REAL MONARCHS SLC MUTUALLY PART WAYS WITH ASSISTANT COACH DANNY CRUZ

Cruz Departs Real Monarchs SLC After Time Spent as Player & Assistant Coach

HERRIMAN, Utah (Thursday, September 27, 2018) – Real Monarchs SLC announced Thursday that it has mutually agreed to part ways with assistant coach Danny Cruz. Jason Mims will assume an assistant coaching role, effective immediately.

Cruz, 28, arrived in Utah in August 2017, signing with the Monarchs before helping the club to the 2017 USL Regular Season Championship. As a player, Cruz featured in eight matches for the club. Prior to the 2018 USL regular season, Cruz transitioned into a coaching role where he helped lead the club to a second-consecutive playoff berth as one of the Western Conference’s elite sides.

Mims, a member of the RSL Academy coaching staff, is recognized as one of the top coaches in the country for player development, Mims was named the first Head Coach in the University of Nebraska-Omaha men’s soccer program history for its inception in 2011, leading the team to greater heights in all endeavors on and off the field in each year in charge of the program. Under the guidance of Mims, the Mavericks clinched the first Summit League postseason title in school history by defeating Denver 9-8 in an 11-round penalty kick shootout last fall. The Mavericks also advanced to the NCAA Men’s Soccer Championship for the first time in program history facing No. 13 Florida International.

Mims lead the UNO program to a 39-22-12 record, including a 26-7-5 record since the opening of Caniglia field in 2014 – the multi-million-dollar soccer specific stadium Mims helped plan and design on the university campus. In 2016, Omaha clinched its second Summit League regular season title with a 5-0-1 record. The Mavericks finished the regular season 10-5-4, earned the top seed in the Summit League Tournament and advanced to the conference tournament finals.

Additionally, Real Salt Lake defender David Horst will assume a temporary role on Interim Head Coach Jamison Olave’s staff through the remainder of the 2018 season. Horst suffered a season-ending injury with an Achilles tear in Real Monarchs match against Fresno FC on June 26.

With three matches remaining in the 2018 regular season, Real Monarchs SLC return to Zions Bank Stadium to host Colorado Springs Switchbacks FC on Saturday, September 29 at 7:00 p.m. MT.