SPOKANE, Wash. - Gonzaga University fifth-year women's soccer head coach Amy Edwards has announced the hiring of Susan Brown to serve as the Bulldogs assistant coach. Brown replaces Billy Barmes, who resigned to pursue a career outside of collegiate athletics.
Brown is no stranger to the Zags, having been a standout goalkeeper for GU from 2011-12 and serving as a volunteer goalkeeping coach during the 2013 campaign. Her primary responsibility with the Bulldogs will be training goalkeepers.
"Billy will be greatly missed because he did so many things to make our program better over the past two and a half years," explained Edwards of Barmes. "He was extremely committed to improving our goalkeepers and being a positive influence on our roster of players. We can't thank him enough for his time as a Zag but he felt it was time to seek a new challenge in his life away from college athletics.
"We are fortunate to have filled this vacancy on our staff with a quality individual and a highly qualified coach to continue pushing our program forward. Susan was an exceptional goalkeeper during her career at Gonzaga and has been a huge addition to our staff this past year as a volunteer coach. Her experiences have prepared her to step into this new position and she will be a tremendous leader for our goalkeepers and the entire roster of young women. We are very excited to have Susan on staff!"
While a member of the Bulldogs squad, Brown played and started all 39 matches over her two year playing career. She ended her career with 11 shutouts; second most in the Gonzaga career record book and with 193 saves which ranks sixth all-time. Brown is also tied for third in the career record book for goals against average at 1.50 and third in fewest goals allowed at 60.
As the Bulldogs volunteer assistant coach this past fall, Brown assisted with the running of practices with both the goalkeepers and field players. She also took on many responsibilities while on road trips, including meals, game preparation and equipment.
Brown has served as the head coach of the Spokane Foxes FC, a Premier Youth Soccer team, since May of 2013. Along with evaluating and selecting potential players, she is also responsible for the player's technical, tactical and fitness development, while planning all practice sessions. She has also run the Foxes Goalkeeper Academies since starting with the club.
Brown is looking forward to joining the Bulldogs.
"I am thrilled to be expanding my role with the Gonzaga women's soccer team as a full time assistant coach," stated Brown. "Playing for Gonzaga was an extremely gratifying experience, and I have tremendous amount of respect for how Amy [Edwards] and Derek [Pittman] have transformed and are currently running this program. I am honored and grateful for the opportunity they are giving me; I couldn't ask for a better place to begin my coaching career."
The Calgary, Alberta, Canada native transferred to Gonzaga after playing two years at Arkansas State University. She graduated from Gonzaga in the spring of 2013 with a degree in sport management. Brown is a level 6 licensed National Soccer Coaches Association of America (NSCAA) coach.
