Hemant Sharma

Volunteer Assistant Coach

Tennessee

Division 1

Hemant Sharma rejoined the Tennessee soccer coaching staff as a volunteer assistant coach in the spring of 2021. He previously served as a member of UT's coaching staff from 2004 to 2012 and served as the team's director of operations under current head coach Brian Pensky from 2012 to 2014.

In his previous stint with the Lady Vols, Sharma was a part of three SEC championship teams (2004, 05, 08) and three NCAA Tournament Sweet Sixteen appearances (2004, 2005, 2007). He also helped to coordinate the Lady Vol soccer team's involvement in TOPSOCCER, a program for disabled athletes.

Between his stints at UT, Sharma worked with goalkeepers for several other Tennessee colleges, including the Maryville College men's and women's soccer teams, the UT-Chattanooga women's soccer team, the Tennessee Wesleyan women's soccer team and the Carson-Newman men's and women's soccer teams. He was a part of the Maryville College coaching staff when the men's team won conference tournament titles in 2016 and 2018, and when the women's team captured a conference tournament crown in 2019. Each of those teams appeared in the NCAA Division III Tournament. Prior to arriving in Knoxville, Hemant worked with goalkeepers for the University of Colorado women's soccer team as a volunteer assistant coach.

Sharma has worked with goalkeepers for two semi-pro men's teams, the Boulder Rapids Reserves of the Premier Development League, and the Knoxville Force of the National Premier Soccer League.

Hemant also has served as Director of Goalkeeping for the Tennessee ODP program for boys and girls since 2012, and has been a member of the South Region girls ODP staff since 2017. 

He has been the Director of Goalkeeping for FC Alliance since 2009. During that time span, FC Alliance has produced more than 40 collegiate goalkeepers and sent two goalkeepers on to MLS academies.

During his playing career at Cornell University, the Short Hills, New Jersey, native earned All-Ivy League and All-Region honors, and played in the 1996 NCAA Tournament. In his senior year, he set a school record for shutouts in a season as his team finished ranked in the nation's top 25. Sharma proved equally adept in the classroom as he was a member of the Dean's List and the winner of the prestigious James E. Rice writing prize.

After college, Sharma was a draft pick of all three major professional indoor soccer leagues that existed in the U.S. in the late 1990s (NPSL, WISL, EISL). He was a first-round draft pick of the Buffalo Blizzard of the National Professional Soccer League and a fifth-round draft pick of the Arizona Thunder of the World Indoor Soccer League. He played five years of pro indoor soccer.

Sharma also held coaching positions at his alma mater, serving as an assistant coach for the Cornell women's team in 2001 and the men's team in 2000.

Hemant is a 1997 graduate of Cornell, with a bachelor of arts in English and a certificate in Financial Management. He received a PhD in Political Science from the University of Tennessee in the summer of 2009 and was the first recipient of the University of Tennessee's Otis Stephens Fellowship, granted for excellence in the study of American politics.

Sharma currently teaches in the University of Tennessee's Political Science Department and has co-authored three textbooks: An Introduction to the American Legal System, which was released by Wolters Kluwer publishers of New York; Administrative Law and Policy, published by Carolina Academic Press; and American Government: The Evolution of a Constitutional Republic, published by Great River Learning.

His published articles include one entitled "The Game is the Best Teacher," which appeared in the United Soccer Coaches' magazine Soccer Journal, and "Cant Play Here: The Decline of Pick-Up Soccer and Social Capital in the USA, published in a journal called Soccer and Society.

Rachael Collins

Volunteer Assistant Coach

Alabama

Division 1

Collins completed her collegiate soccer career at Pepperdine University. She now joins the coaching staff at University of Alabama, Tuscaloosa. 

Brian Dunleavy

Assistant Coach

Mississippi State

Division 1

Brian Dunleavy was hired as an assistant coach on July 16, 2019 after spending six seasons as the head coach at Georgia Southern.
 
Dunleavy works primarily with States defenders. In his first season, MSU allowed just 12.5 shots per game, which ranks fourth in program history. The Bulldogs have now allowed fewer than 13.0 shots per game in three straight seasons and four of the last five years.
 
His defenders posted 12 points in 2019, including two players who scored their first career goals.
 
During his tenure at Georgia Southern, the Eagles won 41 matches, making him the second-winningest head coach in program history. Dunleavy led the Eagles to the Sun Belt Conference semifinals in 2014 and 2017 and was an assistant when GSU won the Southern Conference tournament in 2012.
 
His 2014 squad posted the programs best record and highest conference finish since 2002, going 11-6-2 and finishing third. That season, Dunleavy also guided the Eagles to their highest standing in the final RPI while two players earned first-team all-conference honors and one made the leagues second team.
 
As a head coach, Dunleavy oversaw teams that earned five all-conference selections and four NCSAA/United Soccer Coaches Team Academic Awards. Before he was promoted in 2013, he spent two seasons as an assistant for the Eagles.
 
In that time, the Eagles made their first conference tournament appearance since 2007, won their first conference title, made their first NCAA Tournament appearance and posted their first winning season since 2002. While serving as an assistant, Dunleavy also worked as a staff coach with the Georgia Olympic Development Program.
 
Dunleavy spent two years coaching at Division II Saint Leo University in Dade City, Florida where he worked with the mens soccer program. While at Saint Leo, the Lions, posted a 15-15 overall record. Dunleavy was responsible for opponent scouting and the teams conditioning program.
 
Before his time with Saint Leo, Dunleavy was the head mens soccer coach at the College of Mount Saint Vincent, an NCAA Division III institution in the Bronx, New York, where he spent a year directing the Dolphins. 
 
Dunleavy enjoyed a four-year playing career at Hofstra University (1999-02). Following his playing career, he joined the staff at his alma mater as an assistant coach in 2003. He helped the program win back-to-back Colonial Athletic Association Championships which garnered the team NCAA Tournament appearances in 2004 and 2005.
 
He holds an NSCAA National Coaching Diploma and graduated with his Bachelor of Arts in English and American Literature from Hofstra University.

Jim Chapman

Assistant Coach

Kentucky

Division 1

Kentucky womens soccer head coach Ian Carry announced on Wednesday, Aug. 8 that he has completed his 2018 coaching staff with the addition of Jim Chapman as a full-time assistant coach. When making this hire, I felt it was important to take my time and evaluate all the options available, Carry said. This had to be a marquee hire not only for the continued ascension of the program, but also to enhance the culture and development of the young women we facilitate on and off the field. Knowing Jim almost 20 years, working alongside him which included the success at Kilmarnock FC in Scotland and having him as a mentor as I went through my coaching education pathway I knew he was the missing piece of our staff. Having the opportunity to bring him in and watching his interaction with the team in preseason camp it is evident that he is the perfect fit for Kentucky womens soccer.
 
Chapman, a native of Airdrie, Scotland, joins the Wildcats after successful coaching tenures in the Scottish Premier League. Chapman has managed Kilmarnock, Albion Rovers, Dumbarton and Annan, winning over 125 games in charge of those clubs at the Premier League level.
He helped lead Kilmarnock to the Premier League twice, a Scottish Womens Cup in 2002, and a First Division Cup title in 2002 as well. While with Dumbarton, Chapman guided the team to a Scottish third division title in 2008-09 and the Stirlingshire Cup in 2010.
The Scotsman also has an extensive playing career, having played in over 130 matches in his time with Albion Rovers and Dumbarton as a player. He scored 35 goals in 134 appearances, including 31 in his time with Albion.

John Roman

Assistant Coach

Florida

Division 1

John Roman is in his sixth year as Florida's goalkeeper coach and will coach the Gators quad of goalkeepers.

Before joining the Gators in January of 2016, Roman enrolled in the University of Florida's graduate school to study performance psychology. He received his Masters degree in 2017, and is graduating in 2021 with a doctorate through the University of Florida's Performance Psychology Laboratory.

Roman coached the goalkeepers at Fairfax High School in Northern Virginia before relocating to Florida. During that time, he also worked as a research analyst specializing in big data and analytics in the Washington, D.C. area.
 
In addition to his studies and coaching responsibilities, Roman is Vice President of Research and Analytics for Mission6Zero, a company founded by United States Special Forces soldiers that improves business executive and professional athlete performance during stress.

John Roman is also a proud Elon Phoenix, avid TK Little, and connoisseur of chocolate cake.

Nate Lie

Head Coach

Xavier (OH)

Division 1

Nate Lie (pronounced LEE) enters his first season as Head Coach of Xavier Women's soccer.

Lie joined the program after a 4 year stint at the University of Cincinnati that culminated in being named Associate Head Coach for the 2016 Season. In his first season with UC, he aided the Bearcats in posting an 8-11-1 overall record and 4-4-1 in league play. It marked only the fourth time in the last 10 seasons that UC accumulated eight of more wins and only the second time in 10 years that they had four or more conference wins.Cincinnati, who was picked to finish ninth in the AAC, surprised the league by finishing sixth, despite being tied for third entering their final conference match.

