Jan. 5, 2005

CHAPEL HILL, N.C. - After three seasons as goalkeeper trainer with the University of North Carolina men's soccer program, John Cone has accepted the same position with Major League Soccer's Kansas City Wizards, UNC head coach Elmar Bolowich announced Wednesday. Cone is expected to begin his new position in late January.

"John did an excellent job coaching two of the best goalkeepers in the country in their age groups - Ford Williams and Justin Hughes," said Bolowich. "He will be missed, but I am happy for the opportunity provided for him to coach at the next level and in the MLS. That was a life-long dream for him."

Under Cone's guidance, Williams and Hughes have been one of the nation's top goalkeeping tandems over the last two seasons, posting a combined 16 shutouts over this stretch. Williams also recorded five shutouts as a freshman in 2002, Cone's first season in Chapel Hill. Both Williams and Hughes have extensive U.S. National Team experience, and Hughes is currently in training camp with the Under-20 team that will participate in the 2005 CONCACAF Qualifying Tournament set for January 12-16 at The Home Depot Center in Carson, Calif.

The Tar Heels reached the NCAA Tournament in each of Cone's three seasons in Chapel Hill. The 2003 team posted a 12-4-4 record and earned the No. 4 national seed.

Before joining Bolowich's staff in Chapel Hill, Cone was an assistant for two seasons with the University of Tennessee's women's team and for two season's with the men's team at Metropolitan State College in Denver, Colo.

Cone was a three-year starting goalkeeper at Butler University, where he established school records for most saves in a game, season and career. He later served as an assistant coach for the Bulldogs in 1995 and 1996, as the team compiled an overall mark of 29-12-3.

The Denver native earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in English literature from Butler in 1993 and also earned a Masters' in exercise physiology from Tennessee in 2003.

Cone was taken in third round of the National Professional Soccer League mid-season draft by the Kansas City Attack in December of 1993 and later spent a trial period with RFC Seraing, a first-division club in Belgium from July through October of 1994. He also spent three months playing with the Hampton Roads Mariners of the United States International Soccer League in 1996.

Cone will join former Tar Heel and MLS all-star Kerry Zavagnin with the Wizards.