BATON ROUGE — The LSU soccer team has experienced unprecedented success under head coach Brian Lee and his coaching staff, and he announced Tuesday that assistant Debbie Hensley has been promoted to the rank of associate head coach for the 2008 season.
Hensley enters her fourth season as a member of Lee’s staff as she has helped build a foundation that will give the Tigers the opportunity to compete for their first SEC championship this fall.
The Tigers are coming off of their most successful season in program history as they advanced to the second round of the NCAA Tournament in their first postseason appearance after winning their first ever SEC Western Division title with a team record 19 points in league play.
“It’s been a tremendous honor for me to work with Brian, Daniel (Brizard) and this team for three years now, and we’re all very excited about what could be another great season this fall,” Hensley said. “We have a great group of girls coming back, and we’re going to continue to work to build a program that will compete for championships year in and year out.
“I’ve certainly been fortunate to have the opportunity to coach here at LSU. Brian has established a system and a philosophy that will give our team the chance to compete on a national level for years to come. This is a truly exciting time to be associated with LSU soccer.”
The 2007 season was truly one for the ages as the Tigers wrapped up the campaign with their two most important victories in the program’s 13-year history.
They earned a 1-0 overtime victory over the Arkansas Lady Razorbacks on Nov. 2 to clinch their first ever SEC West title, while they also defeated the Samford Bulldogs by a 1-0 margin on Nov. 16 to win their first NCAA Tournament match in their first ever postseason appearance.
“Our team is now reaping the rewards of all the hard work that has been put into building a championship caliber program these last three or four years, and Debbie has certainly had a huge hand in that,” Lee said. “We would not be where we are today if not for her dedication in building LSU into a program that can compete with anyone in women’s college soccer.
“Debbie has also worked to build a great reputation as a coach and leader in our sport, and despite receiving interest from other universities in her time here, she has continued to call LSU home. This is a special place and we’re looking forward to what lies ahead with this program.”
The work of this coaching staff has also drawn unprecedented numbers at the box office as record crowds have packed the LSU Soccer Complex to see the Tigers week in and week out.
The 2007 season proved to be unlike any other in the history of the LSU Soccer Complex as the Tigers were unbeaten for the first time with a 5-0-3 mark while drawing an average of 1,294 fans per match. That number ranked LSU among the Top 10 teams in the nation in average attendance for the first time as it finished the season ranked No. 7 in the NCAA in average paid attendance.
Attendance has also soared at LSU’s annual Tiger Soccer Camp (www.tigersoccercamp.com) as a record 800 campers made the trip to Baton Rouge this summer to learn from some of the premier coaches and players in the college game.
“This state is very passionate about soccer, and it shows in the way the people have supported our program in the short time we’ve been here,” Lee said. “From the record crowds that have come out to see our matches to the record numbers that have been a part of our summer camps, our fans are as much a part of our success as anything that we’ve done. We enjoy sharing that with them.
“Our coaching staff has done a tremendous job of building relationships with the people of Baton Rouge and the state of Louisiana, and we certainly appreciate all of the support that they have given us these last few years. We look forward to even more success here at LSU.”
The Tigers are looking to make even more history this fall as they kick off the 2008 season with a home match against South Alabama on Aug. 22 at 7 p.m. Another overflow crowd is expected at the LSU Soccer Complex as the Tigers begin their run at another NCAA Tournament appearance.