Jeff Freeman

Assistant Coach

Illinois

Division 1

Freeman just finished his thirteenth season overall with the Fighting Illini and sixth as the soccer programs Associate Head Coach in 2023.  In 2019 Freeman was also named the program's recruiting coordinator.  Illinois has reached at least the second round of the NCAA Tournament in three of the years he has been on staff, highlighted by a Sweet Sixteen appearance in 2013. Freeman helped to coach standout Vanessa DiBernardo earn a pair of All-America honors and saw Jannelle Flaws lead the country and break the school record for goals scored.
The Illini have turned in two of the top four single-season goal totals in school history during Freemans tenure in Champaign. The Orange and Blue netted 54 goals in 2013 and 53 goals in 2011, which rank third and fourth, respectively, on the all-time list. UI boasts an overall record of 71-23-9 over the past six seasons with four NCAA Tournament appearances, a Big Ten Tournament title in 2011 and a Big Ten Tournament runner-up finish in 2012.
In 2014, Illinois finished with a 10-8-2 record on the season. With Freemans assistance, Illini redshirt senior Jannelle Flaws was named Disney Soccer/NSCAA National Player of the Week, the first Illini to ever earn the recognition. Flaws continued on to be named the unanimous Big Ten Forward of the year for the second-straight season. She led the Big Ten and tied for 12th in the NCAA with 17 goals, also being tabbed a third-team NSCAA All-American.
In 2013, Freeman helped guide the Illini to their fourth trip to the NCAA Tournament Sweet Sixteen in school history, as they finished 11-9-3 overall. He coached Big Ten Forward of the Year Jannelle Flaws to a school-record 23 goals, which was tied for the most in the NCAA. Vanessa DiBernardo, who became Illinois highest drafted player in school history following the season, completed her decorated career No. 3 on the all-time list with 43 goals, with Freeman coaching her during three of four seasons.
In 2012, Freeman served as the interim head coach for the non-conference portion of the schedule while Rayfield was coaching with U.S. Soccers U-20 National Team at the World Cup. Freeman helped coach the Illini to the NCAA Tournament where they advanced to the second round after knocking off neighbor-state rival Missouri. Freeman also helped guide the Illini to their fifth Big Ten Tournament title game. In addition, Freeman took the reigns of the Illini program for the first seven games of the season against one of the toughest non-conference schedules in the country. Illinois finished 10-9-4 on the year.
In 2011, Freeman was integral in the process of implementing the formation changes that led the Orange and Blue to a 17-5-2 overall record, the most wins in a single season in school history and a Big Ten Tournament title victory over No. 11 Penn State. Freeman worked with both the offensive and defensive units throughout the season, also serving as a key contributor to the Illinois recruiting efforts while performing additional administrative and travel-related duties.
Freeman brought a wealth of experience and tactical expertise to Champaign, Illinois, after serving as a member of the University of Miami (Fla.) womens soccer staff from 2004-10, including the final three years as the associate head coach. He played a prominent role in Miami earning conference and national recognition with top-25 rankings and back-to-back appearances in the 2007-08 NCAA Tournaments.
Freeman joined the Hurricanes staff after serving as an assistant coach at his alma mater, Missouri State, for four years. The Bears goalkeeping units earned Missouri Valley Conference (MVC) Defensive Player of the Year and conference tournament MVP honors in addition to weekly MVC defensive accolades under Freemans tutelage, while Missouri State won the MVC crown and earned its first NCAA Tournament appearance with Freemans guidance.
As a student-athlete at Missouri State, Freeman earned academic all-conference recognition as a goalkeeper with the Bears and was a member of the 1997 squad that made the programs first NCAA Tournament appearance after earning a top-10 national ranking and the MVC regular season title.
Freeman, who earned a bachelors and masters in education from Missouri State, is accredited as a United States Soccer Federation (USSF) `A Licensed Coach and holds a NSCAA Advanced National Diploma. He has served as a clinician at the USC (NSCAA) Conventions from 2014-2019.

Andre Reis

Volunteer Assistant Coach

Brown

Division 1

Andre Reis, enters his fourth season with the Brown University womens soccer program in 2021-22 as a volunteer assistant coach with an emphasis on goalkeeping.
 
Reis a key part of the 2019 United Soccer Coaches East Region Staff of the Year helped guide the Bears to a historic season in 2019 in which the team earned its first Ivy League title and NCAA appearance since 1994. Brown set program records for wins in a season (14), home wins in a season (11), and shutouts in a season (13).
 
In 2019, the Bears posted an overall record of 14-2-3 alongside an undefeated 6-0-1 mark in Ivy League play, finishing the year unbeaten in conference play for the first time since 1994. Brown notched an 11-0-1 mark at home, including an 11-0-0 record during the regular season. The Bears advanced to the second round of the NCAA tournament after topping Monmouth in a penalty kick shootout, 4-1.
 
The Bears distinguished themselves as one of the top defensive teams in the country, ranking second in the NCAA in goals allowed (eight), third in save percentage (.890), and fourth in GAA (0.40). Over the course of 2019, Brown tallied six All-Ivy selections (including the Ivy League Rookie of the Year), five All-Region choices, 10 Ivy League weekly awards, four selections to Top Drawer Soccers Team of the Week, four All-New England picks, two Scholar All-Americans, the ECAC Rookie of the Year, and the teams first All-American since 2000. In the final national rankings, Brown stood at No. 11 in the Top Drawer Soccer poll, No. 13 in the NCAA RPI, and No. 23 in the United Soccer Coaches poll. Browns 2020 season was canceled due to COVID-19.
 
During his first year with the team in 2018, the Bears concluded the season with 29 goals, marking their highest goal total since netting 37 goals in 2006. He coached five All-Ivy selections, including First Team All-Ivy honoree Abby Carchio 20 and Ivy League Rookie of the Year Rebecca Rosen 22. Goalkeeper Christine Etzel 19 earned a spot in the NEWISA Senior Bowl.
 
A native of Fall River, Mass., Reis played at Durfee High School and at the collegiate level at Massasoit Community College and UMass Dartmouth. He then trained with SC Paiense in Portugal and currently plays with Saint George Futsal in the National League of Professional Futsal.
 
Reis has a USSF C license and completed his Advanced National Goalkeeping Diploma from United Soccer Coaches in 2019.

Christina Sarokon

Assistant Coach

Kennesaw State

Division 1

Sarokon has helped the Kennesaw State Owls to 2 final games in the ASUN Championship tournament in the spring of 2021 (due to Covid-19) and fall of 2021. In Fall of 2022, Sarokon lead freshman goalkeeper Allanah Blye to an ASUN All Freshmen team honor, with Blye being the only goalkeeper mentioned in the conference. Along with Blyes honor, Sarokon helped two others to ASUN All-Conference honors including Kendall Higgs and Macie Rainwater to ASUN 3rd Team All-Conference. She also helped lead the Owls to a quarterfinal match in the 2022 ASUN Championship.


Sarokon was the former assistant coach at Gardner-Webb University, where she helped the Runnin' Bulldogs reach the 2019 Big South Championship final. She was instrumental in four GWU players being named to the all-state team by the North Carolina Collegiate Sports Information Association (NCCSIA), five players to the Big South Conference team, and three players to the Big South All-Conference Tournament team after the Runnin' Bulldogs finished with a 10-11-1 record and a 7-3 record in Big South play.

In 2018, Sarokon was instrumental in helping senior goalkeeper Keely Brown record four additional clean sheets and extend the career record to 20. Brown made 85 stops on the year and worked exclusively with Sarokon. Gardner-Webb finished Sarokon's second year as an assistant 12-5-4 overall and was the runner-up in the Big South tournament. Seven players earned all-conference honors, led by Brown and Stina Kleepe who were first team all-Big South.

In 2017, she guided junior goalkeeper Keely Brown to the career shutout record with 16 career clean sheets. Additionally, Sarokon also helped four Runnin Bulldogs to all-Big South honors and a conference quarterfinal tournament appearance.

Prior to Gardner-Webb University, Sarokon was an assistant coach at McNeese State University in Lake Charles, La. where she aided in the Cowgirls' run to the 2016 Southland Conference semifinal.

Sarokon is a former US Youth Soccer East Region Olympic Development Program U13-U17 girls assistant and goalkeeper staff coach. She was also a U12 staff coach with Louisiana ODP, U15 girls assistant and goalkeeper coach with North Carolina ODP, and worked as an assistant and goalkeeper coach for both boys and girls for New York State West ODP. She is currently the US Youth Soccer Olympic Development Program Midwest administrator for boys and girls, in which she assists in planning and executing events, camps, training venues, and ID camps for all age groups.
 
Sarokon is an active member of the United Soccer Coaches Womens Advocacy Group. In 2017, Sarokon was selected as the United Soccer Coaches Charlotte Moran Memorial Scholarship award recipient by the Charlotte Moran Scholarship Committee. We had many high-quality applicants for the Charlotte Moran Memorial Scholarship," said Kelly Grant, Scholarship Committee Chair. "Within the group, Christina Sarokon stood out as someone with a passion for coaching and who wants to make the game even better for young females. The committee felt that Christina is exactly who Charlotte intended this scholarship to be for a coach or administrator in the beginning of their career who is committed to staying involved with the womens game for the long term.
 
The North Tonawanda, N.Y. native was a four-year letter winner at Saint Bonaventure University from 2012-2015, where she made 33 starts and finished her collegiate career ranked fifth in school history in saves (186), fifth in career goals against average (1.36), and third in single-season shutouts (5).  She was named to the Atlantic 10 Conference Commissioners honor roll in each of her four years with the Bonnies.
 
Prior to her collegiate career, Sarokon was chosen as a member of the United States U14 Girls National Team player pool and played in the Nike Friendlies at the Home Depot Center with the U14 Girls National Team in 2008. She was also selected to two US National ODP team training camps in 2009 and 2010. She was a member of the Region 1 ODP team from 2006-09 and played internationally with the Region 1 ODP team in Costa Rica in 2009. Sarokon played professionally as a member of the Womens Premier Soccer League Team Empire Revolution in 2014.
 
Sarokon earned a Bachelor of Science in Sports Studies and Human Development from Saint Bonaventure University in 2016. She holds the NSCAA Goalkeeper Levels I, II, and III Diplomas, NSCAA Advanced National Goalkeeping Diploma, United Soccer Coaches (NSCAA) Advanced National Diploma, United Soccer Coaches (NSCAA) Premier Diploma, the United States Soccer Federation (USSF)  National "D" License, and the United States Soccer Federation (USSF) National C License.

Robert Gardner

Assistant Soccer Coach

Jacksonville State (AL)

Division 1

Robert Gardner begins his second season at Jacksonville State after being hired on staff in June of 2019.

