA Division I Texas Southern University that ended the season on a high note before he and his coaching staff hit the recruiting trail.

Kryger came to PBA with an extensive soccer coaching and playing career. Most recently the head coach of the Brevard County Expos, of the United Soccer League, a women’s professional team out of Cocoa Beach, Florida, where Kryger was named Sunshine Conference Coach of the year and led nine players over his three years as head coach to all-conference and all-league first-team selections. Kryger returned to his collegiate coaching roots by taking the helm of the Sailfish program after leading the Expos to an undefeated 11-0-1 season and a trip to the National Quarterfinals in 2008.

A former assistant coach and recruiting coordinator at NCAA Division I institutions Western Carolina University (2005-2006) and Campbell University (2003-2005), Kryger also was heavily involved with the Olympic Development Program during his time in North Carolina.

A native of St. Catharine’s Ontario, Kryger has served as a head coach for over 10 years at the internationally renowned Vogelsinger Nike Soccer Academy, which is based in California, and was formerly directed by Hubert Vogelsinger one of the original master soccer coaches in the US.

No stranger to the NCAA Division II level, Kryger began his collegiate playing career at Wheeling Jesuit University in Wheeling, West Virgina, playing two seasons in goal for the NCAA Division II institution. He earned all-conference honors in both 1999 and 2000 and also was a key part of the Cardinals WVIAC champion track and field team. In 2000, he finished with a 8 shutouts and a 1.25 goals-against average, which ranked 15th nationally among NCAA Division II goalies.

Following his sophomore season at Wheeling Jesuit, Kryger transferred to Cleveland State University where he was a two-year starter for the Vikings. In 25 career matches he recorded 121 saves in goal. He graduated in 2001 with a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology, with a focus in sports psychology. He also holds a masters degree in Exercise Science from Campbell University.

Kryger was forced into the coaching profession prematurely after an injury cut short his professional playing career. Kryger backstopped international Finn Harps Football Club of the Irish Premier Division and Ipswich Town Football Club in England's first division. After graduating from Cleveland State in 2001, Kryger was drafted by the Toronto Lynx of the North America A-League, where he played two seasons in goal before suffering the retirement-forcing injury.

In addition to his coaching and playing experience, Kryger also holds coaching licenses from the United States Soccer Federation (USSF), the National Soccer Coaches Association of America (NSCAA), and the Canadian Soccer Association (CSA).