McDOUGALL PROMOTED TO MEN’S SOCCER TOP ASSISTANT, GANTT LEAVES FOR HEAD COACHING OPPORTUNITY

6/2/2009

SACRAMENTO, Calif. - Sacramento State head men’s soccer coach Michael Linenberger has announced that goalkeeper coach Matt McDougall will be elevated to the top assistant position, after assistant coach Jason Gantt stepped down to take a head coaching position at Sierra Junior College.

McDougall, who was a four-year letterwinner for the Hornets from 2002-05, moves up to the top assistant position after spending three seasons as the team’s goalkeepers coach. A three time all-Mountain Pacific Sports Federation honoree, McDougall will pick up additional recruiting and coaching responsibilities in his new role.

“Matt has helped us out the past three years and has taken on a little more responsibility each season,” Linenberger said. “He is young and eager, and I feel he will fill in quite nicely.”

Gantt, who has spent the last 11 seasons at Sacramento State as both a player and coach, will head the Sierra women’s program for the upcoming 2009 season. He was a four-year letterwinner from 1998-2001, making 47 starts in the Hornets defensive backfield. From there, Gantt stayed on as a volunteer assistant for the 2002 and 2003 campaigns before serving as the program’s top assistant for the past five seasons.

“Jason has been here a long time and helped elevate the Sacramento State program to where it is today,” Linenberger said. “I want to thank him for his years of service at Sacramento State, and wish him the best in his new role. He is ready to be a head coach and run his own team.”

The Hornets will open up the 2009 campaign with home exhibition games against Holy Names and Cal State Monterey Bay on August 22 and 27 at Hornet Soccer Field.