The 2019 club was veteran-laden with a large senior class and a season that was decimated by injuries. The injuries allowed young players to step in and gain valuable playing time.  Freshman Cynthia Bagozzi  finished her first season as a Gamecock as the top scorer on the club with seven goals, including four against OVC competition.  The forward from Orlando, Florida also led Jax State in total shots with 38 on the season.  She accumulated 15 points combined with her goals-scored and assist.  Bagozzi played in all 18 matches and logged 1,396 minutes of action. JSU claimed the 2020 Ohio Valley Conference Sportsmanship award for soccer.

Gardner brought 16 years of coach experience to JSU, including four seasons at Jackson Academy in Jackson, Mississippi.  The Jackson Academy graduate guided his alma mater to three consecutive Mississippi Association of Independent Schools Division I state titles from 2016 to 2018.  Gardner, who also coached the boys program, led the Raiders to appearances in the state championship match in 2017 and 2018.  As a varsity coach, he compiled a 121-56-7 record.  His record includes three seasons as varsity boys and girls soccer coach at Starkville Academy in Starkville, Mississippi.

The coaching bond between Gardner and Macdonald was established while Macdonald was the head coach at Mississippi State.  Gardner was the director of coaching for the Starkville Soccer Association from 2010-2012.  He expanded his professional experience with one season with the Mississippi Blues SC in 2018, which was a member of the Gulf Coast Premier League.  He also gained coaching experience on the prep level as an assistant coach at Center Hill High School in Olive Branch Mississippi.

Gardner holds a USSF National D license from the USSF along with a Class C license from the USSF, which he earned in February of 2018.

As a player at JA, he led the Raiders to three Mississippi Final Four appearances in 2001, 2002 and 2003.  Gardner was named a First Team All-State selection in 2003 and participated in the 2003 Mississippi High School Al-Star Game where he earned most valuable player honors in the contest.

Gardner graduated from Mississippi State University with his bachelors in 2008 and his masters in 2013. Gardner and his wife Kayla, have one child, Louie.

Martyn Blankley

Assistant Coach

Tennessee-Chattanooga

Division 1

Martyn Blankley was named the assistant coach of the women's soccer team in August 2015 and in his three seasons at Chattanooga, the Mocs have improved dramatically.

UTC has reached back-to-back Southern Conference for the first time in school history. It was UTC's first quarterfinal appearance in the league tournament since 2005. UTC finished tied for fifth in 2016 and sixth in 2017, its two best finishes since 2005.

In his time with Chattanooga, the Mocs had its first-ever SoCon Freshman of the Year, an all-conference performer and two SoCon All-Freshman Team selections.

The Mocs have excelled in the classroom in his three seasons. In the 2017 spring semester, the Mocs set a department record with 11 student-athletes earning a 4.0 grade point average. That followed the Fall 2016 semester when the Mocs posted their highest GPA on record at 3.65 and had 10 with a 4.0. In the Fall of 2017, the Mocs had their second highest GPA at 3.59 and had seven record a 4.0.
 
Three times the soccer team has had more than 20 make the Deans List and more than 20 have earned a spot on the Athletics Directors Honor Roll in each semester since McKinneys arrival. Sixteen student-athletes have earned the Southern Conference Commissioners Medal for Academics in his first two years for posting a GPA of 3.8 or higher over the course of the entire year. Twenty three have been named to the Fall Academic All-Southern Conference Team and 51 to the Southern Conference Academic Honor Roll.

Before coming to UTC Blankley spent seven years as the mens varsity assistant coach and head coach of the JV team at Tennessee Wesleyan College in Athens, Tenn. During his time coaching at TWC he helped the program to three AAC conference titles, the programs first NAIA National Tournament appearance since 2002, and at their highest a national ranking of 24th.

Over the course of his seven years in Athens, the native of Chesterfield, England coached 15 players who were selected as first-team all-conference, as well as two student-athletes who earned AAC Freshman of the Year honors. TWCs overall record was 46-22-8 with a winning percentage of 66%, and their Conference record was 24-4-3 which is a winning percentage of 82%. A number of his former players have represented teams in the Premier Development League (PDL) and the National Premier Soccer League (NPSL), and some are now playing professionally around the world.
 
Blankley attended TWC from 1999-2004 and played four years of soccer and basketball for the Bulldogs. As a member of the soccer team, he was named as an All-Conference player and was a member of the 2002 soccer team that won the conference and regional titles and played at the NAIA National Tournament.  He graduated from Tennessee Wesleyan with a Bachelors Degree in Exercise Science with a minor in Business.

Following graduation, he returned to England to teach and coach West Notts College Youth Soccer Academy and Eckington School. He also played and coached at the semi-pro level. He currently coaches with the Tennessee State Olympic Development Program (ODP) and holds the UEFA B part 1 and USSF C license.

Allison Kempainen

Assistant Coach

Alabama State

Division 1

Allison Kempainen begins her first season at Alabama State as the assistant soccer coach, bringing with her an extensive history of coaching at the club and high school level.

Over the last decade, Kempainen has coached for the Minnesota Thunder Academy (2009-15) and the Eagan Wave Soccer Club (2016-2020). In addition, she joined Blast South (2020) as a coach and club administrator.

Along with coaching club soccer, she was an assistant coach and co-Head Coach at Bloomington Kennedy High School (2011-18), earning Assistant Coach of the Year accolades in 2017; and she served as an assistant varsity coach at Eagan High School (2019).

Kempainen has been involved in coaching numerous summer and winter camps, including the University of Minnesota Soccer Camp, Elite Feet Soccer camp, and Residential camps with Coerver Coaching.

Kempainen played four years at Minnesota, and was an integral part of rebuilding the program from 2004 to 2007. She earned a Bachelor of Communication degree from Minnesota in 2008

Elizabeth Manner

Associate Head Coach/Recruiting Coordinator

South Carolina-Upstate

Division 1

Liz Manner is in her fourth season as an assistant coach and recruiting coordinator for the USC Upstate womens soccer program.

The Sunflower State native assisted in the Spartans record breaking 2018 season. The Spartans ended the 2018 season with a Division I school record of 11 wins, besting their previous total of six wins during the 2017 campaign. USC Upstate set school records in points (93), goals (37), assists (19), shots attempted (327), goals against average (1.43) and shutouts (8). For the first time in the Division I era the Spartans had a trio of players named to the All-Conference team. Jada Kinlaw (Greenville, S.C.), Abbie Ellis (Clemmons, N.C.) and Emelie Valenciano (Zarcero, Costa Rica) were all named to the Big South Second-Team. Ellis and Valenciano were also named to the Big South All-Tournament Team, another first for the womens soccer program.


Manner assisted the 2017 Spartans to the greatest season in school history in record-setting fashion. Upstates 6-10-1 record set a program record for wins as well as fewest losses. The Spartans scored a record-breaking 27 goals and tallied a program-best 1.59 goals per game while attempting the highest number of corner kicks ever at 75. Upstate was strong on the back line as well as surrendering 32 goals, the second-fewest in team history, while only allowing 80 corner kicks.

Manner comes to Upstate after coaching two years for the Pride Soccer Club in Colorado Springs, Colo. While at Pride Soccer Club, she coached a pair of U-13 teams as well as the Pride Soccer Developmental Winter Clinics and Summer Camp.

Manner played at Lyon College where she was a team captain for three-and-a-half seasons and earned Daktronics-NAIA Women's Soccer Scholar-Athlete accolades during the 2010 and 2011 seasons while graduating Suma Cum Laude. Manner played for John during the 2009 and 2010 seasons.

She was the first recipient of the Elizabeth Fuller Award (named after her), which is awarded to the senior who shows the greatest leadership, sportsmanship and work ethic. 

A native of Wichita, Kan., Manner played her prep career at Wichita High School East where she lettered four years in soccer and two in volleyball. Manner earned Second Team All-State honors in soccer.

She graduated from Lyon in 2012 with a Bachelor of Art degree in psychology while also owning a Master of Science in criminal justice.

Emily Grant

Head Women's Soccer Coach

Wofford

Division 1

Wofford College womens soccer head coach Emily Grant begins her second season with the Terriers in 2020. Prior to Wofford, Grant spent the previous three seasons as assistant coach at Georgia Southern.  
    
Grant was hired on January 2, 2019 as head coach of the Terriers. In her first season, the team was 7-12 overall and 3-6 in the Southern Conference to finish  seventh overall. League wins were earned over VMI, The Citadel and East Tennessee State. In the first round of the SoCon Tournament, Wofford advanced with a 2-1 win over VMI before falling to #2 seed Furman. Eleven players were named to the Southern Conference Fall All-Academic Team, while 26 earned spots on the Southern Conference Academic Honor Roll.



Prior to joining Wofford, Grant completed her third season on the coaching staff at Georgia Southern. After the first two seasons as an assistant coach, she was promoted to associate head coach in 2018. She was a key piece to the recruiting and operational tasks for the Eagles. Along with coaching, Grant handled offseason training packets, recruiting visits, ID Camps, and travel accommodations on the road. During the season, she coached the forwards and midfielders and helped run the in-season training sessions.
    
Grant went to Georgia Southern from UNLV, where she coached two years as an assistant coach. While with UNLV, Grant was also the head coach of the U-15 and U-17 girls at Heat Football Club in Las Vegas.
     
Prior to her coaching position with UNLV, Grant attended Vanderbilt University in Nashville, Tennessee, where she received her Bachelor of Arts in classical civilization in 2012. Grant also coached the U-10 and U-14 girls at the Tennessee Soccer Club in Nashville and helped guide the team to the 2012 Tennessee State Cup Finals.
     
In her time at Vanderbilt, Grant was a two-time team captain and helped the Commodores reach two SEC Tournament quarterfinal rounds during her career. Grant was named overall MVP as a senior and, following graduation, was captain of the Philadelphia Fever of the Womens Premiere Soccer League in the summer of 2012.
     
