Nikola Barjaktarevic was named assistant athletic director at the University of St. Thomas in April 2019.

Barjaktarevic oversees compliance, handles game and event management duties, provides organizational and administrative support for the athletic department, has sport supervision of the soccer programs and additional sports, plays a role in staff recruiting and hiring and offers leadership in other areas. He also will assist in UST’s transition to NCAA Division III.

Barjaktarevic spent six years as the Celts women’s soccer coach, beginning the program in 2013. His teams went 55-26-9 overall in five seasons. He guided the Celts to the 2017 NAIA national tournament. In 2018, his team won the Red River Athletic Conference regular season title. Barjaktarevic was named RRAC Coach of the Year in 2015 and 2018. His 2015 and 2016 teams finished as the RRAC Tournament runner-up. He coached two All-Americans, two RRAC Players of the Year and 25 All-Conference players at the University of St. Thomas.

Prior to UST, Barjaktarevic coached at the University of Texas at Brownsville for six years. He produced an overall record of 77-27-7. His teams won three RRAC regular season titles, and advanced to three NAIA national tournaments with an appearance in the Elite Eight in 2012 when the Scorpions finished the season ranked No. 9 in the country. He was named the National Soccer Coaches Association of America Southwest Regional Coach of the Year in 2011. He was awarded the RRAC Coach of the Year honor three times at UTB. Barjaktarevic earned the NAIA National Coach of Character Award in 2013. He coached seven All-Americans at Brownsville.

Barjaktarevic began his head coaching career at Dana College in Nebraska, where he remained for three years. Before becoming a head coach, Barjaktarevic served as a graduate assistant coach with Hastings (Neb.) College men’s team. While there, the Broncos won the Great Plains Athletic Conference title twice.

Barjaktarevic holds a United States Soccer Federation National “A” Coaching License and United Soccer Coaches Premier Diploma.

Barjaktarevic earned a Bachelor of Science degree in education and health from Union University and a Master of Arts degree in teaching from Hastings College.

He and his wife, Natasa, have two children – Mia and Luka.