Jake Gelnovatch joined the Rhode Island staff in April of 2022, as the Rams' goalkeeper coach. Gelnovatch came to URI after spending time as a volunteer goalkeeper coach at the University of Virginia.
In his time at Virginia, Gelnovatch created and facilitated on-field training sessions for the Cavaliers' goalkeepers. He also gained experience in recruiting and video operations.
Prior to joining the UVA staff, Gelnovatch served as the goalkeeping coach for Memphis FC. There, he led training sessions for players ages 10-18, in addition to creating individualized and group curriculums for the goalkeepers.
Before joining the coaching ranks, the Earlysville, Va. native spent a season playing professionally with Memphis 901 FC of the USL Championship. That one-year stint followed a successful collegiate career with Louisville, where he was a two-time ACC All-Academic performer and a 2018 ACC Champion. That season, he allowed just one goal over three ACC Tournament games, earning All-Tournament honors while backstopping Louisville to its first-ever ACC title.
Gelnovatch – who helped lead the Cardinals to four consecutive NCAA tournaments, including back-to-back quarterfinal appearances in 2016 and 2017 – finished his collegiate career with a 26-12-7 record, 18 shutouts and a 1.27 goals against average. He graduated from UofL in the spring of 2020, with a bachelor's degree in Sports Administration, and also earned a master's degree in Higher Education from Louisville in 2021.
Updated: 4/29/22