A native of Adamstown, Maryland, Grant also holds a masters degree in sports management from Northeastern University.

Lucy Jeffs

Assistant Coach

Gardner-Webb

Division 1

Lucy Jeffs joins the Gardner-Webb Runnin Bulldogs womens soccer staff for her third season in 2020.

During her Second season, Jeffs lead the Runnin' Bulldogs to a 10-11-1 record for the 2019-20 season and a Big South tournament runner-up finish.

Jeffs helped guide Gardner-Webb to a 12-5-4 record and a Big South tournament runner-up finish in her first season.

A native of Hampshire, England, Jeffs played soccer for Wey Valley FC, Reading Girls FC and South Downs College. In the fall of 2013, she traveled to the United States to play collegiately at Erskine College where she was a starting midfielder for the Flying Fleet from 2013-17.

She started her coaching career at North Greenville University as an assistant coach for the women's program in the fall of 2017. 

Jeffs graduated from Erskine College in May 2017 with in a Bachelor of Science in Sports Management and minor in Psychology, Business, and Health. She also graduated from Gardner-Webb with her MBA in May 2020. 

Jeffs holds her USSF C coaching license.

Errin Stanton

Assistant Coach/GK Coach

Davidson

Division 1

Stanton was a former standout goalkeeper at Pfeiffer University. During his career, he earned All-Region Honorable Mention, and was a two-time All-CVAC and First Team All-Defensive honors. Stanton still ranks in the Pfeiffer single-season record books in season low goals against average (0.93), shutout record of seven and was part of a team that produced 10 consecutive wins.
 
A four-year starter at Pfeiffer, Stanton played professionally in the US USL(D3), A-League and MLS levels. He has coached teams and goalkeepers at the high school, elite club and semi-professional elite club levels.


A 1998 graduate from Pfeiffer, Stanton earned is degree in criminal justice.
 
He resides in Charlotte with his wife  and two sons.

Sara Yunez

Assistant Coach

Eastern Kentucky

Division 1

Sara Yunez was hired as an assistant coach with the Eastern Kentucky University soccer program in January of 2021.
Yunez came to EKU following one season as an assistant coach at Houghton College, a Division-III school in western New York.
Prior to joining the Houghton staff, she spent the spring of 2019 as an assistant at Covenant College in north Georgia.
I couldnt be more excited to have someone like Sara join our soccer family, head coach Matt Cosinuke said. More important than being a decorated player and great coach, Sara is an exceptional person with extremely high character and integrity. Her future as a coach is very bright.
Yunez put together an impressive playing career at Messiah College in Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania, one of the top Division-III womens soccer programs in the country.
As a senior in 2018, she was voted first-team All-America after logging more than 1,400 minutes while surrendering only five goals.  The native of Dillsburg, Pennsylvania held a 17-1-2 record while completing seven shutouts and posting a 0.833 save percentage.  Yunez was the first All-America goalkeeper in Messiah history.
For her career, Yunez played in 60 games, stopping 90 shots while allowing only 14 goals.  She recorded 26 shutouts and recorded a 36-4-4 record in the net. She was a two-time first-team All-MAC selection. A medical redshirt allowed Yunez to spend five years with the Messiah womens soccer program.  During that time, her teams finished with an impressive 106-6-12 record, which included finishes in the national Sweet 16 (2018), Elite Eight (2014 & 2017), Final Four (2015) and a national runner-up finish in 2016.

Stu Katz

Volunteer Assistant Coach

North Carolina-Greensboro

Division 1

Stu Katz joins the Spartans for his 4th season as a volunteer assistant for the 2020 season. A graduate of Florida State, Katz has over 35 years of experience coaching both men and women of all ages and levels. Katz has been part of the Spartan staff the won back to back conference titles in the SOCON and back to back NCAA Tournament appearances.

Katz most recently led the Northern Guilford Men's program to its best season in school history while breaking every team defending record in the process. The Nighthawks led the entire state of North Carolina in least amount of goals allowed in the year (13). For his work, he was honored as conference and region coach of the year as well as a finalist for North Carolina Coach of the Year.

As a high school coach in both Florida and North Carolina, Katz has won over 300 games. He currently serves as a staff coach for the North Carolina Olympic Developmental Program. He also served as the US Maccabiah Mens Masters Coach at the Pan Am Games in Bueno Aires, Argentina. Katz coached the WPSL Boca Blast, served as an administrator, as well coached teams from U 10  to U 19 for Team Boca.

Over the years Katz has worked with countless college student-athletes, current and former professional players and players that have represented their countries in the Olympics and World Cup. He has mentored numerous former players who have gone on to coach at the club, high school and college levels. He even has a former player that is a current MLS official. He is a Social Studies teacher at Northern Guilford High School and lives in Greensboro with his wife, son and two dogs.

Mason Portalski

Assistant Coach

Coastal Carolina

Division 1

Mason Portalski joined the Coastal Carolina women's soccer coaching staff as an assistant coach in January 2021. He will work with the goalkeepers.

Portalski comes to Coastal after spending two seasons as an assistant coach on the University of Northern Colorado womens soccer coaching staff.

While the Bears 2020 fall season was canceled due to the coronavirus pandemic, UNC won the Big Sky Tournament and advance to the NCAA Tournament in 2019, his first season on staff. Portalski helped coach four All-Big Sky selections and three honorable mentions including the co-Defensive MVP Maddie Barkow. 
 
Prior to his stop at UNC, Portalski was a graduate assistant coach at Western Illinois University from 2017-19 where he primarily worked with goalkeepers.

He also spent the summer of 2018 in Houston, Texas as an assistant coach with the TTI Bluebonnets of the WPSL which finished the season as the South Texas Conference Champions and made it to the National Round of 16.
 
Portalski earned his bachelors degree in Kinesiology at Washington State University in 2017 where he was a volunteer with the womens soccer program. He went on to get his masters degree in sport management at Western Illinois in 2019. 

He played collegiately at Whittier College in Whittier, Calif., where he was a goalkeeper for the mens team from 2012-13. 
 
He currently holds his United Soccer Coaches National Diploma, Levels 1 & 2 Goalkeeping Diplomas, and his USSF E license.

Daniel O'Hare

Assistant Coach

Arkansas State

Division 1

Daniel O'Hare is entering his fourth season as an assistant coach for the Arkansas State women's soccer team.

O'Hare serves as the Red Wolves goalkeeper coach and guided his group to the best single-season goals-against-average in school history at 0.85 in 2017. A-State rotated among two primary goalkeepers in Kelsey Ponder and Megan McClure. The pair combines to allow just 15 goals on the year and had six shutouts and nine victories.

Ponder took over as the teams primary keeper late in the year and was named as an All-Sun Belt Conference Second Team selection after she set numerous school records during the year. She broke her own record by collecting five shutouts on the year and currently possesses the lowest single-season goals-against average in the programs history at 0.57. She also owns the record for most wins by a goalkeeper in a career at 14 finished the year ranked in the top-five in saves.

His duties at Arkansas State will include serving at the goalkeeper coach and assisting with the day-to-day operations of the team.

O'Hare graduated Tennessee Wesleyan with his bachelor's degree in Business Administration with an emphasis in finance. He also graduate with his master's degree in Business Administration at Arkansas State in 2019.

Kevin Larry

Head Coach

Alcorn State

Division 1

Kevin Larry was tabbed the head womens soccer coach at Alcorn State University in May 2020. A product of Vicksburg, Mississippi, he began his coaching career at the collegiate level as a volunteer assistant at Alcorn in 2012.
 
Most recently, Larry served as assistant coach at Jackson State in 2019. He helped the Tigers register a 7-3 conference record as the team finished the regular season on a six-game winning-streak without allowing a single goal.
 
Prior to JSU, Larry worked four seasons at Shaw University as assistant mens and womens coach from 2015-18.
 
In 2013, Larry worked at North Carolina at Chapel Hill during World Cup champion Crystal Dunn's senior year. He served as a volunteer assistant breaking down game footage for future training purposes with the match analysis team.
 
At UNC, Larry worked for Anson Dorrance, one of the most successful head coaches in soccer history with 21 national championships and a U.S. Womens World Cup title in 1991 in China.

Larry's club experience is with Raleigh area clubs Triangle Futbol Club and North Carolina FC as well as mens amateur club Triangle Brigade FC. In 2014, Brigade FC captured the Southeast Regional Championship of amateur soccer and in doing so, qualified for the 2015 Lamar Hunt US Open Cup.

Brigade FC also competed in the TASL Mens Open A Division, Raleigh North Carolinas top mens amateur division. With the Brigade, Larry had the privilege of working with players who competed as Division I players and in the professional ranks in the U.S., South America and Europe.

Larry holds a National Coaching license from NSCAA, Raymond Verheijen Football Periodization Certificate and State Diploma. He graduated from Shaw with a bachelors degree in interdisciplinary studies: history/mass communications. Coach Kev has two amazing daughters: Kamille and Klaire. 

Erik Solberg

Head Coach

Arkansas-Pine Bluff

Division 1

In 2024, Solberg enters his first season as the head coach at Gardner-Webb after four seasons as the head coach at the University of Arkansas Pine-Bluff (UAPB).
 
At UAPB (2020-2023), Solberg steadied a program after being named the Golden Lions sixth different head coach in an eight-year span. By his third season in Pine Bluff, Solberg led UAPB to a 9-11 overall record, its best season since 2016, and a 4-4-1 conference record, the programs best record in Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC) play since 2015. The 2022 season opened with a 1-0 victory over Arkansas State University, the programs first win over a Division I foe outside of conference play since 2011. 
 
In 2023, the Golden Lions again finished with nine wins, completing the programs best two-year stretch since 2010-2011. This past season, Solbergs Golden Lions led the SWAC in scoring, finishing 18th-nationally in total goals (49) and 20th-nationally in goals per game (2.33).
 
