MAUREEN WHITNEY NAMED ASSISTANT WOMEN’S SOCCER COACH
3/1/2007
SACRAMENTO, Calif. - Head women’s soccer coach Randy Dedini announced the hiring of Maureen Whitney as his new assistant today.
Whitney is a familiar face to the women’s soccer program, with a previous stint as an assistant from 2000-03. She also served as the co-camp director of the Hornets’ summer soccer camps for four years, a position she will resume in 2007. Whitney is going to assist with all the day-to-day duties of the women’s soccer program, including recruiting and on the field coaching.
“I am extremely excited to bring Maureen on as part of our staff,” Dedini said. “She brings a wealth of experience and instant credibility because of her professional playing career. She knows what it takes to play at the highest level and how to motivate our players to take a professional approach every day in training. She will be a great asset to our program as we continue to build toward a Big Sky Conference championship.”
Whitney, who graduated from Sacramento State in 2001 with a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice, was a two-sport athlete for the Hornets, competing from 1998-2000 in soccer and softball. As a defender for the women’s soccer team, she was named team Defensive MVP following her senior season, and during her two-year career, played in 24 matches, recording two goals and two assists.
She is currently coaching an under-16 girls team for the San Juan Soccer club, a team she has been with the last three years. She is also an assistant for the under-18 squad, which won the 2006 national championship. Prior to coaching with San Juan soccer club, Whitney coached with the Elk Grove United club for three years.
An accomplished athlete, Whitney spent six years playing for the California Storm of the Women’s Professional Soccer League. A five-time all-star, Whitney captained the Storm along with Brazilian soccer icon, Sissi, and got to play alongside former and current national team players such as Brandi Chastain, Leslie Osborne, Shannon MacMillan and Keri Sanchez.
The Storm reached the national championship match five times with Whitney on the field, winning the title twice, and in 2005, Whitney received the honor of WPSL MVP.
Whitney did not begin playing soccer until the age of 19. Already a two-sport athlete at Wall Walla Community College playing basketball and softball, Whitney was asked to join the soccer program in its first year of existence. She completed her eligibility at Walla Walla as a two-time NWACC all-star, graduating in 1998 with her AA degree.
Whitney was also a three-sport athlete at Central Kisap High School, graduating in 1995 after competing in volleyball, basketball and softball.
