Women's Soccer
- Title:
- Assistant Coach
- Email:
- guante@gonzaga.edu
- Phone:
- 509-313-4283
Guante was welcomed to the Gonzaga staff in February 2024.
In his second season with the Bulldogs in 2025, Guante helped Gonzaga to a fourth-place finish in the final West Coast Conference standings and a 6-3-2 mark in league play. The Zags won six conference matches for the third consecutive season and closed the year strong, winning three of their final four contests and going unbeaten in five of their final six. Gonzaga finished the season 8-9-2 overall while earning four All-WCC selections, including the first WCC Freshman of the Year in program history.
Gonzaga's 2025 season featured standout individual development across the roster. Freshman Samantha Snorsky became the first Bulldog in program history to earn WCC Freshman of the Year honors after ranking second in the conference with nine assists, including six in WCC play. She also earned All-WCC Second Team and All-Freshman Team recognition, with her nine assists ranking second in Gonzaga's single-season record book.
Sophomore midfielder Amelia Severn earned First Team All-WCC honors and was named First Team All-West Region by United Soccer Coaches. Severn finished third in the WCC with 10 goals and 25 points, ranking second in conference play with eight goals and 20 points. Her 10 goals and 25 points both ranked fifth in Gonzaga single-season history. She became the eighth Zag in program history to earn All-West Region recognition and the first since 2023.
Junior forward Katelyn Rigg earned Second Team All-WCC honors after ranking fifth in the conference with eight goals and 51 shots and sixth with 19 points. Her three game-winning goals ranked third in the WCC. Junior defender Makayla Werner earned honorable mention All-WCC recognition after starting all 19 matches and anchoring a Gonzaga defense that recorded four shutouts and allowed 27 goals.
The Bulldogs also continued to excel academically in 2025. Lauren Chin and Severn were named to the WCC All-Academic Team, with Chin earning the honor for the second consecutive season. Eleven additional Bulldogs earned honorable mention All-Academic recognition. Chin, Rigg and Severn were also named Academic All-District by College Sports Communicators.
In 2024, Guante helped Gonzaga to a third-place finish in the final West Coast Conference standings and the program's seventh 10-win season in an eight-year span. The Zags won their final three contests and finished the regular season unbeaten in six of their final seven matches. Gonzaga earned five WCC victories and was one of the conference's top defensive teams, with Makayla Werner playing a key role in a defense that secured seven shutouts.
Guante spent six seasons at New Mexico State under Head Coach Rob Baarts. The 2023 season was Guante’s second full season as the Associate Head Coach for the Aggies. In 2022, Guante helped lead the Aggies to their best season in program history with a 13-5-3 overall record – the most wins in program history – including an undefeated record at home (7-0-2), which culminated in the program's first conference championship after three shutout victories in the WAC Tournament.
In addition, Guante helped seven players secure All-WAC honors: Loma McNeese (first team), Makenna Gottschalk (second team), Landy Williams (second team), Xitlaly Hernandez (second team), Jena Johannes (freshman team), Sofia Beerworth (freshman team) and Sydnee Johnson (freshman team) all earned a spot on the WAC's yearly awards lists.
Five more players later secured WAC All-Tournament Team recognition after the team won its first conference title since the program's inception in 2009. Loma McNeese, Sofia Beerworth, Xitlaly Hernandez, Tati Jerman and Makenna Gottschalk all earned All-Tournament recognition, with Gottschalk taking home the Tournament MVP award.
In 2021, Guante helped the Aggies to a 9-11-0 record, nearly doubling their win total from the year prior. The Aggies made their second consecutive WAC tournament appearance but lost to Lamar 1-0 in the first round. Guante helped Hannah Leitner and Xitlaly Hernandez earn All-WAC Second-Team Honors while Mya Hammack and Thalia Chaverria earned Freshman All-WAC Honors.
The 2021 season got off to a hot start for the Aggies after the team won its first four games of the season. This was the best start of a season for the Aggies since 2017 when the Aggies opened that campaign 4-0-1.
During the 2018 season, Guante helped guide Aileen Galicia as she became the school’s all-time leading goal scorer. Nine Aggies also earned Academic All-WAC Honors following the 2019 season.
Prior to NMSU, Guante spent the 2017 season at his alma mater, the University of Portland. Prior to his return to UP, the Fort Huachuca, Ariz., native served as the head coach for the Lincoln High School girls’ varsity team from 2013-17 with stops at Valley Catholic High School and Central Catholic High School as well.
Guante played for Baarts during his time with the Pilots as an assistant (2002-05) and helped guide the team to the second round of the NCAA Playoffs three of his four years. The 5-9 midfielder was also a four-time All-West Coast Conference honoree while at UP and finished his career with six goals and six assists.
He was also a member of the Olympic Development Program Region IV Team (2000-02), Arizona ODP. During that same time span, Guante was a member of the U-18 National Team from 2001-02 after spending time with the U-17 National Team pool from 2000-01. He was the Arizona Gatorade Player of the Year in 2001-02.
He went on to play professionally in Major League Soccer (MLS) for FC Dallas, Miami FC and the Portland Timbers.
After his professional career, Guante served as the ECNL Assistant Director while coaching at FC Portland from 2003-17, where he helped develop and coach one of the nation's top clubs for over a decade. During that span, Guante coached several players to NCAA Division I programs as well as U.S. Youth National Team Camps.
Guante coached former and current GU players Meg Rapp, Taylor Kernion, Sophie Bruan, Maddie Kemp, and Chelsea Le, in addition to recent NWSL draft picks Sydney Collins and Katie Duong.
Guante and his wife Caitlin have four children: Lilia, Xavier, Lucas and Mateo.