During his tenure at UAPB, Solberg coached 12 all-conference players, including a SWAC Offensive Player of the Year (2022), Defensive Player of the Year (2023), and Freshman of the Year (2022), with eight SWAC Player of the Week recognitions.
 
Solberg is the only head coach in UAPB history to lead his team to four consecutive SWAC Tournament appearances. In each of Solbergs four seasons at UAPB, the Golden Lions outperformed their preseason ranking.
 
Prior to Pine Bluff, Solberg was the head coach at Northwestern Oklahoma State University for one season (2019), where he led the Rangers to a 7-10-1 record, doubling their win total from the previous season and posting the programs highest win total since becoming a full NCAA Division II member. Four of Solbergs players earned all-conference recognition, including the Newcomer of the Year, as Northwestern Oklahoma posted its highest point total in conference play since 2004.
 
Solberg brings eight years of head coaching experience to Boiling Springs, having previously spent three seasons at Division III East Texas Baptist University (2016-2018), where he went 27-21-7. In 2017, Solberg led the Tigers to a program-record 13 wins, including an upset victory over NCAA Division I Alcorn State University. Under his leadership, two Tigers earned all-region honors and 17 players were named all-conference selections, including the American Southwestern Conference Offensive and Defensive Players of the Year.
 
Prior to his time at East Texas, Solberg was an assistant coach at East Central University (2014-2015). He also served one season as a volunteer assistant at Nicholls State University (2013).
 
A native of Arlington Heights, Ill., Solberg was a student-athlete at the University of Mississippi, competing at the varsity level on the track and field and cross-country teams and scoring for the Rebels at the 2009 Southeastern Conference (SEC) Cross Country Championships. He was named to the SEC Honor Roll for the 2009-10 season and, during a season of graduate eligibility at Southeastern Louisiana University, was named to the Southland Conference Honor Roll.
 
Solberg is the seventh head coach in Gardner-Webb program history. He holds a bachelors degree in liberal studies from Ole Miss (12) and a Masters of Education with a concentration in sports administration from East Central (15). Solberg and his wife Shelby have two sons.

Jeremy Fontenot

Head Coach

Southern-Baton Rouge

Division 1

Head Women's Soccer Coach Jeremy Fontenot enters his second season leading the Lady Jaguars.

Fontenot finished last year with 3-14 and making to the SWAC for the first time since 2014. Under his guidance, Fontenot helped produced two All SWAC performers in Sophia Zavala (2nd team, 2017) and Victoria Mendez (2nd team, 2017).

Prior to his arrival, Fontenot earned a Bachelor of Science in Human Resources at Upper Iowa University.

Fontenot coached the Lady Eagles at Parkview Baptist for three seasons and leading the team to the playoffs every year. He was named district coach of the year in his final season.  Fontenot produced a handful of All-District players and two All-Metro players during his tenure at Parkview.

Coach Fontenot has been married to his beautiful wife Ashley for 5 years, and reside in Baton Rouge with their three daughters, Jordyn (5)  Jaedyn (3) and Jaicee (3).

Mckinnon Pennell

Assistant Coach

University of the South

Division 3

McKinnon Pennell C'18 is in his third season with the University of the South women's soccer program. Making his second stint with the program, he also served as an assistant with the program for the 2019 and 2020 seasons. 

He recently served as Director of Soccer Operations for Old Dominion University (Va.) during the 2021 campaign. During his time with the Monarchs, he was a part of a conference regular season and tournament championship with Conference USA (C-USA). Additionally, he was a part of a coaching staff that was named the C-USA Coaching Staff of the Year.  He was a part of research, scouting and evaluation of prospective student-athletes and opponents. Additionally, he was responsible for player performance technology and analytics. 

Off the pitch, he maintained the program's social media channels and administrative day-to-day operations of travel, equipment and budgets. 

He has also served as an Academy Coach for Virginia Beach City FC. 

Pennell was also a former four-year letterwinner with the Sewanee men's soccer team, and he was named to the SAA Academic Honor Roll. 

Pennell earned a Bachelor of Arts in Economics with a History minor from the University of the South, and he is expected to complete his Master's of Education with a Sport Management concentration in 2022 from the University of Texas at Austin. 

Renee Van Horn

Assistant Women's Soccer Coach

Oglethorpe

Division 3

Vanhorn comes to Oglethorpe after completing her Master of Sports Management at the University of West Georgia.  While at UWG she was a graduate assistant helping in all aspects of the womens soccer program. VanHorn competed collegiately at Division II University of North Georgia where she played for Anania in her first season in Dahlonega. In four years, VanHorn was a two-time All-Southeast Region performer and was named All-Peach Belt twice as well. In her career, she scored 31 goals and recorded 17 assists while setting the career penalty kicks record, converting five goals on five attempts.

Off the field, Vanhorn excelled as she was named PBC All-Academic Team three seasons and was a three-time selection to the PBC Presidential Honor Roll. Additionally, Vanhorn was awarded the NCAA Womens Enhancement Postgraduate Scholarship and was a nominee for NCAA Woman of the Year. At UNG, she was the recipient of the UNG LeeAnn Noble Nighthawk Service Award and the Women of UNG Leadership Award.

Kerry Edwards

Head Coach

Georgia Southwestern State

Division 2

1st Season as head Coach at Georgia Southwestern State University

in 2020 Edwards worked remotely for the Northwestern State University women's soccer team. Her primary responsibilities included scouting opponents, analyzing and breaking down game film along with consulting about practice planning and tactical development. 


Edwards spent the 2016 season at UNA as a graduate assistant before accepting a position as an assistant coach with the University of South Alabama for the 2017 season. She then returned to UNA in 2018.

The McKinney, Texas native will continue to work with the UNA goalkeepers.

In 2015, Edwards started her coaching collegiate career at Southwest Oklahoma State. The Bulldogs posted 11 shutouts as a team and had a 1.19 GAA, while going 13-6-1 overall and 8-3-1 in the Great American Conference, good for third in the league standings.

SWOSU's goals against average ranked second in the GAC, and the 11 clean sheets were tied for first.

At UNA in 2016, the Lions' goalkeepers posted a 1.28 goals against average that ranked sixth in the Gulf South Conference.

In 2018, UNA had a 1.27 GAA, allowing just 27 goals in 21 matches played.

Prior to joining the staff at Southwest Oklahoma State, she spent the spring of 2015 as a volunteer assistant at McKinney North High School in McKinney, Texas.

Edwards was a highly-decorated player at Dallas Baptist, where she led DBU to three NCAA Tournament appearances, including a Sweet 16 appearance in 2011. She finished her career second in the Division II record books with 51 career shutouts, and third with over 8,018 minutes in goal.

She was named all-Heartland Conference and all-South Central Region in each of her four seasons, and was a two-time NCCAA All-American as well.

ROBIN SMITH

Head Coach

Erskine

Division 2

Smith begins her fourth season at Erskine. After serving as Assistant Coach for two seasons, she became head coach.   Originally from Greenwood, South Carolina, Robin graduated from Winthrop University with a Bachelor of Science in Physical Education-Fitness/Wellness, minor in Biology degree (3.96) in 2009, where she was a three-year letterman in soccer and also ran cross-country one season.  Robin earned her Master of Arts in Education, Organizational Training and Education Concentration(3.91) graduate degree from Tusculum College in 2011, where she used her final year of eligibility to run Cross Country and play soccer. She not only lettered but also earned South Atlantic Conference Runner of the Week honors in 2010. She also served as a strength and conditioning coach during this time.  Prior to her arrival at Erskine, Robin was Head Women's Soccer Coach at Daniel High School and played on the Carolina Elite Cobras in the W League. Robin is also a member of the South Carolina Olympic Developmental Program Staff, evaluating and training players as well as coaching in camps in the district and state. She holds her USSF "C" Coaching License Certification and is a certified soccer official. Robin has helped with the development of the Dixie High School women's soccer program, coached multiple teams with the SCUFC Toros of Greenwood Soccer Club and assisted in the administration and direction of several summer camps. She also has her NSCAA Goalkeeping Level 1 & 2. Robin currently resides in Due West, South Carolina where she is also a Resident Director for Erskine. 


Robin Smith
Head Women's Soccer Coach




Robin Smith begins her fourth season at Erskine. After serving as Assistant Coach for two seasons, she became head coach.   Originally from Greenwood, South Carolina, Robin graduated from Winthrop University with a Bachelor of Science in Physical Education-Fitness/Wellness, minor in Biology degree (3.96) in 2009, where she was a three-year letterman in soccer and also ran cross-country one season.  Robin earned her Master of Arts in Education, Organizational Training and Education Concentration(3.91) graduate degree from Tusculum College in 2011, where she used her final year of eligibility to run Cross Country and play soccer. She not only lettered but also earned South Atlantic Conference Runner of the Week honors in 2010. She also served as a strength and conditioning coach during this time.  Prior to her arrival at Erskine, Robin was Head Women's Soccer Coach at Daniel High School and played on the Carolina Elite Cobras in the W League. Robin is also a member of the South Carolina Olympic Developmental Program Staff, evaluating and training players as well as coaching in camps in the district and state. She holds her USSF "C" Coaching License Certification and is a certified soccer official. Robin has helped with the development of the Dixie High School women's soccer program, coached multiple teams with the SCUFC Toros of Greenwood Soccer Club and assisted in the administration and direction of several summer camps. She also has her NSCAA Goalkeeping Level 1 & 2. Robin currently resides in Due West, South Carolina where she is also a Resident Director for Erskine.

Van Taylor

Lander

Division 2

Van Taylor is Lander's Director of Development and the director of the Bearcat Club. Taylor stepped down as Lander's head men's soccer coach in December of 2014 after three decades seasons on the sidelines for the Bearcats. He was inducted into the Lander Athletics Hall of Fame in February of 2019. 

Taylor, a 1975 graduate of Erskine College, received a bachelor's degree in health and physical education and earned NAIA All-District 6 and NCAA All-American honors in 1975. He was inducted into the Erskine Hall of Fame in 1982.

