One more filled Kendall Ayers (@TheCoachKendall) Named New Head Soccer Coach At @TexasSouthern https://t.co/xAFesPN3kE pic.twitter.com/qASuvHQK8D— Texas Southern University (TSU) Athletics (@TXSOTigers) January 9, 2024
OPEN: Gardner-Webb (not announced, plenty of validation on this one; 11/8) Long Island (12/1) Kennesaw State (12/8) Marquette (12/16) Morehead State (12/20) Cal State Northridge (12/20) Robert Morris (1/4) FILLED: Stephen F. Austin - Ben Williams (UTSA associate head; 10/3-11/14) Creighton - Jimmy Walker (Bowling Green head; 10/30-11/21) South Florida - Chris Brown (USF associate head; 8/14-11/28) Purdue - Richard Moodie (South Alabama head; 10/27-11/28) UNC Greensboro - Stefani Workman (UNCG associate head; 11/29-11/??)*** Kansas - Nate Lie (Xavier head; 10/24-12/4) Miami Florida - Ken Masuhr (Vanderbilt associate head; 11/2-12/5) Eastern Michigan - Taylor Clarke (Carroll [WI] head; 10/27-12/12) Illinois State - Raleigh DeRose (Brown associate head; 10/31-12/13) Boston College - Chris Watkins (Gonzaga head; 10/31-12/14) South Alabama - Chris Hennessey (Lee head; 11/28-12/15) Gonzaga - Katie Benz (Gonzaga assistant; 12/14-12/15) Jacksonville - Ryan Moon (Florida Tech head; 10/31-12/19) Xavier - Dean Ward (Lenoir-Rhyne head; 12/4-12/20) George Mason - Aaron Brunner (Florida State assistant; [interim; 9/15] 11/10-12/20) Stetson - Jamie Souza (Florida Gulf Coast assistant; 11/2-12/20) Bowling Green - Chris Fox (Morehead State head; 11/21-12/20) San Diego - Greg LaPorte (UC San Diego assistant; 11/9-12/21) George Washington - Jeremy Williams (former Miami FL assistant; 10/25-12/22) Presbyterian - Matt Smith (Kansas State assistant; 11/2-12/27) Marshall - Rafa Simoes (Marshall men’s assistant; 10/30-12/29) West Georgia - Mallory Sayre (Georgia Southern assistant; 2024 DI, interim; 5/8-1/3) Temple - Chris Shaw (Robert Morris head; 11/1-1/4) Cleveland State - Mark Sappington (Morehead State assistant; 11/3-1/5) Hampton - Scot Vorwold (Harris Stowe State head; 8/3?-1/8) Texas Southern - Kendall Ayers (Louisiana Christian head; 12/1-1/9) ***added due to the coaching bio information. In December, it still was not “official” who would be head coach. The bio change will serve as confirmation. Just a reminder, I don’t list any until officially announced.
Former Associate Head Coach Maureen Whitney has been elevated to Co-Head Coach. 2024 will mark her eighth season at Portland State and first as Co-Head Coach #GoViks https://t.co/R9svEA1o3s— Portland State Women's Soccer (@psuviksWSOC) January 10, 2024
Full credit to Coach Katie Burton. Takes an incredible lack of ego and/or an incredible amount of grace to share the head coaches title. There are many coaches out there who for all intents and purposes have shared the title for YEARS but would never share the spotlight like that.
