Michigan State Soccer Camps and Clinics

Men's Coaching Staff

Damon Rensing
Head Coach

Former MSU soccer standout Damon Rensing became the fifth head coach in Spartan history on January 1, 2009 after taking over for the legendary Joe Baum, who guided MSU for 32 seasons.

The 2024 season was Rensing’s 16th season as head coach, after serving as an assistant coach for 10 seasons at his alma mater. In his 15 seasons at the helm of the Spartans, Rensing has compiled an impressive 143-105-44 record (.565).

Rensing was named MSU's head coach designate on Aug. 14, 2008 after Baum decided to make 2008 his final season as head coach. Rensing has spent nearly half his life in the Green and White with four years as varsity letterwinner, one season as an assistant with the women's program and 10 seasons in his previous position. In his first 11 years as head coach, the Spartans have made eight NCAA tournament campaigns, including a run to the Spartans' first College Cup in 50 years in 2018.

Last season, Michigan State had a solid season going 7-2-7 overall and went 3-1-4 in Big Ten play. The Spartans went 13 games unbeaten. Sophomore midfielder Jonathan Stout captured first-team honors, while Jeremy Sharp and Jake Spadaford took second-team honors. Stout also earned Academic All-American and All-Region honors.

In 2021, the Spartans went 6-9-2 with a 2-4-2 Big Ten record. Senior forward Farai Mutatu and senior midfielder Jack Beck both captured first-team All-B1G honors. Mutatu went on to be the 21st overall draft pick in the MLS SuperDraft by the LA Galaxy.

The 2019 season was full of injury and transition as Michigan State played much of the season without Hermann Trophy watch list players Patrick Nielsen and Giuseppe Barone. The Spartans finished the season with 3-12-3 record. Nielsen and Michael Wetungu were both selected on the first day of the MLS SuperDraft with Nielsen going in the first round and Wetungu in the second.

The 2018 season was historic as MSU recorded a 14-5-4 overall record en route to its first College Cup appearance under Rensing. Midfielder Giuseppe Barone captured first-team All-American honors as well as being named Big Ten Midfielder of the Year. Michigan State had another first when three Spartans were drafted on the first day of the MLS SuperDraft with DeJuan Jones and Ryan Sierakowski going in the first round and Jimmy Hague being drafted in the second.

The Spartan reached the Elite Eight in 2017 with a 13-3-4 overall record and a stellar 5-0-3 record in Big Ten action. Michigan State continued its dominating play at home with a 7-1-2 record at DeMartin. MSU used home NCAA Tournament wins against Virginia Tech and Western Michigan to reach the Elite Eight. MSU was stopped in penalty kicks by Big Ten foe Indiana.

In 2016, the Spartans returned to the NCAA Tournament, hosting the first round in East Lansing. MSU ended the season with a 13-5-2 record, including going undefeated at DeMartin Stadium with a 9-0-2 record. The nine wins were the most-ever at home. Freshman Giuseppe Barone captured Big Ten Freshman of the Year honors, while sophomore Ryan Sierakowski earned first-team All-Big Ten honors. Juniors Jimmy Fiscus and Ken Krolicki joined redshirt-sophomore Jimmy Hague as second-team All-B1G honorees. Sierakowski, Hague, Fiscus and Krolicki all earned All-Region honors as well.

The Spartans ended the 2014 season with a 12-5-6 record overall and were 4-2-2 in Big Ten action. The 2013 season also saw Rensing named the NSCAA Regional Coach of the Year, while Kevin Cope earned All-America honors and was eventually selected as the 25th pick in the MLS Super Draft. Fatai Alashe was selected as the fourth pick overall by the San Jose Earthquakes in the 2015 MLS SuperDraft. His selection in the first round of the draft marks the highest-ever in school history, surpassing first-round pick Doug DeMartin in 2009.

In 2012, he guided MSU to its third Big Ten Tournament title in school history as the Spartans topped Michigan in overtime, 2-1.

Under Rensing's leadership, the Spartans have received 32 All-Big Ten and 22 NSCAA All-Region selections, in addition to 10 players that were named to the Big Ten All-Tournament Team. The Spartans' performance in the classroom during Rensing's tenure has been equally impressive. Over the last 13 years, MSU has received 128 Academic All-Big Ten selections and 47 Big Ten Distinguished Scholar selections.

During his 10 years as an assistant at Michigan State, Rensing helped lead the Spartans to the 2004 and 2008 Big Ten Tournament championships as well as the 2008 conference regular-season crown. Rensing was instrumental in helping the program to its first four trips to the NCAA Tournament (2001, 2004, 2007 and 2008) since 1969. During his time as an assistant, Rensing tutored 17 different First Team All-Big Ten performers and nine different NSCAA-All Region honorees. Rensing also worked with three NSCAA All-America selections - Ryan McMahen (2005), Doug DeMartin (2008) and Jay Chapman (2014). Both McMahen (80 points, 26 goals) and DeMartin (85 points, 38 goals) rank in the MSU all-time top 10 in both points and goals. Sixteen players Rensing has recruited and coached, including John Minagawa-Webster (2005), McMahen (2006), Kevin Reiman (2008), Rauwshan McKenzie (2008), DeMartin (2009), Cope (2013), Alashe (2015), Carroll (2016), Krolicki (2018), Jones (2019), Sierakowksi (2019), Hague (2019), Nielsen (2020), Wetungu (2020), Giuseppe Barone (2021) and Farai Mutatu (2022) have been drafted by MLS teams.

