University of St. Francis (III.)

Al Palar was named the head coach of the University of St. Francis women’s soccer team before the 2020 season.  The 2026-27 season will mark Palar’s seventh year as head coach.

As of the start of the 2026 season, Palar has compiled an overall record of 51-38-17 (.561) and a conference mark of 35-24-11 (.579).  He is a one-time CCAC Coach of the Year recipient (2022).  Palar notched his first career victory at USF on November 13, 2020 with a 3-0 score over Indiana University Northwest University.

Under his tutelage, a total of 14 players have earned CCAC All-Conference honors (nine offensive, five defensive), with two receiving Player of the Year honors (Ariadne Gonzalez - 2024, Kelly Flores - 2025), one recipient of Midfielder of the Year accolades (Kelly Flores - 2025), one being named Defensive Player of the Year (Zoe Villont – 2024), and three having obtained Freshman of the Year statuses (Krystal Rodriguez - 2023, Kelly Flores – 2023, Ariadne Gonzalez – 2024).  Palar has also seen 10 of his players receive CCAC Player of the Week awards (six offensive, four defensive).  On the academic side, he has totaled 43 CCAC All-Academic honorees and 33 NAIA Scholar Athletes, as well as one CSC Academic All-American (Zoe Villont – 2024).

Before taking the helm at USF, Palar spent five years as the head women’s soccer coach at Moraine Valley Community College (MVCC) in Palos Hills, Ill. There he led a nationally-ranked MVCC squad to four National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA) National Tournament appearances while also claiming four NJCAA Region IV and Illinois Skyway Collegiate Conference (ISCC) Championship titles for the first time in the program’s history. He Compiled a 76-17-1 (.809) overall record in his five seasons at MVCC which included a 52-3 mark in Region IV matches.

While also at MVCC, Palar was recognized four consecutive seasons (2015-18) as both the NJCAA Region IV and ISCC Coach of the Year. He was tabbed the ISCC Newcomer Coach of the Year in 2015.
Palar’s teams at MVCC excelled academically under his direction. His MVCC teams never had a team cumulative grade point average below 3.00, with the 2019 team achieving the 10th highest GPA nationally in NJCAA women’s soccer.

Prior to taking over the MVCC women’s soccer program, Palar was an assistant men’s soccer coach at MVCC for three years (2012-15).

Palar graduated from Saint Xavier University in 2013 with a bachelor’s degree in elementary education and was a four-year (2008-12) men’s soccer letter winner. While playing at SXU, he was a two-time All-Chicagoland Collegiate Athletic Conference first-team selection (2011, 2012).  He also earned two second-team All-CCAC honors (2009, 2010).
 

COACHING RECORD