OPEN: Gardner-Webb (not announced, plenty of validation on this one; 11/8) Long Island (12/1) Kennesaw State (12/8) Marquette (12/16) Morehead State (12/20) Cal State Northridge (12/20) Robert Morris (1/4) FILLED: Stephen F. Austin - Ben Williams (UTSA associate head; 10/3-11/14) Creighton - Jimmy Walker (Bowling Green head; 10/30-11/21) South Florida - Chris Brown (USF associate head; 8/14-11/28) Purdue - Richard Moodie (South Alabama head; 10/27-11/28) UNC Greensboro - Stefani Workman (UNCG associate head; 11/29-11/??)*** Kansas - Nate Lie (Xavier head; 10/24-12/4) Miami Florida - Ken Masuhr (Vanderbilt associate head; 11/2-12/5) Eastern Michigan - Taylor Clarke (Carroll [WI] head; 10/27-12/12) Illinois State - Raleigh DeRose (Brown associate head; 10/31-12/13) Boston College - Chris Watkins (Gonzaga head; 10/31-12/14) South Alabama - Chris Hennessey (Lee head; 11/28-12/15) Gonzaga - Katie Benz (Gonzaga assistant; 12/14-12/15) Jacksonville - Ryan Moon (Florida Tech head; 10/31-12/19) Xavier - Dean Ward (Lenoir-Rhyne head; 12/4-12/20) George Mason - Aaron Brunner (Florida State assistant; [interim; 9/15] 11/10-12/20) Stetson - Jamie Souza (Florida Gulf Coast assistant; 11/2-12/20) Bowling Green - Chris Fox (Morehead State head; 11/21-12/20) San Diego - Greg LaPorte (UC San Diego assistant; 11/9-12/21) George Washington - Jeremy Williams (former Miami FL assistant; 10/25-12/22) Presbyterian - Matt Smith (Kansas State assistant; 11/2-12/27) Marshall - Rafa Simoes (Marshall men’s assistant; 10/30-12/29) West Georgia - Mallory Sayre (Georgia Southern assistant; 2024 DI, interim; 5/8-1/3) Temple - Chris Shaw (Robert Morris head; 11/1-1/4) Cleveland State - Mark Sappington (Morehead State assistant; 11/3-1/5) Hampton - Scot Vorwold (Harris Stowe State head; 8/3?-1/8) Texas Southern - Kendall Ayers (Louisiana Christian head; 12/1-1/9) Portland State - Maureen Whitney (Portland State associate head; Co-Head Coach)~ ***added due to the coaching bio information. In December, it still was not “official” who would be head coach. The bio change will serve as confirmation. ~added due to the promotion, no coaching vacancy. Program now has “co-head coaches.” Just a reminder, I don’t list any until officially announced.
Erik Solberg Named Gardner-Webb’s Head Women’s Soccer Coach#SkoDawgs 📰READ MORE⤵️https://t.co/rTai1msFX4— GWU Women's Soccer (@GWUWSOC) January 12, 2024
Kennesaw State should start on campus interviews soon. I’m pretty sure they were waiting until after the new semester started.
OPEN: Long Island (12/1) Kennesaw State (12/8) Marquette (12/16) Morehead State (12/20) Cal State Northridge (12/20) Robert Morris (1/4) Arkansas-Pine Bluff (1/12) FILLED: Stephen F. Austin - Ben Williams (UTSA associate head; 10/3-11/14) Creighton - Jimmy Walker (Bowling Green head; 10/30-11/21) South Florida - Chris Brown (USF associate head; 8/14-11/28) Purdue - Richard Moodie (South Alabama head; 10/27-11/28) UNC Greensboro - Stefani Workman (UNCG associate head; 11/29-11/??)*** Kansas - Nate Lie (Xavier head; 10/24-12/4) Miami Florida - Ken Masuhr (Vanderbilt associate head; 11/2-12/5) Eastern Michigan - Taylor Clarke (Carroll [WI] head; 10/27-12/12) Illinois State - Raleigh DeRose (Brown associate head; 10/31-12/13) Boston College - Chris Watkins (Gonzaga head; 10/31-12/14) South Alabama - Chris Hennessey (Lee head; 11/28-12/15) Gonzaga - Katie Benz (Gonzaga assistant; 12/14-12/15) Jacksonville - Ryan Moon (Florida Tech head; 10/31-12/19) Xavier - Dean Ward (Lenoir-Rhyne head; 12/4-12/20) George Mason - Aaron Brunner (Florida State assistant; [interim; 9/15] 11/10-12/20) Stetson - Jamie Souza (Florida Gulf Coast assistant; 11/2-12/20) Bowling Green - Chris Fox (Morehead State head; 11/21-12/20) San Diego - Greg LaPorte (UC San Diego assistant; 11/9-12/21) George Washington - Jeremy Williams (former Miami FL assistant; 10/25-12/22) Presbyterian - Matt Smith (Kansas State assistant; 11/2-12/27) Marshall - Rafa Simoes (Marshall men’s assistant; 10/30-12/29) West Georgia - Mallory Sayre (Georgia Southern assistant; 2024 DI, interim; 5/8-1/3) Temple - Chris Shaw (Robert Morris head; 11/1-1/4) Cleveland State - Mark Sappington (Morehead State assistant; 11/3-1/5) Hampton - Scot Vorwold (Harris Stowe State head; 8/3?-1/8) Texas Southern - Kendall Ayers (Louisiana Christian head; 12/1-1/9) Portland State - Maureen Whitney (Portland State associate head; Co-Head Coach)~ Gardner-Webb - Erik Solberg (UAPB head; 11/8-1/12) ***added due to the coaching bio information. In December, it still was not “official” who would be head coach. The bio change will serve as confirmation. ~added due to the promotion, no coaching vacancy. Program now has “co-head coaches.” Just a reminder, I don’t list any until officially announced.