He received his master's degree in education from Lander in 1990 and his Certification in Administration and Supervision from Clemson University in 2003.

In 30 seasons at Lander, Taylor amassed an overall 391-164-34 record (.693 winning percentage). The 2005 team won the NCAA Division II Southeast Region championship, while the 2001 team finished No. 6 in the country when it posted a 17-4 campaign and reached the quarterfinals of the NCAA Division II national tournament.

Taylor led Lander to its first of three NAIA District 6 championships in 1987 (15-4-1). The then-Senators also won District 6 titles in 1990 (20-5) and 1991 (21-3-1).

In 1990, the Senators won the NAIA Area 9 championship and advanced to the NAIA National Tournament where they placed third. The Senators won the Nels Dahlquist Sportsmanship Trophy at the tournament.

Taylor was named the PBC Coach of the Year in 1991, 1995 and 2012, and the NCAA Southeast Region Coach of the Year in 1995, 2001 and 2005. He was voted NAIA District 6 Coach of the Year in 1985, '90 and '91, and NAIA Area 9 Coach of the Year in 1990.

In 1975, Taylor was a first-round draft choice for the New York Cosmos of the NASL. Taylor was traded to the Miami Toros in 1976 where he played for three seasons while earning runnerup honors for Rookie of the Year. He was later traded to the Columbus Magic of the ASL in 1979. He finished his playing career with the Phoenix Inferno of the MISL (1980-84).

As a prep at West Essex High School in North Caldwell, N.J., Taylor was a Parade Magazine All-American and was inducted into the West Essex Hall of Fame in 1991.

Taylor earned the Union of European Football Association (UEFA) "A" license in 1998 and added the UEFA Pro License in 2004. He also holds the NSCAA's Advance National Goalkeeping Diploma and Premier Diploma. A USSF "A" and National Youth licensed coach. Taylor is a U.S. Soccer Federation (USSF) staff coach and instructor and serves as a Region III staff coach for the U.S. Youth Soccer Association (USYSA).

Vanessa Fyffe

Head coach

Tusculum

Division 2

Fyffe returns to the Pioneer coaching staff after spending the past two years as assistant coach at the University of Louisiana Monroe. The 2010 Tusculum graduate succeeds Chelsea Parker, who departed in February to become head coach at Francis Marion University.

While at ULM, Fyffe coached goalkeepers and was heavily involved in recruiting, video breakdown and technical field sessions for the Warhawks, a member of the Division I Sun Belt Conference.

"First, I want to thank both coach Mike Joy and director of athletics Doug Jones for this opportunity to be rejoining the team. I am very excited to be returning to my alma mater and working with Mike again," said Fyffe. "Tusculum has always been a home away from home for me. As a coach, I cannot wait to start working with our players, building a foundation towards a great season and getting a chance to contribute to our continuing team legacy."

During her first coaching stint at Tusculum from 2013 through 2017, Fyffe helped coach the Pioneers to the 2016 South Atlantic Conference regular-season championship and five SAC Championship tournament appearances, including two trips to the semifinals. She also coached 13 players who received postseason All-Conference honors, while also overseeing the junior varsity program. Two of her goalies, Marissa Williams and Miriah Martin, earned All-SAC honors during Fyffe's first tenure with the Pioneers.

"I am tremendously excited that Vanessa is returning to her alma mater and to our coaching staff," said Joy, who is the winningest coach in SAC history with 276 victories in 23 seasons at Tusculum, and has 362 wins in 28 years as a collegiate head coach. "I know her vast experience as a player and coach will help us to reach our goals as a program. Vanessa has a great positive outlook on life, and I consider myself very fortunate to have her back on our staff."

A native of Bellbrook, Ohio, she earned a bachelor of arts degree in sport management with a minor in coaching from Tusculum in 2010. In her playing career, she played 22 games and compiled a 9-6-1 record with a 1.18 goals against average. Her career goals against average ranks as the eighth-best in program history.

As a junior, Fyffe started 16 matches and finished with 61 saves and a 1.26 goals against average spanning 1,355 minutes of playing time. That year, Fyffe was in goal when the Pioneers upset seventh-ranked Columbus State by a 2-1 score in Greeneville to win the Southeast Region championship and advance to the Elite Eight. She was a member of three Tusculum teams that appeared in the NCAA Division II Tournament, including a Sweet 16 appearance in her senior season, and was a member of the SAC Commissioner Honor Roll and Tusculum Athletic Director's Honor Roll.

Fyffe returned to Tusculum in 2013 after three seasons as an assistant coach at Division III Moravian College in Bethlehem, Pa., where she worked with the Greyhound goalkeepers. She also assisted in practice planning, recruiting, fundraising and off-season workouts during her time at Moravian. At Moravian, the Greyhounds made three straight appearances in the Landmark Conference Tournament, twice in the league semifinals along with one berth in the championship match.

Fyffe has also gained valuable coaching experience through her work with the Joy of Soccer Camp held each summer at Tusculum, along with the Mommy and Me Soccer Program for youth in the Bethlehem area. Fyffe has also been involved with Play for the Cure to raise money for the Susan G. Komen Foundation.

She received a United Soccer Coaches National Diploma in 2017, along with regional and state goaltending diplomas. Fyffe, who was a licensed FIFA referee for 10 years, earned her Masters of business administration degree from Moravian in 2012.

Andrea Kaminski

Assistant Coach

Georgia Gwinnett

NAIA

Andrea Kaminski enters her sixth season as the assistant coach of Georgia Gwinnett Colleges women's soccer program in 2020.

A former standout NCAA Division I goalkeeper, Kaminski helps coordinate the Grizzly defense and goalkeepers, as well as assists head coach Dr. Mike Giuliano with recruiting, training and day-to-day operations of the program.

She has mentored the last two Association of Independent Institutions Goalkeeper of the Year award winners with Sophie Hoare honored during the 2019 season and Elisa Randel named following the 2018 campaign. Over the last two seasons the Grizzlies have posted a 32-10-1 record.

Kaminski has helped lead GGC to three A.I.I. titles (2019, 2018 and 2017) -- the first conference championships in program history. The 2018 squad won a single-season school-record 17 matches and captured the program's first NAIA national tournament victory with a 3-0 home triumph against Columbia (Mo.) in the Opening Round. The Round of 16 appearance in 2018 marked the deepest postseason run in program history.

She helped the 2019 team tally 15 victories and advance to the Opening Round title match behind a 3-2 double-overtime victory against Trinity Christian (Ill.). The Grizzlies registered a 1-0 home victory against No. 5 Lindsey Wilson (Ky.). GGC did not allow a goal during five October matches.

In 2017, Kaminski led the GGC defense to nine shutouts and the program's first conference championship. The Grizzlies defeated two nationally ranked opponents, earning triumphs against No. 23 Cumberland (Tenn.) and No. 23 Jamestown (N.D.). The win against Jamestown gave the Grizzlies the Association of Independent Institutions title and berth to the NAIA national tournament. Goalkeeper Sophie Hoare earned first A.I.I. team honors.

She guided the Grizzlies to their fifth-consecutive double-digit-win season at 10-7-2 in 2016. The defensive unit posted four shutouts as the Grizzlies outscored their opponents by a 50-30 margin.

During 2015, Kaminskis first year at GGC, she helped guide the Grizzly defense to five shutouts en route to a 10-win season.

Prior to arriving at GGC, Kaminski spent the previous four seasons on the staff at NCAA Division III Capital University (Ohio), helping the team to three conference championships and a berth into the national semifinals in 2013. She helped Crusaders goalkeeper Maggie Donnellan collect three consecutive conference goalkeeper of the year awards as well as a pair of all-region honors and an NSCAA All-America designation.

Kaminski boasts a wealth of playing experience, beginning with a record-breaking career in goal for the University of Cincinnati. In her four years with the Bearcats, she logged 6,713 minutes in goal and graduated as the schools all-time saves leader (407), leading the Big East Conference in the category in both 2006 and 2009.

Following her collegiate career, Kaminski competed for the West Virginia Illusion of the W-League and spent time coaching for former U.S. Womens National Team coach Tony DiCicco with his Soccer Plus Goalkeepeing School.

Kaminski graduated from Cincinnati in 2010 with a degree in special education. She is a native of Indiana.

Chris Hall

Assistant Coach

Reinhardt

NAIA

Assistant Coach Christopher Hall is in his fourth season with the Reinhardt Eagles.

Hall's previous experiences include being Director of Player Development for AFC Lightning Soccer where he developed individualized, age, and gender specific training programs to improve skill levels for players in the clubs elite level programs.

Hall was the head coach in the U.S. Soccer Development Academy program, as well as U12 and U17 girls teams - and was also one of only 20 coaches selected for the inaugural cohort of Atlanta Uniteds Coaching Education Program.

Before AFC Lightning, he was a head coach for Concorde Fire Soccer Association and assistant women's soccer coach at Oglethorpe University. Hall has also had stints as Olympic Development Program Coach (Georgia Soccer) and a Youth Soccer Coach with Inter Atlanta Football Club.

Hall currently holds multiple coaching licenses, including:
 
USSF A LicenseNSCAA Director of Coaching LicenseUSYS National Youth LicenseNSCAA Advanced National LicenseNSCAA Goalkeeping Level 2 DiplomaCoerver Coaching Youth DiplomaAtlanta United Coaching Education Program

Vinny Gill

Head Coach-Women's Soccer

Middle Georgia

NAIA

Head Coach Vinny Gill is entering his 15th season at Middle Georgia State College.  Gill now coaches the women's program only but spent his first 6 years as coach of both the men and women.  Coach Gill was the GCAA women's Coach of the Year in 2007 and men's Coach of the Year in 2010.  His women's teams have a record of 68-49-6 while the men's teams are 57-41-9.  His overall record at the institution is 125-90-15.

