A new era is underway for the Green Bay Phoenix Women’s Soccer team following the introduction of a whole new coaching staff. Leading the charge for this team is head coach Matt Kagan, accompanied by assistant coach Josh Davis, and both are bringing fresh energy, vision, and structure to a program looking to make a name for themselves once again. With these new additions, the Phoenix are poised to start a new chapter and have an impact in the Horizon League.
Head coach Matt Kagan joins the Phoenix with a plethora of high level coaching experience. He was the head coach at Oregon State from 2019 to 2021, where he was also in charge of turning the program around. They took over the beavers following a 2-17 season, and they went on to finish with an 11-6-2 record, which was the best turnaround in the NCAA that season. Additionally, Kagan gave the Beavers a new offensive prospect as they went from scoring just six goals the previous year to 31 in 2019. He went on to be the assistant coach at Washington State, where he helped the backline to the second-best goals against average in program history, allowing just 0.59 goals per game. Kagan also helped the Cougars to a second-round NCAA appearance.
Assistant coach Josh Davis completes the coaching staff, bringing a wealth of knowledge. Davis most recently was the head coach at Upper Iowa from 2022 to 2025, and whilst there, helped the Peacocks finish in tied 8th place in 2024 in the Great Lakes Valley Conference (GLVC) and finished just short of making the GLVC tournament. Before his stint in Iowa, Davis was the head coach at Oklahoma Panhandle State University from 2019 to 2022, the associate head coach at North Dakota from 2018 to 2019, and the associate head coach at Idaho from 2014 to 2018.
Kagan said that his decision to come to Green Bay was both personal and professional. “It was a great opportunity for my family in an awesome city. My wife is in hospitality and got a great job as the General Manager of the Hilton Garden Inn – Green Bay,” said Kagan. “I also saw a great opportunity to rebuild a program with a ton of promise.”
Kagan emphasizes that he is bringing a coaching philosophy that is deeply process-based to Green Bay. “Just want the people in our program to get better every day. If we do the little things right every day on the field, off the field, and in the classroom, we will get better as a whole, and it will reflect in our results,” said Kagan.
He further notes the staff’s player-first mentality and says both he and Davis are “passionate player’s coaches” who “try to empower them on and off the field to be great leaders, teammates, and great players.” Kagan is optimistic about what’s to come, pointing to the team’s strong Spring performance as an indicator. “We did very well in our Spring games, culminating in a 4-0 win over Viterbo in our final match. We saw a lot of growth throughout the Winter and Spring, which is exciting for our program,” said Kagan.
Davis shared his enthusiasm for joining the Phoenix. “I am thrilled to be working with the team and staff. The community support for UWGB is incredible,” Davis said. It is clear Davis complements Coach Kagan’s strong outlook for the program. “We are eager to help build UWGB Women’s Soccer into a competitive program that our players, staff, administration, and community can be proud of both on and off the field,” said Davis. The coaching duo has wasted no time getting involved with all aspects of training. “Right now, I am primarily getting to know our current players, their strengths, and areas for growth. Coach Kagan has been great about allowing me to jump into all sessions and work with the team on both attacking and defending,” Davis explained.
Implementing new systems requires patience and communication, and this is something Davis has prioritised from day one. “We are focusing on a lot of communication and utilising video. Our team is a great group that genuinely wants to improve. We have been working on functional sessions, engaging in chalk talks in team meetings and small groups, and providing opportunities for extra work,” said Davis. Perhaps most encouraging has been the team’s receptiveness to the coaching transition. “It has been amazing to see the group embrace the change,” noted Davis. “It’s honestly inspiring – change is not always easy, but the team has effectively focused on what they can control and found significant success in growing together, improving our speed of play from both a technical and tactical perspective.”
This coaching duo brings complementary strengths to the program. Kagan’s proven ability to orchestrate turnarounds, particularly on the offensive side as demonstrated at Oregon State, pairs well with Davis’ extensive head coaching experience and tactical versatility. Their combined approach emphasises both individual player development and team cohesion.
Looking ahead, the Phoenix are focused on development and consistency, and bringing a program back to where it once was. With a team that is buying into the culture shift and a staff fully invested in player growth, there’s a renewed sense of belief and momentum. The early signs of change are already evident, and with continued progress, the Green Bay Phoenix could be on the verge of a real turnaround in the Horizon League.
