The 2023seasonmarks Trent Painter's13th season as an assistant coach for the UC San Diego women's soccer program. His primary responsibility is to direct the Triton goalkeepers. He also served in the same capacity for the UC San Diego men's team for four years from 2011-14.
Painter has developed his goalies to achieve great success during his time in La Jolla.In 2021, UC San Diego's first competing in NCAA Division I and the Big West, Paintercoached the Triton keepers as they finished third in the conference in saves per game, with 4.94. First-year keeper Keara Fitzgerald was named to the All-Big West Freshman Team. Fitzgerald teamed with fellow first-year goalkeeper Grace Taylor to play every single minute in goal that season.
In 2019, Triton goalkeeper Angelica Ramos was among the best in the nation. At the end of the season, Ramos ranked first in the country in goals against average (0.355), second in shutouts (14), and fourth in save percentage (0.891). While helpingthe Tritons to a California Collegiate Athletic Association (CCAA) Tournament title, Ramos did not allow a goal throughout the entire tournament and was ultimately named the CCAA Tournament Defensive Team. Ramos finished the season with numerous other accolades, including D2CCA All-America, D2CCA All-West Region, CCAA Goalkeeper of the Year, and All-CCAA First Team.
The year before, Ramos earned an All-CCAAhonorable mention, the second of her career. In the net, Ramos helped UC San Diego (19-3-2) to CCAA regular-season and tournament crowns, as well as a West Region title. In 2017, Ramos picked up United Soccer Coaches All-West Region Third Team, CCAA Newcomer of the Year and All-CCAA honorable mention distinction. UC San Diego (17-2-3) won a second CCAA regular-season banner in a row in unbeaten fashion (10-0-1), third consecutive CCAA Tournament crown, and first West Region title since 2012.
Kelcie Brodsky previously earned postseason recognition from the CCAA for each of her four years in the program from 2012-15, with a pair of second-team All-CCAA selections. She broke an 11-year-old school record for single-season saves (114) as a freshman in 2012, adding National Soccer Coaches Association of America (NSCAA) All-West Region Second Team distinction with the sixth-best save percentage (.884) and 15th-best goals-against average (0.595) nationally. Brodsky later set UC San Diego's career saves mark.
Itzel Gonzalez took over for Brodsky in 2016, and all she did was post 15 individual clean sheets, a single-season record for the program's NCAA Division II era, and achieved All-America, All-West Region and All-CCAA First Team honors. UC San Diego managed to do something that the storied program had never done before, producing an unbeaten and untied CCAA mark of 12-0 en route to a first CCAA regular-season crown and then a record 10th and second consecutive CCAA Tournament banner. The Tritons fell to eventual national champion Western Washington in the West Region final, 2-1 in overtime in Golden, Colo., to wind up with a 19-3 overall record.
In his first go-around on the La Jolla campus, Painter mentored Kristin Armstrong, a third-team Daktronics All-American as well as the Daktronics West Region Player of the Year and the CCAA Most Valuable Defensive Player in 2011. She was second in the nation in GAA (0.348) and fifth in save percentage (.892).
On the men's side, Painter coached two-time All-American and two-time CCAA Defensive Player of the Year Josh Cohen from 2011-13. Cohen led all of Division II in GAA (0.397) and save percentage (.898) as a junior in 2012, and was fifth in GAA (0.517) a year later while again pacing the league. Cameron McElfresh took over and picked up All-CCAA honorable mention in his first season as the full-time starter in 2014, finishing ninth nationally with a 0.652 GAA.
In total, Painter's pupils have been named an All-American four times and the CCAA Defensive Player of the Year on three occasions, and garnered All-CCAA recognition 10 times. He was a member of the 2016 NSCAA Division II West Region Staff of the Year under the award's new format.
Cohen has gone on to start for Burlingame Dragons FC (2015) in the Premier Development League (PDL), Orange County Blues FC (2015-16) of the United Soccer League (USL), Phoenix Rising FC (USL, 2017) and Sacramento Republic FC (USL, 2018). In the fall of 2018, Gonzalez is in her third season as the starter for nearby Club Tijuana, or Xolos, in the Mexican top division, LIGA MX Femenil.
In addition to his duties at UC San Diego, Painter has been closely involved with San Diego youth soccer over the last several years. He currently works in the La Jolla Impact club system, and is the girl's varsity head coach at San Diego Jewish Academy (SDJA).
Painter previously trained goalkeepers for the Del Mar Carmel Valley Sharks, doubling as the head coach for San Pasqual High School's junior varsity team. He came to UC San Diego from nearby Cal State San Marcos, where he instructed the goalies in 2010 while also coaching a pair of U-11 and U-12 boy's teams for Villa FC.
Painter guided the Fury FC boy's U-16 squad to Rotary Cup and Presidio League titles in 2008. His sides then finished first in the Charity Cup and third at the Nott's Forest Cup in 2009.
Painter earned his bachelor's degree in liberal studies from Cal State San Marcos in 2011.
