Carolina Core FC announced the appointment of Donovan Ricketts as the new Head Coach.
Ricketts joined CCFC during the 2024 season, serving as the Assistant and Goalkeeper Coach for the club’s inaugural season, and will enter his second year with the club in 2025.
“On behalf of the club, I’d like to welcome Donovan in this new role as head coach and thank him for his contributions in helping to build the club during our inaugural season,” said Carolina Core FC President Andy Smith. “Our club is committed to taking the next steps in its evolution, and Donovan is a great individual to make the first step in this process as seamless as possible.”
“It's a true honor and privilege to serve as head Coach of the Carolina Core
FC,” said Ricketts. “I'm deeply grateful for this opportunity and eagerly looking forward to the upcoming season.”
Boasting a background with significant coaching experience, Ricketts spent the 2024 season as the Assistant and Goalkeeper Coach of Carolina Core FC and the Head of Goalkeeping Methodology for the CCFC MLS NEXT Academy. The former Jamaican international also served as the Goalkeeper Coach for FC Tulsa (formerly the Tulsa Roughnecks) from 2017 to 2023. Additionally, Ricketts spent the 2022 regular season as FC Tulsa’s interim Head Coach.
“With several years of coaching experience under his belt, Donovan is the perfect candidate for this role,” said Carolina Core FC Chief Sporting Officer Eddie Pope. “Having already worked with the team for a year, he is familiar with our personnel, style of play, and methodology.”
Prior to starting his coaching career, Ricketts career began as a player professionally in Jamaica before moving to England to play for Bradford City AFC, making 116 total appearances over four years. Beginning his international career in 1998, Ricketts would go on to make 100 appearances for the Jamaican National Team between 1998 and 2013. In the midst of a fantastic international career, Ricketts joined the LA Galaxy in 2010, and after a sensational first season in the MLS, was awarded the 2010 MLS Goalkeeper of the Year. The following year, Ricketts helped lead the LA Galaxy to win the MLS Cup, alongside superstar teammates Landon Donovan and David Beckham. Ricketts would go on to win his second MLS Goalkeeper of the Year award in 2013 while playing for the Portland Timbers.
A legend both internationally with Jamaica and domestically in the United States, Ricketts looks to bring his wealth of knowledge and soccer prowess from both his playing and coaching career to the forefront of the team in its second year.
Carolina Core FC recently concluded its inaugural season and its first year as a professional club and is currently preparing for its second season in MLS NEXT Pro in 2025.
