⚽️ Kansas Soccer Announces Coaching Staff

Full Bio

Smaha comes to Kansas after spending the last four seasons working with Lie at Xavier University as an assistant coach, before he was promoted to associate head coach in October 2023.

Smaha has helped Xavier qualify for the NCAA Tournament in each of the last three seasons, marking the first back-to-back-to-back appearances in the tournament in Xavier’s history. The Musketeers won the BIG EAST regular-season title in 2021 and claimed a share of the title in 2023.

Smaha’s Coaching Career Highlights:

• Qualified for three NCAA Tournaments at Xavier (2021, 2022, 2023)
• A member of two BIG EAST Coaching Staff of the Year awards at Xavier (2021, 2023)
• Coached three BIG EAST Players of the Year at Xavier (Midfielder, Goalkeeper, Freshman)
• Developed four players who signed professional contracts
• Helped Xavier finish with a top 30 RPI ranking three times (2021, 2022, 2023)
• Assisted in Xavier having five or fewer regular-season losses in three consecutive seasons (2021-23)

Prior to Xavier, Smaha was a graduate assistant at Fort Hays State University (2019-20) and a volunteer assistant coach for the men’s soccer program at Drake (2018-19). Smaha holds a USSF C License and United Soccer Coaches Advanced National Diploma. He’s also a Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist (CSCS) through the National Strength and Conditioning Association.

A native of Des Moines, Iowa, Smaha attended and played soccer at Buena Vista University for three years, before spending his final year at Simpson College. He graduated with a bachelor’s degree in business management from Simpson College in 2017 and a master’s degree in health and human performance from Fort Hays State in 2021. Smaha is married to his wife, Kendall.

Lie on Smaha: “Tyler is one of the most driven, hard-working and passionate people I have ever been around. He is a relentless competitor and recruiter. Tyler is a natural relationship builder, and his ability to inject positivity, humor and energy on a daily basis is infectious. I had the pleasure of working with Tyler at Xavier for the last four seasons and his evolution from a volunteer goalkeeper coach to an associate head coach has been special to watch. I could not be more excited to have him joining our staff at KU.”

Full Bio

Hansen joins the staff at Kansas following two seasons at LSU (2022-23) as both an assistant coach and the recruiting coordinator and a seven-year tenure at Michigan (2015-22), while also serving as both an assistant coach and the recruiting coordinator. Hansen has led the recruiting efforts for multiple top 20 recruiting classes in her career, including the No. 6 recruiting class at Michigan in 2017. She will work primarily with the goalkeepers at KU.

In 2022, Hansen helped guide LSU to the second round of the NCAA Tournament and the program’s highest end of season ranking in more than seven seasons, as the Tigers finished No. 28 in the country. LSU also qualified for the NCAA Tournament in 2023.

While Hansen was at Michigan, the Wolverines advanced to the NCAA Tournament in 2016, 2019, and 2021. In 2019, Michigan reached the NCAA Tournament Sweet Sixteen and in 2021 they captured the Big Ten Tournament title on their way to the NCAA Tournament Elite Eight.

Hansen’s Coaching Career Highlights:

• Qualified for seven NCAA Tournament appearances (LSU, Michigan, Dayton)
• Active coach and scout for the U.S. Soccer Women’s Youth National Team
• Helped Michigan capture the Big Ten Tournament title and advance to the Elite Eight of the NCAA Tournament in 2021
• Led recruiting efforts for multiple top 20 recruiting classes in her career, including the No. 6 recruiting class at Michigan in 2017
• One of 15 female coaches selected to the inaugural edition of the NSCAA 30 Under 30 program in 2013
• Assisted Dayton in winning the Atlantic 10 Tournament in 2011 and 2014

Before Hansen’s time at Michigan, she was as an assistant coach and recruiting coordinator at Dayton (2011-15) and an assistant coach at Bowling Green State (2008-11). Hansen holds a USSF B license as well as a United Soccer Coaches Premier Diploma and Advanced National GK Diploma.

Outside of the college game, Hansen has extensive experience working with U.S. Soccer for the Youth National Team. She has served on the U-16, U-17, U-18, U-19 and U-20 Women’s Youth National Team coaching staffs for both domestic and international events. In addition to her coaching the nation’s top talent, Hansen is a scout and is involved in the identification and evaluation processes for the Women’s Youth National Teams. Hansen is also heavily involved in the U.S. Youth Soccer Olympic Development Program.

A native of Lexington, Ohio, Hansen attended and played soccer at Louisville for two years, before spending her final two seasons at Bowling Green State. Hansen graduated summa cum laude with a bachelor’s degree in dietetics from BGSU in 2008 and a master’s degree in food and nutrition from BGSU in 2010.

Lie on Hansen: “I have known Tiffany since the beginning of our respective coaching careers, and she was actually my first call when I became the head coach at Xavier. I’m overjoyed that we finally are able to work together. Tiffany is a top-class recruiter, with relationships throughout the country, having overseen recruiting at LSU, Michigan and Dayton. She is also one of the elite goalkeeper coaches in the country, currently serving in that capacity within the youth national team system. Tiffany will be a tremendous mentor and role model to our student-athletes and is a huge addition to our program.”

Full Bio

Baker arrives at Kansas after spending the 2023 season as an assistant coach at Penn State, a program which advanced to the Elite Eight in the NCAA Tournament.

Baker became a member of the Penn State staff in February 2023 as a volunteer assistant coach before being promoted to a full-time assistant coach in July 2023.

Baker’s Coaching Career Highlights:

• Helped Penn State advance to the Elite Eight of the NCAA Tournament in 2023, the program’s first since 2018
• Assisted Penn State in being ranked the No. 1 RPI team during the 2023 season and finished the year at No. 4 in RPI
• Advanced to the second round of the NCAA Tournament in 2022 while at Xavier
• Helped Indiana Wesleyan qualify for three national tournaments and two Crossroads League Championships
• Developed one All-American goalkeeper at Indiana Wesleyan

Prior to Penn State, Baker served as the Director of Player Analysis at Xavier for the 2022 season. He assisted with video analytics, travel coordination, opponent scouting and social outreach.

While a student at his alma mater, Indiana Wesleyan, Baker assisted as a student coach. During his time with the Wildcats, Baker was responsible for developing and training the team’s goalkeepers, including 2021 NAIA Honorable Mention All-American Hope Stacker. Baker also has experience as both a staff coach and soccer trainer with KingsHammer SC and X Factor Futbol, aiding young athletes in technical soccer development. He holds a D License from the United States Soccer Federation in addition to a Goalkeeping Level 1 Diploma from United Soccer Coaches.

A native of Sparta, New Jersey, Baker graduated from Indiana Wesleyan University in April 2022 with a Bachelor of Science in sports management and a Bachelor of Arts in humanities at the institution’s honors college. While at Indiana Wesleyan, Baker also earned an associate degree in business administration. Baker is married to his wife, Jessica.

Lie on Baker: “Daniel has a unique maturity, thoughtfulness and professionalism for his age. He started with us at Xavier right out of college and made an immediate impact on the program. Daniel is a natural leader and facilitator, and always proactively finds ways to add value to any environment. He spent the past year learning and developing alongside one of the best coaching staffs in the country at Penn State, and saw competition at the highest level. I can’t wait to work with Daniel again and see the impact he will make on this program.”