I think if CSUN wants to bring stability they should hire the Cal Lu coach--he just won a national championship at D3. Good coach--knows the local landscape. Runs a class program.
According to HigherEdJobs, Mississippi Valley State is open: https://www.higheredjobs.com/search/details.cfm?JobCode=178666275&Title=Head Women's Soccer Coach
OPEN: Long Island (12/1) Kennesaw State (12/8) Marquette (12/16) Morehead State (12/20) Cal State Northridge (12/20) Robert Morris (1/4) Arkansas-Pine Bluff (1/12) Mississippi Valley State (1/18) FILLED: Stephen F. Austin - Ben Williams (UTSA associate head; 10/3-11/14) Creighton - Jimmy Walker (Bowling Green head; 10/30-11/21) South Florida - Chris Brown (USF associate head; 8/14-11/28) Purdue - Richard Moodie (South Alabama head; 10/27-11/28) UNC Greensboro - Stefani Workman (UNCG associate head; 11/29-11/??)*** Kansas - Nate Lie (Xavier head; 10/24-12/4) Miami Florida - Ken Masuhr (Vanderbilt associate head; 11/2-12/5) Eastern Michigan - Taylor Clarke (Carroll [WI] head; 10/27-12/12) Illinois State - Raleigh DeRose (Brown associate head; 10/31-12/13) Boston College - Chris Watkins (Gonzaga head; 10/31-12/14) South Alabama - Chris Hennessey (Lee head; 11/28-12/15) Gonzaga - Katie Benz (Gonzaga assistant; 12/14-12/15) Jacksonville - Ryan Moon (Florida Tech head; 10/31-12/19) Xavier - Dean Ward (Lenoir-Rhyne head; 12/4-12/20) George Mason - Aaron Brunner (Florida State assistant; [interim; 9/15] 11/10-12/20) Stetson - Jamie Souza (Florida Gulf Coast assistant; 11/2-12/20) Bowling Green - Chris Fox (Morehead State head; 11/21-12/20) San Diego - Greg LaPorte (UC San Diego assistant; 11/9-12/21) George Washington - Jeremy Williams (former Miami FL assistant; 10/25-12/22) Presbyterian - Matt Smith (Kansas State assistant; 11/2-12/27) Marshall - Rafa Simoes (Marshall men’s assistant; 10/30-12/29) West Georgia - Mallory Sayre (Georgia Southern assistant; 2024 DI, interim; 5/8-1/3) Temple - Chris Shaw (Robert Morris head; 11/1-1/4) Cleveland State - Mark Sappington (Morehead State assistant; 11/3-1/5) Hampton - Scot Vorwold (Harris Stowe State head; 8/3?-1/8) Texas Southern - Kendall Ayers (Louisiana Christian head; 12/1-1/9) Portland State - Maureen Whitney (Portland State associate head; Co-Head Coach)~ Gardner-Webb - Erik Solberg (UAPB head; 11/8-1/12) ***added due to the coaching bio information. In December, it still was not “official” who would be head coach. The bio change will serve as confirmation. ~added due to the promotion, no coaching vacancy. Program now has “co-head coaches.” Just a reminder, I don’t list any until officially announced.
