University of Minnesota Athletics
BARBARA WICKSTRAND NAMED NEW GOPHER HEAD SOCCER COACH
1/27/2000 12:00:00 AM | Athletics
Wickstrand, 33, is promoted to the head coach position after serving six seasons as the top assistant coach for the Golden Gopher program. When former Gopher coach Sue Montagne accepted the head coaching position at the University of Georgia last month, Wickstrand was immediately named Minnesota's interim head coach. Wickstrand becomes the second head coach in the seven- year history of Gopher soccer.
"We were looking for a successful coach with passion, knowledge of the game, great rapport with student- athletes, administrative skills and a coach who has national respect and a commitment to engaging the community. We found all those attributes and more in Barbara Wickstrand," said Voelz. "I feel confident that Coach Wickstrand will keep the best of the past of Golden Gopher soccer, yet put her own stamp on an even more achieving future."
Over the last six years, Wickstrand has played an integral role in building the Gopher soccer program to Big Ten Conference and national prominence. Minnesota has merited NCAA Women's College Cup appearances in each of the last five seasons, advancing into the second round the past three years. The Gophers captured Big Ten titles in 1995 and 1997, becoming the first Conference school to record an undefeated regular-season mark in league play in 1997.
As the Gophers' recruiting coordinator, Wickstrand brought several exceptional recruits into the fold. Gopher players Nicole Lee and Laurie Seidl are Wickstrand recruits to earn multiple all-conference honors after being honored as Big Ten Newcomers of the Year in 1995 and 1997, respectively.
"I am honored and enthusiastic to continue my coaching career at the University of Minnesota," said Wickstrand. "I feel fortunate to have worked with Sue (Montagne) for six years and to have been a part of this successful program. Now, I'm even more grateful to be able to put my signature on this program and continue the winning tradition."
An All-America goalkeeper as a junior and senior, Wickstrand starred at North Carolina State from 1984-87, earning Wolfpack most valuable player honors twice. Wickstrand was a four-year starter and all-region honoree in helping N.C. State to top-10 national rankings and the quarterfinals in the NCAA Tournament in each of her last three seasons. She also participated in the U.S. Olympic Sports Festivals from 1985-87.
Wickstrand, a native of Fairfax, Va., turned to coaching during her fifth year of college, serving as the Wolfpack's goalkeeper coach in 1989, when N.C. State finished as the national runner-up and as Atlantic Coast Conference postseason tournament champion. She graduated with a bachelor's degree in speech communication in 1989.
After a stint playing semi-professional soccer in France in 1989-90, Wickstrand returned to North Carolina State and completed a master's degree in sports management/ marketing in 1992.
Prior to accepting the assistant coaching job at Minnesota in 1994, Wickstrand spent two years as an administrative assistant in an intensive two-year athletic administration internship program at Arizona State. During her stay at ASU, Wickstrand coordinated several World Cup Soccer Series matches, as well as assisting with stadium operations for the Arizona Cardinals and the Fiesta Bowl.
Upon her arrival at Minnesota, Wiskstrand continued her association with the Olympic Development Program by volunteering as the goalkeeper coach for the State of Minnesota Olympic Development Program. From 1986-91, she was an assistant coach for the State of Maryland ODP.
As the second head coach in Minnesota soccer history, Wickstrand inherits a program that has posted an impressive 97-42-9 record in seven seasons as an intercollegiate varsity program. The Gophers will return 13 letterwinners from a squad that finished 13-9 overall, 6-4 and fourth in the Big Ten, a year ago. Minnesota defeated Eastern Michigan, 2-0, in the first round of the NCAA Tournament, the first postseason match played in the Gophers' new Elizabeth Lyle Robbie Stadium. Minnesota's season was ended by a 5-0 loss at Nebraska in the second round of the tournament.
In addition to adding yet another successful season on the field to the Gopher soccer annals, Minnesota averaged a school-record 904 fans per match in 1999. Included in the season mark was a record-setting single- match attendance of 1,432 for the first contest played in the new facility.
Coach Wickstrand will sign her first recruiting class on Wednesday, Feb. 2.
