Illinois State head women’s soccer coach Eric Golz announced the hiring of Sarah Tompkins as an assistant coach on January 5, 2016.Tompkins comes to ISU from Carson-Newman University, where she served as a graduate assistant coach for two seasons. While at C-N, Tompkins worked with the Eagles’ goalkeepers and helped in the program’s recruiting efforts. During her two seasons at Carson-Newman, the Eagles orchestrated the biggest two-season turnaround in NCAA history. After a 3-14 season in 2014, the Eagles finished 19-3 in 2015 while winning regular season and conference tournament championships and advancing to the Sweet 16.
Tompkins’ coaching played a large part in Carson-Newman’s success, as the Eagles’ freshman goalkeeper, Jessica Fraiture, was named to the 2015 SAC All-Tournament Team.