Welcome to the @MarquetteU family!! Allen helped Saint Louis to six-straight NCAA tournament appearances, including a first-ever trip to the Round of 16 in 2023. The Billikens claimed five A-10 regular season & six tourney titles in eight years.RELEASE: https://t.co/G4CHNnfqeY pic.twitter.com/jUtCJdlyKe— MARQUETTE Soccer (@MarquetteWSOC) January 19, 2024
OPEN: Long Island (12/1) Kennesaw State (12/8) Morehead State (12/20) Cal State Northridge (12/20) Robert Morris (1/4) Arkansas-Pine Bluff (1/12) Mississippi Valley State (1/18) FILLED: Stephen F. Austin - Ben Williams (UTSA associate head; 10/3-11/14) Creighton - Jimmy Walker (Bowling Green head; 10/30-11/21) South Florida - Chris Brown (USF associate head; 8/14-11/28) Purdue - Richard Moodie (South Alabama head; 10/27-11/28) UNC Greensboro - Stefani Workman (UNCG associate head; 11/29-11/??)*** Kansas - Nate Lie (Xavier head; 10/24-12/4) Miami Florida - Ken Masuhr (Vanderbilt associate head; 11/2-12/5) Eastern Michigan - Taylor Clarke (Carroll [WI] head; 10/27-12/12) Illinois State - Raleigh DeRose (Brown associate head; 10/31-12/13) Boston College - Chris Watkins (Gonzaga head; 10/31-12/14) South Alabama - Chris Hennessey (Lee head; 11/28-12/15) Gonzaga - Katie Benz (Gonzaga assistant; 12/14-12/15) Jacksonville - Ryan Moon (Florida Tech head; 10/31-12/19) Xavier - Dean Ward (Lenoir-Rhyne head; 12/4-12/20) George Mason - Aaron Brunner (Florida State assistant; [interim; 9/15] 11/10-12/20) Stetson - Jamie Souza (Florida Gulf Coast assistant; 11/2-12/20) Bowling Green - Chris Fox (Morehead State head; 11/21-12/20) San Diego - Greg LaPorte (UC San Diego assistant; 11/9-12/21) George Washington - Jeremy Williams (former Miami FL assistant; 10/25-12/22) Presbyterian - Matt Smith (Kansas State assistant; 11/2-12/27) Marshall - Rafa Simoes (Marshall men’s assistant; 10/30-12/29) West Georgia - Mallory Sayre (Georgia Southern assistant; 2024 DI, interim; 5/8-1/3) Temple - Chris Shaw (Robert Morris head; 11/1-1/4) Cleveland State - Mark Sappington (Morehead State assistant; 11/3-1/5) Hampton - Scot Vorwold (Harris Stowe State head; 8/3?-1/8) Texas Southern - Kendall Ayers (Louisiana Christian head; 12/1-1/9) Portland State - Maureen Whitney (Portland State associate head; Co-Head Coach)~ Gardner-Webb - Erik Solberg (UAPB head; 11/8-1/12) Marquette - Chris Allen (St. Louis associate head; 12/16-1/18) ***added due to the coaching bio information. In December, it still was not “official” who would be head coach. The bio change will serve as confirmation. ~added due to the promotion, no coaching vacancy. Program now has “co-head coaches.” Just a reminder, I don’t list any until officially announced.
With the way college athletics is headed With the power conferences, and Marquette in a current reality check in their own conference, I would say bringing the program to national prominence is outlandish but heck maybe this guy is Houdini.
I got to interact with many coaches along my daughters recruiting journey, and Chris Allen was one of the most genuine and likeable she came across. Even when he broke the news that they wouldn't be going any further in the process with her, he complimented and encouraged her to pursue the offers she did have "in the bank" and did a pretty good job letting her down easy. As luck would have it, they ended up playing SLU her freshman year, and after the game he took the time to chat with her, acknowledged how they were excited to see her on the film leading up to the game, and complimented her play that day. Really left a positive mark on my daughter. I have no idea how successful he will be at Marquette, but I wouldn't bet against him. He is for sure one of the good ones, and the Marquette SA's are very lucky. Good luck Coach Allen!
That is a great post and thank you for sharing. So much negativity here in this thread, naturally I guess, so it's good to hear this kind of story. Lots of players learning where they fit in to college soccer all the time. Usually throughout their Junior year. How coaches handle it is very telling, regardless of whether it's the player or coach ending a recruiting connection. It's hard to take 'no' for an answer but smart coaches, and players and families, are wise to never burn any bridges. It literally takes 2 minutes to write that note "thanks for your interest and wish you all the best" but very many players, and coaches, don't take that time. I always advise players to write that note. You never know if or when that 'other coach' may end up on the staff at your school!!