Aaron Brunner

Aaron Brunner joins the Florida State coaching staff after serving as the ECNL Director, Director of Operations, and Head Coach for Richmond United/Strikers over the last 10 years. Brunner also works with the United States Women’s Senior National Team as an opponent scout. Since 2015, he has worked with multiple youth national teams within the United States Soccer Federation serving as the Talent ID Scout for the Women’s Youth National Teams (u14, u15 and u17) from 2015 through 2018. During that time Brunner also served as the U.S. Soccer Training Center Program Liaison for Virginia. He was also an opponent scout for the u15 and u17 Women’s National Team during their CONCACAF Championships.

In his first season as an assistant coach at Florida State, Brunner helped lead the Seminoles back to the College Cup for the 13^th time in program history with a 17-3-3 record and was named part of the 2022 Atlantic Region Staff of the Year. The Noles won their ninth ACC Tournament Championship and fifth ACC Regular Season Championship. It marked just the third time in program history that the Noles won both the regular season and tournament championships.

The Noles were dominant all throughout the 2022 season, outscoring opponents 64-20 with 11 shutouts in 23 games. The 64 goals scored in a season were the sixth most in a season in program history. The Noles also scored 28 goals in 10 ACC games, the second most against ACC opponents in a season in program history. FSU was selected as the number one overall seed in the 2022 NCAA Tournament for the 11^th time in school history and shut out three of its first four opponents in the NCAA Tournament on the way to the College Cup.

In his first season at FSU, Brunner coached two All-Americans on the offensive side of the ball (Jenna Nighswonger and Jody Brown).

Prior to FSU

Before joining the Richmond United/Strikers, Brunner spent nine years with Prince William SI. He started out on the Strikers’ full-time girls ECNL coaching staff, before serving as the Richmond United Director of ECNL Operations. He coached multiple Richmond United ECNL Girls Teams, and holds his US Soccer A License, US Soccer Talent Scout License, and US Soccer National Youth License. Aaron was also the ECNL National Selection Director and is US Soccer National Coaching Education Instructor.

Prior to the Strikers, he was named the 2009 National Youth Coach of the Year, USYSA Region I Coach of the Year, and VYSA State Coach of the Year while at PWSI. He also coached for Seacoast United where he was also named NHYSA State Coach of the Year.

Brunner played at the University of New Hampshire and earned a BA in Psychology. He has a wife Kristin and their two children, Owen and Sophie.