Coaching Staff

David Madsen
Assistant Coach

UIC women’s soccer head coach David Nikolic tabbed David Madsen to join the Flames staff as an assistant coach in May 2021. Madsen has history with Nikolic as the two worked the sidelines together at Milwaukee from 2010-11.

On the field, Madsen’s primary role at UIC is focused on goalkeeper preparation and performance. He also focuses on coordinating the program’s recruiting efforts and camps. Madsen also works closely with the strength and conditioning staff regarding the GPS tracking system the Flames utilize as a team.

“I am very excited to join David Nikolic’s staff here at UIC,” said Madsen. “Our first real opportunity to coach together was 11 years ago, and it was here in Chicago, so it’s fitting to reunite with him here.

“UIC offers a lot to the student-athletes and it is great to see how competitive the women’s soccer program has become in the short time it has existed,” added Madsen. “I am very thankful to David for thus opportunity, to Kelly Cook at Bucknell for my experience the past six years, and I eager to get to work and compete for the Horizon League Championship. Go Flames!”

Since departing Milwaukee in 2015, Madsen has served as an assistant coach at Bucknell University. There, he aided the Bison to 52 wins in six seasons and a mark of 30-14-6 (.660) in Patriot League play. Madsen was an integral member of the 2016 coaching group that was named the NSCAA Regional Coaching Staff of the Year as it guided the squad to a record of 16-2-2 and the program’s first NCAA Tournament appearance in 11 years.

Madsen has a knack for training goalkeepers. He mentored Bucknell’s Jessica Ratner as she earned Patriot League Goalkeeper of the Year plaudits in 2016, becoming the first Bison in program history to do so. Ratner picked up NSCAA All-Region honors under Madsen’s tutelage as her 11 shutouts ranked eighth in the NCAA that season.

Prior to his stint at Bucknell, Madsen was on staff alongside Nikolic at Milwaukee. There, he helped Jamie Forbes collect Horizon League Goalkeeper of the Year and Co-Defensive Player of the Year honors in 2011. While with the Panthers, Madsen was part of four Horizon League Championship teams in five seasons.

Madsen was the head coach of the men’s and women’s soccer programs at Lakeland College from 2006-09. Prior to that he worked as an assistant coach at his alma mater, Wisconsin-Whitewater (UWW), for three seasons.

A Milwaukee native, Madsen was a goalkeeper during his playing days at UWW, and he captained the team as a senior in 2002. He led the team to three NCAA Round of 16 appearances and was an NSCAA All-Region selection in 2002.

Madsen was a member of the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee at UWW. He received his bachelor's degree in business administration in December 2003 and his master's in curriculum and instruction in December 2005. Madsen currently holds a United States Soccer Federation "B" License and an NSCAA Goalkeeping Level 3 diploma.

“I have known Dave since I coached him as a 15-year old goalkeeper on one of the top teams in the Midwest Region," said Nikolic. "We have worked closely together in the past and I know firsthand that his thirst for learning and growing as a coach is fantastic. He is a demanding trainer of goalkeepers and always is expanding his techniques to get more out of his players. He is loyal, extremely trustworthy and I am happy to be working with him again!"

Madsen arrives in Chicago with his wife Lisa, daughter Emma and son Luke.

Rhianna Krutz
Assistant Coach

Rhianna Krutz has been official named a full-time assistant UIC women’s soccer coach, as of February 25th 2025, after serving as the volunteer assistant during the 2024 season. Prior to coming to UIC, Krutz, previously worked with several Division I programs.

"We are happy to welcome Rhi to our program and UIC Athletics full time," said Head Coach David Nikolic. "She was with us in the fall as a volunteer and fit our staff and team from the start. I have been fortunate enough to have known her as a player and as a camp coach working for me at a former institution and she is organized, passionate, hardworking and great eye in the recruiting world. Rhi has worked with some great coaches in the past and brings knowledge on all aspects to UIC Women's Soccer. She will assist in all areas directly involved with improving our current team and teams of the future."

During the 2024 season as a volunteer assistant, Krutz helped Nikolic lead the program to an 8-10-2 overall record. The 2024 season saw the women's soccer team make their second consecutive appearance in the MVC Championship semifinal match, and the fourth in the program's history. The 2024 season also saw the Flames match their best-ever regular-season conference finish, coming in 2nd, as well as the programs second-most conference wins and point total (6 wins/20 points).

Prior to coming to UIC, Krutz's was at the University of the Pacific, but before that, she spent four seasons at her alma mater and MVC member, Illinois State. She joined the Redbirds in 2019, helping guide the program to a 14-6 record that year. At Illinois State, she focused on the forward line and team defense while playing a key role in recruiting.

Prior to Illinois State, Krutz spent the 2018 season at Valparaiso, another MVC team. She began her college coaching career at Dayton, where she served as the director of operations during the 2017 season.

Krutz brings significant MVC experience to the Flames program, having been a five-year member of the Illinois State women's soccer team (2012-16). During her time with the Redbirds, she was part of three MVC regular-season championship squads and four MVC tournament title teams. Notably, in 2013, she started the final nine games as Illinois State captured both the regular-season and tournament titles, advancing to the second round of the NCAA Tournament—one of two such trips she made with the Redbirds.

Krutz currently holds a United States Soccer Federation "D" License and is working towards a “C” License.

A native of Des Plaines, Ill., Krutz earned her bachelor’s degree in applied science and technology from Illinois State University in 2016.