FSU Soccer: Reaction to Mark Krikorian leaving the program he built
By Kelvin Hunt
FSU soccer lost an absolute legend Tuesday when coach Mark Krikorian announced he would be leaving the program for a new chapter.
The news comes as a bit of a surprise with the Noles winning their third national title last season.
The team will return a lot of that firepower, and it’ll be interesting to see what direction Krikorian decides to go.
Will he coach professionally or go to another D1 school?
BREAKING: #FSU soccer coach Mark Krikorian has announced he’s leaving FSU in an e-mail sent to members of the local media.
— Curt Weiler (@CurtMWeiler) March 29, 2022
An absolute legend who built that program into the best in the country is stepping away. pic.twitter.com/cgJ4isgCAd
Twitter Reaction
If you had told 2019 Ira that we were gonna go through a worldwide pandemic and that by March 2022, Mark Krikorian and Sue Semrau would no longer be coaching at FSU, I’m not sure which would have been more surprising.
— Ira Schoffel (@IraSchoffel) March 29, 2022
Probably not the pandemic.
Strange timing, from the expected to unexpected. Brooke Wyckoff named FSU head coach for women’s basketball, per release. Mark Krikorian stepping down from FSU Soccer, per statement he shared with media.
— Jim Henry﮷ (@JimHenryTALLY) March 29, 2022
Thank you Coach Mark Krikorian for meeting with me when @TLHSoccerClub was just an idea. Absolutely true story: while sitting with him in his office, coach called Josh Bruno on speaker phone and set up the meeting that lead to Josh becoming the TLHSC coach.
— Chris Petley, ⚔🦁Battle Lion (@ChrisPetley) March 29, 2022
Hell of a career 👏🐐
Thank you for everything, Mark Krikorian. Another shining example of why FSU will always be #CoachesU.
— Barrett Weyneth (@barrettweyneth) March 29, 2022
Mark Krikorian stepping down and Coach Wyckoff getting promoted to head coach of the basketball team at the exact same time on a Tuesday afternoon has thrown my whole day in a loop
— Jeremy 🗿 (@jeremy_jdavj) March 29, 2022
The conversation about best coaches to ever come through FSU is incomplete if you’re not mentioning Mark Krikorian https://t.co/ovr5jFf7dd
— Alex Krutchik (@AlexKrutchikFOF) March 29, 2022
Thoughts
I find it difficult to believe he’ll go to another university to coach, especially since he apparently received a generous contract offer. However, Krikorian pointed out it wasn’t about the money. The last information I could find on his contract situation was back in 2016 when he signed a four-year deal that went through the 2020 season. Maybe he wants another challenge?
His base salary was $225,000 with supplemental compensation that escalated each year. Krikorian took over at FSU soccer in 2005 and amassed a 310-67-36 record, which ranked No. 15 all-time in NCAA women’s soccer for wins. It was a sport and conference dominated by North Carolina upon Krikorian’s arrival in Tallahassee.
North Carolina won the ACC conference regular season from 2001 to 2008 and had several consecutive streaks before then. They also won the ACC Tournament from 1989 to 2009, with 2004 as the only year they didn’t win it.
However, FSU soccer began to establish itself under the leadership of Krikorian, winning the ACC regular-season title in 2009, 2012, 2014, and 2020. They won the ACC Tournament in 2011, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2018, 2020, and 2021.
North Carolina won 17 national titles before Krikorian arrived in Tallahassee and was a runner-up three other times. However, they only won four after Krikorian came to FSU, only besting FSU soccer by one.
FSU was runner-up on three other occasions under his leadership. It’s nearly the equivalent of what Bobby Bowden did when FSU football joined the ACC. FSU Athletic Director Michael Alford hasn’t had much downtime since assuming the role on January 3rd. It’ll be his second head coach to replace after FSU women’s basketball coach Sue Semrau retired, with FSU alum and assistant coach Brooke Wyckoff replacing her Tuesday.
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