D.C. United and head coach Ben Olsen have agreed to a contract extension through 2021, the club announced Thursday.
Olsen was initially named interim head coach in August 2010 before getting the permanent job in November 2010. He is the second-longest tenured coach in MLS behind Peter Vermes.
“I am proud and humbled to have been associated with this club for the last 21 years," Olsen said in a statement. "I am thrilled that ownership has shown faith in the path my staff and I are taking with this extension. Our aim is to continue to put a team on the field that our fans and community will identify with and be proud of. The major goal, however, remains the same since the day I took the job and that’s to bring trophies back to D.C.”
Olsen helped guide the club from bottom of the Eastern Conference to hosting a Knockout Round match in the Audi 2018 MLS Cup Playoffs, where they were eliminated after penalties by Columbus Crew SC.
In eight seasons as head coach, Olsen has recorded 95 MLS regular season wins and has qualified for the playoffs five times including four qualifications in the last five seasons. The 41-year-old was also at the helm when D.C. United won the 2013 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup.
“I am very pleased that Ben will continue to lead us on the field, and I look forward to working with him as we aim to add more hardware to our club’s rich history," D.C. United's GM Dave Kasper said.
Before entering the coaching profession, Olsen spent his entire MLS career with D.C. United, appearing in 221 matches with 29 goals and 49 assists from 1998-2009. The midfielder also earned 37 caps with the US national team.