Rensing began his coaching career in 1997 when he assisted with the MSU women's soccer team before moving to UNLV when former MSU women's assistant Staci Hendershott was appointed head coach of that program. While at UNLV, he helped that club to an overall record of 8-10-1 along with a No. 3 national ranking for first-year programs. In addition, he coached the Las Vegas Premier Soccer U-17 Team to a state championship. After one year at UNLV, Rensing returned to East Lansing in 1999 where he became an assistant coach on Baum's staff.

In 2004, Rensing was promoted to associate head coach following the 2004 season. Rensing was a four-time letterwinner and three-year starter for MSU (1993-96). His senior year saw him capture All-Big Ten first-team recognition after picking up 14 points on five goals and four assists. He was a second-team All-Big Ten honoree as a sophomore and junior. During his four years, he played in 74 matches, 55 as a starter, totaling seven goals and 13 assists for 27 points.

Rensing earned his bachelor's degree from MSU in communication in 1997. He married the former Daune Koester in May 2004. The couple has two children, Anna and Drew.

Reid Friedrichs
Assistant Coach

Michigan State head men's soccer coach Damon Rensing announced the addition of Reid Friedrichs to the coaching staff in April of 2023.

"We are really excited to welcome Reid Friedrichs and his family back home to MSU. Throughout this process I spoke to current players, alums, and past assistant coaches about what is best for the program and what the current team needs. Reid kept standing out," Rensing said. "He has a great energy about him. He will develop quality relationships and be able to work with both individuals and groups to grow their game, while referencing his own experiences as a Big Ten player. Reid's college soccer career speaks for itself. Lastly, and equally important, Reid is a Spartan. He bleeds green and white and understands what it means to put on the Spartan Jersey and represent MSU and the MSU soccer family."

Friedrichs will join former his MSU teammates' staff along with assistant coach TJ Kolba.

"I am as fired up to take this job as I was when I signed my letter of intent to get an education and come play here at MSU back in 1992," Friedrichs said upon returning to MSU. "It's been a long time since then, but my love for this place has only grown.  I have always called Michigan State my second home ever since I left here in 1996.

"To call it my first home again is not only an honor, but also a privilege. I want to thank head coach Damon Rensing for offering me the position, the Michigan State athletic administration staff for approving the hire and the players for welcoming me back to this program I love so much. I feel I have so much to give back to the place that set me up to have the most successful college soccer career and life's path after school. I feel I owe it to the boys to try and do the same thing for them that my coaches and MSU did for me. And I couldn't be more excited to do so. To be able come back here and share my knowledge, passion, emotion and experience with this great staff (Damon, TJ and Nick Barry ) and high quality players and young men, it is simply a dream come true."

In 2022, he became the head coach of the Marian High School girls soccer team after serving as an assistant coach for the last four seasons.

Prior to coaching at Marian High School, Friedrichs led both the boys and girls teams at Livonia Churchill and also coached at Warren DeLaSalle. He also has club experience with Liverpool FC and Vardar SC as well as experience with the Olympic Development Program, Alma College and the Flint City Bucks at the semi-pro level.

Most recently, he served as a member of the ECNL Girls staff after coaching with Vardar's program since 2019. He has vast coaching experience on many levels, including club, ODP, high school, college and semi-pro levels.

Over the last 20 years, Reid has coached at Livonia Churchill (both boys and girls teams), Warren DeLaSalle (boys), and currently at Marian High School.

Friedrichs was a four-year letterwinner for Michigan State from 1993-96, holding the Michigan State career record for saves with 363. He also stands atop the Spartan record books in save percentage .864 and is third in wins with 36.

He captured Big Ten Player of the Year honors in 1996, becoming the first Spartan to earn the honor. Friedrichs also earned first-team All-Big Ten honors in both 1995 and 1996. He also was named Michigan State Athlete of the Year in 1996.

After graduation, he played and coached for the semi-pro Mid-Michigan Bucks (now Flint City Bucks) and also coached one season at Alma College.

Nick Barry
Assistant Coach

Nick Barry enters his third season at Michigan State in 2025. He comes to East Lansing after spending time as the Men’s Assistant Coach at Albion College from 2017-2019.

The Wheaton, Illinois native brings a wealth of knowledge and experience to the program, having both played and coached collegiate soccer.

"I would like to thank Athletic Director Matt Arend and Coach Wytse Molenaar for helping me develop as a coach in my time at Albion College. I would like to thank Coach Rensing for the opportunity to join one of the most well-respected programs in college soccer."

Prior to MSU, Nick was a goalkeeper at the University of Wisconsin – Oshkosh (2011-2014) where he graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in History as well as playing on various club teams (Milwaukee Torrent - 2015-2017 & AFC Ann Arbor - 2018) throughout his soccer career.

Barry earned his graduate degree from Lakeland University with a Master’s in Leadership and Organizational Development and holds his USSF National D License.