Daniel Brizard Season 2025
The Tigers take great pride in their tenacity on the defensive end of the field as they line up with one of the SEC’s top units each fall, and assistant coach Daniel Brizard has helped build that reputation as he enters his fifth season coaching the team’s goalkeepers.
That was never more evident than in 2008 when the Tigers defended their SEC Western Division crown and earned an at-large berth into the NCAA Tournament for the second year in a row. LSU finished the season with a school record 14-4-2 overall record and 7-3-1 mark in league play thanks in large part to the No. 1 defensive unit in the SEC with a 0.82 goals against average.
Brizard’s star pupil, goalkeeper Mo Isom, was the driving force behind LSU’s defensive dominance in 2008 as she became the first goalkeeper in program history to earn All-America honors with a Third-Team Freshman All-America selection by Soccer Buzz Magazine. Not only that, but Isom was named to both the SEC All-Freshman Team and Central Region All-Freshman Team following the season.
Isom enjoyed a record-breaking freshman season under Brizard’s guidance as she rewrote the LSU record books and established herself as one of the nation’s premier young goalkeepers. In her first season in Baton Rouge, Isom set school records in wins (14) and goals against average (0.82), while her seven shutouts on the year ranks No. 2 all-time at LSU for a single season.
Her performance comes just one season after Brizard coached former Tiger standout Valerie Vogler to a career year in 2007 to help lead the team to its first ever SEC West crown and a berth into the second round of the NCAA Tournament.
Vogler set the current LSU school record for shutouts in a season with nine, while having career bests with 96 saves and a sparkling 1.02 goals against average.
“We are very pleased with the job Daniel has done with the development of our goalkeepers during his time here at LSU,” said LSU head coach Brian Lee. “I don’t think there is any question that in order for us to have a championship caliber program, we must have a defense that is consistently ranked among the elite units in the SEC. Daniel has certainly played a big role in reputation we now have as one of the best defensive teams in the league.”
Widely considered one of the top goalkeeper coaches in all of women’s college soccer, Brizard has also served as the goalkeeper coach of the Region III Olympic Development Program Team during his career, as well as a member of the Region III ODP coaching staff for nine years. He is currently a member of the coaching staff of the Region II ODP Team.
Prior to his stint at LSU, Brizard spent four seasons as an assistant to head coach Everton Edwards at Florida International University. He also spent two seasons at South Alabama and two seasons at the University of Missouri at St. Louis, while also serving as coach of the girl’s soccer team at Parkway West High School in St. Louis.
Brizard’s instructional background is extensive as he is a former goalkeeping instructor for the National Soccer Coaches Association of America and has received an NSCAA advanced national diploma. In addition, he has received the United States Soccer Federation “A” Coaching license as well as a USSF Goalkeeping license.
Prior to the start of his coaching career, Brizard was a four-year starter and team captain on the men’s soccer team at Berry College in Rome, Georgia from 1991-95. He earned his bachelor’s degree in sports performance/exercise science from Berry in 1995 and spent two years in the Navy before beginning his coaching career in 1997.
Brizard is married to the former Julie Schneider of St. Louis. They are the proud parents of 2-year-old Izabella Corinne, who was born on Aug. 4, 2007.
Coach Lee on Brizard
“We are very pleased with the job Daniel has done with the development of our goalkeepers during his time here at LSU. I don’t think there is any question that in order for us to have a championship caliber program, we must have a defense that is consistently ranked among the elite units in the SEC. Daniel has certainly played a big role in reputation we now have as one of the best defensive teams in the league.”
Playing and Coaching Experience
Years Capacity School
1991-95 Player, Berry College
1997-99 Assistant Coach, Missouri-St. Louis
1999-2001 Assistant Coach, South Alabama
2001-04 Assistant Coach, Florida International
2004-Present Assistant Coach, LSU