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| January 4, 2007 Holy Names University Names Paul Sapsford and Robert Risley as Co-Head Coaches for Men's and Women's Soccer Oakland, CA - Holy Names University Director of Athletics Robin Martin announced the hiring of Paul Sapsford and Robert Risley as HNU's Men's and Women's Soccer Co-Head Coaches, effective immediately. "Holy Names University Athletics is very excited and pleased that Paul and Robert will be coaching our Men's and Women's Soccer programs. They bring with them a level of professionalism, play and experience that any university would be proud to add to their athletic department. With Paul and Robert comes a caliber of play that we hope can be reproduced in the efforts of Hawks Soccer," said Martin. "Paul's success at Saint Mary's and Stanford should translate into the establishment of Holy Names Soccer as a nationally recognized premier soccer program. Robert rejoins Paul in coaching from their time at Saint Mary's and adds an even brighter future for Hawks athletics." Sapsford comes to Holy Names with a wealth of experience, including that of NCAA Division I Head Coach for Saint Mary's College of California Women's soccer program in 2003-2005. In his two seasons with the Gaels, the team compiled a 27-9-4 record and earned an NCAA playoff berth in 2001, their first appearance in seven years. Sapsford also served as NCAA Division I and PAC-10 Conference Co-Head Coach for the Men's and Women's soccer teams at Stanford University for the 2002 season, during which the Cardinal Women were ranked #1 in the nation. Sapsford helped guide the Cardinal women's soccer team to an elite eight finish in the 2002 NCAA playoffs and was named the national Coach of the Year by Soccer America, along with fellow Stanford co-head coach Stephanie Erickson. In the 2000 and 2001 season Sapsford was an Assistant Coach for the Gaels before moving onto Stanford the following season. Most recently, Sapsford has been the Director of Goalkeeper Academy for the Mustang Soccer Club of Danville, CA, and Head Coach for the club's U17 team, recently ranked 5th in the nation. Sapsford began his coaching career in 1989 following completion of the English FA's Preliminary Coaching Badge and passed the FA's Coaching Certificate Course in 1997. He currently holds a USSF "A" License and NSCAA Goalkeeper Academy Level II Award. He has coached United States Youth National Team Goalkeeper's for Olympic Development Programs in Florida and Northern California, and has previously coached collegiate soccer players in England and Australia. Additionally, Sapsford has coached at soccer schools on behalf of Wimbledon FC, Arsenal FC, Tottenham Hotspur FC and Brentford United FC. Sapsford was a member of the University of Exeter team which won the Devon and Exeter Premier League Championship in 1997/98. While there, he completed the Post Graduate Certificate of Education in Physical Education. Prior to Exeter, he played collegiate soccer at Saint Mary's University College, London, where he completed his Bachelor of Science degree in Sport Science. Sapsford's undergraduate thesis examined the Home Advantage in Professional Soccer and was conducted with first team professionals at Wimbledon FC and Crystal Palace FC. He later lectured in the field of Sport Psychology at Saint Mary's, and his research into the 1994 FIFA Experiment on Semi-Professional Soccer was published in the Journal of Sports Sciences in 1997. Sapsford was recently awarded a Masters degree from Saint Mary's College, Moraga, CA, in Health, Physical Education and Recreation, majoring in Sport Psychology. He is married and resides in Danville. Robert Risley is also an English import, and assisted Sapsford at Saint Mary's in the 2004 and 2005 seasons. Risley joins the program after several years coaching at various levels, including youth, college and professional programs in California and Massachusetts. He is currently a P. E. teacher at a private Lafayette, CA elementary school for grades K-8 and Technical Director for the Lamorinda Soccer Club, including two U17 teams. Risley also founded and is Coaching Director of the Regional Soccer Academy in Walnut Creek. Prior to Saint Mary's, he was Head Coach of the Boston Renegades, a semi-professional women's soccer league in Boston, MA. He led the senior women's soccer club to an undefeated regular season title, as well as coaching for Assumption College at the Division II level. Risley began his coaching career in the U.S. with Play Soccer in Marlboro, MA. Risley holds his NSCAA Advanced National and National diploma's as well as the English FA Coaching certificate. Additionally, Risley has assisted with numerous soccer camps and coaching schools, on a year-round basis, in California, Massachusetts and New England. Risley attended Marshall University, West Virginia, from 1993-97, starting four years as a central defender, captaining the team from his sophomore season. Risley gained all-conference, all-tournament and All-American scholar accolades and was also voted the team's most valuable player for two straight years. Prior to Marshall, Risley played for Tottenham Hotspurs youth teams of the English Premiership and also represented England Schoolboys as well as being the all-time caps leader for Essex County. After college, Risley played for Romford and Hornchurch in the English Ryman division between 1997 and 2000. Additionally, he also played in the USL for the semi-pro teams Rhode Island Stingrays and Worcester Kings from 2000-02. Risley graduated from Marshall with a degree in Journalism, and earned his master's degree at Saint Mary's in Health Physical Education and Recreation in 2006. He currently resides in Walnut Creek. |
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| Women's Basketball March 5th – TBA NAIA Division II National Championship Sioux City, IO Men's Volleyball March 7th – 7:00pm vs. Hope International Fullerton, CA March 8th - 4:30pm vs. Lees McRae College (North Carolina) Riverside, CA March 14th - 7:00pm vs. Cardinal Stritch Riverside, CA March 15th - 3:00pm vs. Cardinal Stritch Riverside, CA March 21st - 8:00am Las Vegas Tournament Las Vegas, NV Men's Golf March 3rd SMEE Builiders Invitational Jamul, CA March 11th NDNU Invitational Livermore, CA March 16th Kingsmen Invitational Lompoc, CA March 20th Cal Pac Tournament Palo Alto, CA Women's Softball March 7th - 9th College of Idaho Tournament Caldwell, ID March 7th - 3:00pm vs.College of Idaho March 7th - 4:30pm vs. Eastern Oregon March 8th - 9:00am vs. Concordia (OR) March 8th - 11:00am vs. Eastern Oregon Uiversity March 8th - 3:00pm vs. Eastern Oregon Universtiy March 9th - 9:00am vs. Concordia (OR) March 9th - 3:00pm vs. College of Idaho March 9th - 5:00pm vs. Treasure Valley C.C. March 30th - 12:00 pm and 2:00pm vs. Patten University Hayward, CA |