|
Just For Kicks Al Chase |
4 WAC schools have
new coaches
The Western Athletic Conference has experienced almost a 50 percent turnover in the women's soccer coaching ranks since the 2003 season ended. Fresno State, Nevada, San Jose State and Tulsa have new head coaches.
The returnees are Hawaii's Pinsoom Tenzing, Boise State's Steve Lucas, Rice's Chris Huston, Southern Methodist's John Cossaboon and Texas-El Paso's Kevin Cross.
Nevada hired Terri Patraw to replace Dang Pibulvech, who started the program in 2000.
Patraw, who has been out of coaching the past three seasons while completing her masters of business administration degree at Arizona State, guided the Sun Devils to a No. 13 national ranking in 2000. She built the team from scratch after being hired in 1995.
Tulsa turned its women's program over to Rena Richardson, an assistant the past three seasons at Alabama, where she helped the Crimson Tide post a three-year mark of 31-21-5.
Prior to Alabama, Richardson spent two seasons as the head coach at the University of Louisiana-Monroe, where she undertook the difficult task of starting a Division I women's soccer program, and led the team to 10 wins.
Richardson hired Pibulvech as an assistant.
Dave Siracusa has taken over the reins of the San Jose State Spartans after spending the past three seasons as an assistant coach for the San Diego State men's soccer team.
Siracusa, who signed 13 players for the coming season, was head coach of Cal State Stanislaus' men's and women's teams prior to moving to SDSU.
Steve Springthorpe has been hired at Fresno State, replacing Stacy Welp, who announced earlier that she would not return and planned to pursue other professional opportunities after three years of guiding the Bulldogs.
Springthorpe spent the past five years as an assistant at Florida, where he helped the Gators win three Southeastern Conference regular season championships and three SEC Tournament Championships.
Louisiana Tech has hired Jennifer Soileau to coach the Lady Techsters' newly formed women's program. LaTech will start play this year, but won't compete in the WAC until 2005.
Soileau was a four-year MVP playing at the University of Mississippi from 1997 through 2001, earning first-team All-Southeastern Conference honors in 1998, 1999 and 2000.
Bulls cited
Congratulations to Honolulu Soccer Club Bulls goalkeeper David Semenza and striker Satoshi Mitsuda, who were awarded the United States Youth Soccer 2004 adidas Golden Glove and Golden Boot awards, respectively, for the boys under-19 division at the national championships.The Bulls were honored with the Kohl's Fair Play Award for their division. This award is in recognition of their good sportsmanship throughout the tournament, for displaying positive conduct on the field toward their opponents and game officials throughout the competition.
"I'm extremely proud of these players and they deserve all the credit," said HSC Head Coach Phil Neddo.
"A little island in the middle of the Pacific has won a national championship, and the name Hawaii will never be taken off the James P. McGuire Cup."
Just for Kicks runs every other Sunday in the Star-Bulletin.
Al Chase can be reached at achase@starbulletin.com