Randy DediniTitle: Head Coach Experience: Third Season Email:rdedini@csus.edu Bio: Randy Dedini, the 2007 Big Sky Coach of the Year, returns for his third season at the helm of the Hornet program.
The Hornets produced their third straight winning season in 2008, the second straight with Dedini as head coach. The team finished with a 9-8-2 overall record, including a 3-3-1 mark inside of Big Sky play. Two Hornets, Kim Kemper and Kara Taylor, earned first team all-Big Sky honors, while Ashley Forbes, Sarah Howard, Cori Shreve and Christina Trenton earned honorable mention honors. Kemper also became the second straight Hornet to win the Big Sky Golden Boot award, given to the league’s leading scorer.
Under the guidance of Dedini in 2007, his first season as head coach, the Hornets made the NCAA Tournament for the first time in school history after collecting their first ever Big Sky Tournament title. The Hornets also won the Big Sky regular season title for the first time in school history, while posting a program record 12 wins. For his efforts, Dedini earned conference coach of the year honors, becoming the first coach in program history to do so.
Dedini oversaw nine Hornets who earned all-Big Sky honors during his first season, including Big Sky Offensive MVP Katie McCoy. McCoy was also named Big Sky Tournament MVP, and earned the conference’s Golden Boot award.
As an assistant from 2004-06, Dedini oversaw the team’s ascension into the top of the Big Sky standings. During the fall of 2006, the women’s program reached the Big Sky Tournament championship game for the first time in program history. The team’s 10-7-4 record was also a then program-best until the 2007 team bettered that mark.
In 2006, a highly-touted recruiting class made major contributions during the year. The program’s 30 goals during the season were fueled by Dedini’s aggressive offensive approach and the ability of the newcomers to contribute immediately. Sacramento State also outshot its opponents 172-106.
Dedini began in 2004 with the Hornets, serving as the goalkeeper coach. During that year, freshman keeper Brittany Auernig was named Rookie of the Year after making eight starts and 59 saves.
In 2005, Dedini made the move to top assistant. The Hornets’ recruiting efforts and change in their philosophy of play paid off with a program-best second place finish in the conference standings and an 8-8-3 overall record. The team also advanced to the Big Sky Tournament for the first time since 2001. Dedini’s offensive approach meshed well with a young group of skilled players.
Since 2004, 23 members of the program have received all-Big Sky conference honors.
In addition to assisting in all aspects of the women’s soccer program, Dedini was director of the women’s soccer summer camps his last two years as an assistant.
Before coming to Sacramento State, Dedini spent five seasons as the assistant coach of the men’s varsity soccer team for Quaker Valley High School in Pittsburgh, Pa. In 2002, the team won the state championship.
Dedini also spent five years playing with the Pittsburgh Riverhounds of the A-League, winning awards such as team MVP, Iron Man and the century award for breaking the 100-cap mark.
He began his 11-year professional career after playing two years at Sonoma State as the starting goalkeeper and graduating with a B.S. in kinesiology. In 1993, he was an All-American, and in 1992 and 1993, he received all-conference honors.
Dedini is a Northern California native, graduating from Vacaville High School in 1988 and playing for two seasons at American River Junior College. He and his wife Katie have two daughters, Jordyn and Jaycie and one son, Jake.
Randy Dedini