Originally from Ireland, Gill has spent time coaching in the NAIA and NJCAA with different schools and spent one year coaching professionally with the Jacksonville Cyclones.  Gill's women's team won the 2009 GCAA Conference Championship and men's team was runner-up 2010.  His women's teams have reached the GCAA semi finals 6 of 7 seasons.  His men's team have made the semifinals 5 out of 7 seasons.  Neither team has missed the playoffs since Coach Gill took over.  Middle Georgia made it to the National Tournament for the last two years and were ranked as high as #24 in the country

Coach Gill is married and has 2 children and three grandchildren.  

Shaun Soderling

Brescia

Division 1

Shaun Soderling joined the Kansas soccer staff in January 2024.

Soderling most recently served as the head coach of the womens soccer program at NAIA Brescia University in Owensboro, Kentucky from 2020-23. Prior to Brescia, Soderling worked at Division II Alderson Broaddus University as the recruiting coordinator for the mens team and a scout for the womens team from 2014-20.

In addition to coaching, Soderling was the director of operations for the mens soccer team at Evansville from Jan. 2013 to July 2014. He operated the teams networking efforts, coordinated community service opportunities for elementary schools in the area, and assisted in the daily operation of team activities.

Before becoming a coach at the collegiate level, Soderling worked at three high schools, including Vincennes Lincoln High School (Ind.), Henderson County High School (Ky.) and North Knox High School (Ind.). In addition to coaching at the collegiate and high school levels, Soderling has 20 years of coaching at the club level that dates back to 2003. He most recently coached with Racing Louisville's Youth Academy.

Tanner Osborne

Assistant Coach

Presbyterian

Division 1

Tanner Osborne just completed his fifth season as the assistant coach with the Blue Hose women's soccer team in the spring of 2021 with duties ranging from helping implement, coordinate, and run training sessions, recruiting, handling and coordination of travel and budget logistics and working as the teams goalkeeper coach.

During Osbornes four years with the program he has help coach the program back into the Big South Conference tournament (2019), improve win totals, and help coach numerous players to post season All-Conference sections.

In Osbornes five seasons with the program he has helped coach and guide a steady increase in players receiving post season awards. In 2021, Kori Lawrence and Morgan Hutchison were named to the league's second team all-conference, while Kristen Bane and Sydni Dachs earned honorable mention. Megan Serrano set a single-season record with a 1.07 GAA. In 2019, Morgan Hutchison, Kristen Bane, Preston Robinette, and Kori Lawrence all garnered such awards. Hutchison claimed 2nd team All-Conference while Bane claimed All-Conference Honorable Mention. Robinette was tabbed an AllAcademic award winner and Lawrence was selected for the AllTournament team following the 2019 Big South Conference Tournament. During the 2018 season Kelsey Yeager received 1st team AllConference along with an AllAcademic selection. As well, Osborne helped coach and guide Lawrence to an AllFreshman team selection during her freshman campaign in 2018. In 2017 he helped guide Kelsey Yeager to an All-Conference Honorable Mention spot and Sarah Yoss was selected for the AllAcademic team. In Osbornes first season in 2016, Kia Mattison was selected to the All-Academic team.

Along with coaching the Blue Hose, Osborne is also an assistant coach with the USL II South Carolina United Bantams, South Carolina ODP, and is involved in private training for youth players.

Osborne has been with the Bantams for three seasons. He is their head goalkeeper coach that oversees their 1st, 2nd, and 3rd teams goalkeepers. Along with instructing and implementing sessions for all goalkeepers for each team he instructs and helps with the running of team and field player sessions for the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd teams for the Bantams. In 2019 under Osbornes direction he coached the USL II Team of the Year GK (Bobby Edwards) and Southern Conference Team of the Year GK (Bobby Edwards) (Edwards signed with Portadown Football Club in Northern Ireland in July 2019 and recently signed with FC Cincinnati of the MLS in January 2020). During Osbornes three seasons with the Bantams he has coached and guided two players that are now playing professionally. In 2018 along with coaching Bobby Edwards he guided and coached Ian McGrane. McGrane most recently signed with USL Championship side Tampa Bay Rowdies this February 2020.
 
Osbornes time spent with South Carolina ODP has seen him work as a coach for the 02 girls age group, involved with instructing goalkeepers and is currently the Head Coach for the 04 girls.

Prior to working with the women's team, he spent two seasons working as an assistant coach for the Blue Hose men's soccer team and six years as the assistant varsity coach and goalkeeper coach at Lexington High School. In addition, Osborne continues to work numerous college soccer camps as well as serving as a personal goalkeeper trainer across the midlands.

Osborne graduated from Presbyterian College in 2014 with a degree in psychology and minor in athletic coaching. He was a four-year player for the Blue Hose, playing in eight games in net his sophomore year, five his junior year, and five his senior year.

During his undergrad career, Osborne was a four-year varsity player at Lexington High School in Lexington, SC, where he earned All-State honors as a senior, named All-Region Player of the Year and was also on the All-Region and All-Area teams.

Osborne currently holds his USSF C license and will be pursuing his B License. He holds his USC level I and II goalkeeper license as well.

Cathrine Whitehill

Assistant Coach

Emory

Division 3

 Cat Whitehill just started working as the full time assistant coach in May, but she has been serving as a volunteer coach since 2019.  A 10-year member of the United States Womens National Team with over 130 caps under her belt, she appeared in the 2003 and 2007 World Cups and helped USA capture the gold medal at the 2004 Olympics in Athens, Greece. In addition, Whitehill played professionally with the Washington Freedom, Atlanta Beat and Boston Breakers.

Prior to playing professionally, Catherine was a standout at the University of North Carolina, helping the Tar Heels to NCAA Division I national titles in both 2001 and 2003. She was a four-time All-American at UNC and was the recipient of both the Honda and Hermann awards for top college womens soccer player.

Mark Duble

Head Coach

Covenant

NCAA

Duble will begin his 27th season as the Lady Scots head soccer coach in the 2021 season. He is the longest-tenured coach and athletic administrator at Covenant. Duble also serves as an Associate Director of Athletics.
He began coaching the Lady Scots club team in 1993 before the program became varsity in 1994. He "grew up" at Covenant, as his father was a Vice President for Advancement at Covenant College in the 1960s and 1970s, and he played for, and captained, the Scots soccer team as a player.
In 27 seasons with the Lady Scots his squads have compiled a 283-176-36 overall record. The 2006 team won the NAIA regional to advance to the NAIA national tournament for the first time in school history. Duble has earned a conference Coach of the Year award six times, and a regional Coach of the Year award in 2004 and 2005. In his 27 seasons, Duble's teams have finished at or above .500 24 times.
All told, during Dubles tenure as head coach, the program has produced 33 All-Americans, two national tournament appearances (one in the NAIA and one in the NCCAA), and 12 total conference championships spanning both the NAIA and NCAA.
In addition to the tremendous on-field success, 67 players have earned national scholar-athlete awards from either the NCAA, NAIA or the NCCAA. Duble's teams are regularly recipients of the NSCAA Team Academic Award for their excellence as a group in the classroom. Additionally, over the last eight years Duble's teams have collected 146 USA South All-Academic honors, including a program-record 20 in the 2015-16 academic year.
The 2015 edition of Duble's team had its best conference finish since joining the USA South as the Lady Scots placed fifth in the regular season with an 8-3-1 record. Overall, Covenant went 10-5-1 on the year marking the fifth time in the last six seasons the Lady Scots have won at least 10 matches and finished .500 or better.
In 2012, the Lady Scots posted a 15-5-1 record and 9-1 in GSAC play which earned them a share of the conference regular season title, a first at the NCAA Division III level. The 15 wins was tied for the second most in school history. Covenant placed seven players on the All-Conference team and had two NCCAA All-Americans (Kathryn Allison and Katelyn Newsome).

Active in professional coaching organizations, he has served ten years as the conference soccer chair, five as regional chair two years as NCAA Regional ranking committee, and two years as the NAIA Womens Soccer National President. He and his wife Lynn, also a Covenant alum and former athlete herself, have been married for 32 years, and have five children: Allen, Chelsey, Charles, Faith, and JohnMark.

Richard Beebe

Assistant Coach

Mississippi

Division 1

Richard Beebe, who joined the program prior to the 2014 season, has made an instrumental impact in the Rebels success.

Beebe helped the program to its best season yet in 2015, as the Rebels advanced to the NCAA Sweet 16 for the first time in school history.

A good portion of the programs recent consistency can be credited to Beebe, who wears many hats in the volunteer assistant role.

He cuts up all game film for the Rebels, helps scout opponents prior to matches, and assists in numerous roles in practice. Head coach Matt Mott, who was alerted of Beebes work ethic through a mutual friend, called him an unsung, absolute godsend to our program, reiterating Beebes importance to Ole Miss soccer.

Beebe joined the Rebels after serving as an assistant coach at his alma mater, William Carey, where he was also a standout soccer player himself.

As an assistant at William Carey, Beebe helped lead the womens team to the Southern States Athletic Conference (SSAC) championship in 2013 with a perfect 11-0 record in conference play and outscoring foes 53-to-6 on the season. It was the first SSAC title for William Carey.

He helped the team advance to the Sweet 16 of the NAIA tournament while posting an 18-5 record on the season and a final ranking of 10th in the national polls. Beebe worked with the defenders at William Carey and helped coach Lauren Satcher to third team NAIA All-America honors and second team All-America honors from the National Soccer Coaches Association of America.

During the 2011 and 2012 seasons, Beebe served as the head coach of both the boys and girls soccer teams at Greene County High School, leading the girls team to the South State finals in both seasons.

He also coached the Hattiesburg Futbol Club for four seasons and served as the Assistant DOC for the last season under Danny Owens.

