UMSL HIRES TOM CHAMPION AS INTERIM WOMEN'S SOCCER COACH

UMSL HIRES TOM CHAMPION AS INTERIM WOMEN'S SOCCER COACH     ST. LOUIS, MO. , August 4, 2008 – Thom Champion, a well-known and successful coach on the St. Louis soccer scene, has been named interim head women's soccer coach at the University of Missouri-St. Louis as announced today by Athletic Department officials.   Champion succeeds Beth Goetz, who served as head coach for 11 years before being named Assistant Athletics Director for Compliance/Senior Women's Administrator at Butler University on July 25.   "We are very excited for the players on our women's soccer team that Coach Champion has agreed to fill our coaching vacancy," said Lori Flanagan, senior associate director of athletics. "Based on his resume and reputation, he not only has the experience, but the knowledge and passion to successfully lead off program to reach its potential this season."   Champion began his collegiate coaching career as the head men's soccer coach at Harris-Stowe State in 1979. His first stint in women's soccer was at Cardinal Newman, where he served as the assistant coach for the Jets' NAIA national runner-up team, while also guiding the men's program as head coach.   He then spent two seasons at McKendree as head coach of the men's team. He posted a 36-4-1 record, reaching a No. 3 ranking in the NAIA national poll. From there, he served three years as the head coach at Lindenwood, leading the Lions to a mark of 42-20 and an NAIA national top-10 ranking. He was selected as the National Soccer Coaches Association of America (NSCAA) Midwest Coach of the Year and NAIA Region Coach of the Year in 1992. Champion later returned to Lindenwood in 2003 as the women's coach, guiding the program to the NAIA national quarterfinals and a national top-10 ranking during his two-year tenure. He also spent the 2000 season at Saint Louis University as a women's assistant.   Champion has also coached soccer extensively at the prep level, recording a 207-111-25 career mark as head girls coach at Notre Dame high School during 1983-2000. He guided his squads to the 1986 state championship, a 2000