Feb. 20, 2008
WEST POINT, N.Y. - Army Director of Athletics Kevin Anderson didn't have to stray far to identify the replacement for longtime women's soccer head coach Gene Ventriglia, who will retire at the end of the 2008 campaign.
Two weeks after Ventriglia announced his impending retirement, Anderson named current Army associate head coach Stefanie Golan as Ventriglia's replacement.
A six-year veteran of the collegiate coaching ranks, Golan joined Army's program in June and helped the Black Knights to a No. 4 seed in the Patriot League Tournament last fall.
The native of St. Louis, Mo., spent the 2006 campaign as an assistant at the University of Pittsburgh under head coach Sue-Moy Chin. The Panthers took No. 25 ranked Louisville, into double overtime before bowing 1-0 at the Big East Conference Tournament in closing out the season 8-8-3, their best regular-season finish in school history.
"While we are certainly disappointed to be losing an individual that stature of Gene," said Anderson, "we are very fortunate to be in position to elevate Stefanie Golan to serve as our new head coach. We have been very impressed with Stefanie's work ethic and coaching style in the time that she's been with us. She developed a strong rapport with the players in our program instantly, and we feel she is the person best-suited to build upon the successes of coach Ventriglia."
During her time at Pittsburgh, Golan helped to recruit a highly regarded group of athletes to the Panthers' program, a group that included a National Soccer Coaches Assocation n NSCAA high school All-American, an All-Metropolitan Player of the Year and a second team all-region pick.
Prior to her stay at Pittsburgh, Golan served a two-year stint on the coaching staff at the University of Evansville (2003-04), where she played an integral part in its recruiting efforts. In 2005, many of her recruits led the Purple Aces to their first winning campaign since 2001, along with recording their best non-conference record in the history of the program.
Several of her recruited athletes at Evansville received numerous honors to include a third team Soccer Buzz freshman All-American, a NSCAA/adidas second team all-regional (Great Lakes) pick, along with the Missouri Valley Conference Freshman of the Year. The squad also garnered a pair of all-conference, all-freshman team and all-tournament team selections.
"It has been an honor to come to West Point and learn from someone like Gene Ventriglia," stated Golan. "He is the only coach this program has seen, and he knows the `ins' and `outs' of this place. It is a big part of why he has been as successful as he has been. I feel honored that he saw something in me to bring me here. He has laid a great foundation that I hope to continue to build upon.
"West Point itself is such a great institution, I can't think of a better place at which to serve as head coach. The players here are so special. Every day they should wake up and realize they have chosen to go down a path less traveled. That is very inspiring."
Golan's first coaching appointment came as a graduate assistant at Mercer University in 2002.
A 2001 graduate of Duke University, Golan (formerly Stefanie Kraay) lettered as a defenseman for the Blue Devils for four years (1997-2001). She was named to the Soccer America Team of the Week in 1998, and to the Atlantic Coast Conference All-Tournament team in 2000. The Blue Devils earned bids to the NCAA Tournament three of her four playing years, compiling an overall record of 43-35-5 during her tenure in Durham.
Golan began her soccer career as a member of the Busch and JB Marine Soccer clubs in St. Louis, Mo., which remains a top recruiting area for the Black Knights. She won multiple state, regional and national championships at the youth level, and was the team's defensive most valuable player in each of its championship wins.
The Missouri native led her high school team to the state title and a 27-1-1 record, anchoring a defense that totaled 22 shutouts and allowed only 10 goals. Golan earned multiple honors her senior year to include All-Midwest, all-state, all-metro and all-conference recognition.
"I would like to thank Kevin Anderson and the entire administration for giving me this unbelievable opportunity," added Golan. "The support of the administration on top of `Coach V's' support means the world to me, and I look forward to building upon the tradition of success that has been established within the Army women's soccer program."
Golan and her husband, Dave, reside in Cornwall, N.Y., with their son Travis, born in May 2006.
