Ivan Franco

Bio

Ivan Franco, a native of Gainesville, Texas, begins his first year as men’s head soccer coach. Franco was recently promoted to the head coach position of the men’s soccer team after serving as the assistant coach for both the men’s and women’s soccer teams during the 2023–2024 season.

During his time as assistant coach, Franco helped lead the Hill College men’s team to a record of 7-5-4, winning the regional championship and advancing to the district championship, where they narrowly missed a spot in the national tournament. The women’s team had a notable season as well, finishing with a record of 13-3-2. They won both the region and district championships, and ended the season with a strong showing at the national tournament.

Franco brings a wealth of experience both as a player and a coach. He completed his soccer career at the University of Texas at Permian Basin (UTPB), an NCAA Division II school in the Lone Star Conference, where he started five games and made seven appearances before a season-ending injury. He began his coaching career as a volunteer student assistant coach at UTPB and spent three consecutive years volunteering and assisting at Gainesville High School during winter breaks.

Prior to UTPB, Franco played at Davis and Elkins College in West Virginia, contributing to a school record of 26-3-3 over two seasons and helping the team reach the NCAA tournament while being nationally ranked.

He began his collegiate soccer career at Hill College, where he served as a captain from 2018–2020, leading the team to a Region V Championship and a district tournament appearance with a combined record of 22-9.

Franco received his associate degree in kinesiology from Hill College. He then attended Davis and Elkins College in Elkins, West Virginia, where he received his bachelor’s degree in exercise science, and then went on to complete his master’s in sports administration at Southeastern Oklahoma State, graduating in May 2024.