Beebe lettered four years at William Carey, serving as a starter all four years of his career. He served as team captain in 2009 and was named a Gulf Coast Athletic Conference first team selection that season. Beebe helped lead his team to the GCAC Championship in 2008 and 2009, while also helping the squad claim the GCAC Tournament Championship in 2007.

He earned a bachelors degree in education with a minor in biology from William Carey in 2010 and a masters degree in secondary education in 2012.

Taylor Culp

Assistant Coach

Elon

Division 1

Prior to Elon, Culp served as the goalkeeper coach with the Penn women's soccer team in 2018. While with the Quakers, Culp helped the team's goalkeeper unit ranked first in the country in goals-against average, clean sheet percentage and save percentage. The starting goalkeeper was also named the Ivy League's Goalkeeper of the Year and was a second team All-Region choice under his tutelage as Penn won the 2018 Ivy League championship.

Culp also served as the goalkeeper's coach at the College of Mount Saint Vincent in Bronx, N.Y., during the spring of 2018. Additionally, he has held similar posts at the United Soccer Academy and Matchfit Academy.

On the field, Culp helped lead Saint Joseph's High School in Metuchen, N.J. to back-to-back state championship appearances, before attending the University of Massachusetts Amherst. In 2016, he made his move to Montclair State, in which he helped the Red Hawks to the NJAC championship and reached the NCAA Tournament for the 11th straight season.

A native of Piscataway, N.J., Culp graduated from Montclair State University with a Bachelor of Arts in psychology.

Timmy McCormack

Head Coach

Piedmont

Division 3

Head Coach at Piedmont (2017-present)
69-23-11 overall record
Led Piedmont to undefeated season in first year as Head Coach
Won 2021 USA South Athletic Conference Regular Season Championship
Won 2021 Spring USA South Athletic Conference Tournament Championship
Won 2018 USA South Athletic Conference Tournament
Earned 2017 USA South Athletic Conference Regular Season Title
2021 USA South Goalkeeper of the Year (Laila Allen)
2017 USA South Player of the Year (Cassidy Reich)
31 All-Conference Players
Five United Soccer Coaches All-South Atlantic Region Team Members
14 Scholar All-South Region Team Members
Nine CoSIDA Academic All-District Honorees
Three CoSIDA Academic All-American Honorees
 
Assistant Coach at Piedmont (2009-2011, 2013-2017)
Four Conference Titles (2011, 2013, 2015, 2016)
80 shutouts over seven seasons
35 All-Conference performers
Six NSCAA All-South Region performers
 
Collegiate Career at Huntingdon College (2003-2004, 2006)
Centerback for the Hawks
GSAC All-Freshman Team member (2003)
All-Tournament Team at the Kyle Rote Jr. Invitational (2006)
Student Assistant (2007)
 
Timmy McCormack just completed his fifth season season as Head Women's Soccer Coach with another conference championship to add from the fall of 2021 after taking the title in the spring of 2021 and an undefeated season in 2017 to go with a USA South Championship season in 2018 for the Lady Lions. McCormack is no stranger to the sidelines for the Green and Gold after spending a combined eight seasons as an Assistant Coach for Piedmont soccer, seven of those with the Lady Lions, prior to taking over as the Head Women's Soccer Coach before the '17 campaign.

In the midst of one of the more uncertain times as schools across the country dealt with the ramifications of COVID-19, the Lady Lions stayed steady winning the 2021 Spring USA South Athletic Conference Championship with another 1-0 over Maryville College, this time doing so at the home of the Scots.  The tournament championship marked the 8th conference championship in McCormack's 11 seasons with the program including the last four seasons as the Head Coach. 

In his second season as head coach, McCormack led the Lady Lions to its fourth USA South Tournament Championship as Piedmont defeated long-time rival Maryville College, 1-0. Piedmont would advance to the NCAA tournament where it played its closest tournament game to date, falling 2-1 to No. 17 Lynchburg College. The Lady Lions posted 16 shutouts on the season and outscored opponents 41-10 while out-shooting the opposition 18-9. 
 
Piedmont posted a 16-0-4 record under McCormacks leadership in 2017 as the Lady Lions posted 14 shutouts and outscored opponents 53-8. Defensive prowess has been McCormacks specialty as his work with the defensive side of the squad helped Piedmont to 110 shutouts over his combined nine years with the Lady Lions including 18 in 2015.
 
McCormack has been on the sidelines with the Lady Lions for one of the most impressive decades of soccer in the programs history. Though he just completed his first season as Head Coach, McCormack was an assistant with the program when the women won four conference titles (2011, 2013, 2015, 2016) and helped Piedmont to four NCAA tournament appearances.
 
In 2015, McCormack helped the Lady Lions to one of their finest seasons in program history with a record 20 wins as Piedmont went 20-2-1 overall with a 10-1-1 conference record on the way to a USA South Tournament Championship and another NCAA Tournament appearance. McCormack saw another All-Conference selection in the goal with Michaela Gardner taking the honors on the way to becoming the second NSCAA All-Region goalkeeping selection since 2009.

McCormack spent two stints as an assistant with the womens program from 2009-2011 and again from 2013-2017. Before switching over to the womens side of the PC soccer program, McCormack operated as an assistant coach with Piedmonts mens soccer team in the fall of 2008.
 
In the fall of 2012, McCormack led his alma mater Huntingdon College to one of its winningest mens soccer seasons in the previous decade including a victory over 5-time defending conference champions Maryville College, a feat the Hawks had not accomplished since 1999. With the 2-1 win over the Scots snapping a 29-game losing streak to the perennial power, McCormacks squad improved its winning percentage from the previous season and posted a draw with Rhodes College, an opponent that had defeated the Hawks by a combined score of 15-2 in their previous four meetings.

As an active member of United Soccer Coaches, McCormack holds a National Goalkeeping Diploma and Advanced National Diploma in addition to a National B License from the United States Soccer Federation. Having been a member of the camp staffs at the University of Notre Dame, Maryville College, and the Cajun Soccer Club, McCormack also served as the Co-Director of the Marshall Soccer School along with Marshall University Head Mens Soccer Coach Bob Gray in the summer of 2007.
 
The Lady Lions coach spent his playing days at Great South Athletic Conference member & current USA South member Huntingdon College where he was named to the 2003 GSAC All-Freshman Team and the 2006 All-Tournament Team at the Kyle Rote Jr. Invitational.  Prior to his arrival at the collegiate ranks, McCormack won a trio of state championships with the Capital City Soccer Club making a pair of appearances in the US Youth Soccer Southeast Regional Championships.
 
A 2008 graduate of Huntingdon College, McCormack earned his Bachelor of Arts in History. He followed that with a Master of Arts in Teaching from Piedmont College in 2010. 
 
Currently residing in northeast Georgia, McCormack manages all aspects of the womens soccer program while also serving as an Assistant Director of Intercollegiate Athletics. The Huntingdon alum married the former Jamie Edwards, who serves as the Head Volleyball Coach at Piedmont, in 2008 after the two finished their collegiate playing careers at the fellow conference member institution.

Haley Knowles

Assistant Women's Soccer Coach

Huntingdon

Division 3

Just finished my second year as a full-time assistant womens soccer coach at Huntingdon College. 

Gabby Kayser

North Greenville

Division 2

I am the Goalkeeper Coach and Graduate Assistant at North Greenville University. I started this position in January of 2021.

Holly Rawcliffe

Head Coach

Mars Hill

Division 2

Holly Rawcliffe joined the Mars Hill women's soccer coaching staff as the graduate assistant coach in the summer of 2020.

Rawcliffe began her coaching career as a community coach at AFC Fylde Community Foundation in 2011.  She volunteered throughout the decade at Preston North End Football Club and with the Sir Tom Finney Foundation.

Rawcliffe racked up numerous accomplishments during her time with the Saints of Limestone University.  She was named team captain during the spring semester of her freshman year.  From 2016-2018, Rawcliffe was named an All-Conference Carolinas First-Team selection, First-Team D2CCA & NSCA All-Southeast Region selection, as well as Conference Carolinas All-Academic team.

She added Second-Team United Soccer Coaches All-American in 2017 and a Third-Team selection in 2018.  In her senior season, Rawcliffe was recognized as a First-Team United Soccer Coaches Scholar All-American and the Conference Carolinas Scholar Athlete of the Year.

Matthew Tarpley

Assistant coach

Faulkner

NAIA

Coach Tarpley is finishing up his 8th year at Faulkner University in Montgomery, Alabama. Coach Tarpley previously spent 3 years working with the Men's team at Faulkner. 




The Faulkner Women played the toughest schedule in the Nation this past season; playing 4 of the Top 5 teams in the country. The Faulkner Women finished 3rd in their conference and qualified for the conference tournament. 




Faulkner is a private 4 year Christian University offering over 90 degree programs. Faulkner is a NAIA school competing in the Southern States Athletic Conference. 

Neil Cockburn

Head coach

Webber Int'l

NAIA

Head Coach Neil Cockburn is entering his ninth season as the Warriors Head Mens Soccer Coach. He is originally from Edinburgh, Scotland, currently resides in Winter Haven, Florida. 
 
Coach Cockburn served as an Apprentice of East Sterling under Coach Hugh McCann, a Third Division Professional Team. While in the U.S he has gained his Premier Diploma and Director of Coaching with the NSCAA and currently received his B License with the USSF. Coach Cockburn was awarded the Coach of the Year award by his conference in 2013. His collegiate playing experience was at Iowa Central Community College and at Cardinal Stritch University.
 
Coach Cockburn has over 12 years of coaching experience, he began his career as the Assistant Mens and Womens Soccer Coach at Iowa Central Community College in 2001-2002. In 2005-2007 he was the Graduate Assistant Mens Soccer Coach at Siena Heights University where he graduated with a Masters in Organization Leadership, during his time at Siena Heights he served under Bobby Clark as a Camp Instructor at the University of Notre Dame. After graduating he was a High School Teacher and head womens soccer coach at Cape Coral High School in 2007-2008.