Mike Graczyk 2023-24 Men's Soccer Staff

Mike Graczyk is entering his fifth season as an assistant coach at Notre Dame heading into the 2024 fall season.

Head men’s soccer coach Chad Riley added Graczyk to his staff in March 2020 as an assistant coach.

The goalkeeper coach enjoyed a historic season with the Irish during the 2023 campaign, as Bryan Dowd was named the TopDrawerSoccer National Player of the Year and the United Soccer Coaches First Team All-American. Graczyk and the Notre Dame coaching staff was named the United Soccer Coaches National Coaching Staff of the Year following the 2023 season.

Dowd and the Irish went undefeated in ACC play during the regular season for the first time in program history and earned the No. 2 seed in the NCAA Championships. The Irish advanced to the College Cup for the second time in three seasons and defeated Oregon State to play in the NCAA College Cup Final for the second time in program history.

Dowd finished with career-highs in saves (70), save percentage (0.824), clean sheets (11) and wins (12) while allowing just 15 goals on the season for a career-best 0.699 goals allowed per match. The Irish gave up two or more goals on just three occasions all season. The goalkeeper was selected sixth overall in the 2023 MLS SuperDraft by the Chicago Fire, becoming the first goalkeeper to be selected in the draft.

Graczyk played a key role in Notre Dame’s historic 2021 season, helping the program win its first ACC Championship title and advance to the second College Cup in program history. Goalkeeper Bryan Dowd recorded six straight clean sheets over four ACC Championship matches and two NCAA Tournament contests, setting the program record for most consecutive minutes of shutout play at 650 minutes.

Graczyk brought 12 years of coaching experience at professional, DI and club levels to the Irish after stints with New Mexico United (USL), New Mexico, Stanford and Harvard.

Before arriving at Notre Dame, Graczyk served as the director of goalkeeping with New Mexico United in the USL.

Graczyk spent five years at his alma mater, New Mexico, before making the jump to New Mexico United. Graczyk was an associate head coach for the Lobos. The former goalkeeper played a key role in bringing in New Mexico’s 2016 Top 5 ranked recruiting class (TopDrawerSoccer.com).

Prior to his time at New Mexico, Graczyk spent the previous three seasons as a member of Stanford Cardinal coaching staff. The Cardinal underwent a five-win improvement in Graczyk’s short time in Palo Alto. Stanford advanced to the Sweet 16 of the NCAA Tournament last season before falling to PAC-12 rival Washington.

The Albuquerque native was a member of the Lobo Soccer program from 2003 to 2007 and has cemented himself in the New Mexico record books. Graczyk is in second place in program history in career appearances (66), career wins (44) and career goals against average (0.68). He holds the UNM goalkeeping record  in career shutouts (30), wins in a season (18) and shutouts in a season (13). Graczyk was the starting goalkeeper for the 2005 season that saw the Lobos advance all the way to the national championship match.

He earned NSCAA Academic All-District and Academic All-MPSF honors during his career as well. After his senior season in 2007, Graczyk was selected by the Colorado Rapids in the MLS Draft. He spent time with the Rapids, FC Dallas and the San Jose Earthquakes during the 2008 and 2009 seasons.

Graczyk was the Albuquerque Tribune Player of the Year and the Gatorade New Mexico Player of the Year in 2002 after propelling La Cueva High School to a state championship. He was a First Team All-State selection with a state-best 0.41 goals allowed average for the Bears.