PonyFans.com

I read on another web site a rumor that Tom Stone was the front runner for the women's soccer position. He is currently an assistant at Clemson, I believe. Tom is from Irving where he was a Parade all american and played college soccer for Duke when I believe they won the national championship. He has been a very successful girls club coach in Georgia as well as a professional women's coach. Have no idea if there is any smoke in this rumor. Just passing it on.

Anyone hear of any other candidates being interviewed?

Look for announcement on the new coach within the next 24 hours.

Tom Stone withdrew from consideration.

Orsini announced to the team this afternoon he has hired Brent Irwin and the UCF website confirms it.

Good stuff, peaker!
Brent is a very good coach, very good recruiter, and a great guy.
Welcome home, Brent!

Excellent hire, Steve

Jan. 26, 2007

Orlando, Fla. (www.ucfathletics.com) - UCF Men's Soccer Coach Brent Erwin resigned today to accept the recently vacated head women's soccer coach position at Southern Methodist University in Dallas.

Prior to taking over the UCF men's soccer program in May, 2005, Erwin had served as the top assistant on the nationally-prominent SMU Mustangs men's soccer staff from 2000-05. He will take over for John Cossaboon, who left SMU for a position on the Gonzaga University women's soccer staff.

"We wish Coach [Brent] Erwin continued success in this next step of his career," said Keith R. Tribble, UCF Director of Athletics. "The UCF men's soccer team is on the cusp of something real special and that is testament to a job well-done by Brent and his staff the past two seasons.

In two seasons, 2005 and 2006, UCF men's soccer went a combined 13-17-3 and 5-9-3 in Conference USA play. At home, the Golden Knights were an impressive 10-4-3 under Erwin. In 2006, UCF faced six nationally ranked opponents and made its first appearance in the Conference USA Championship, earning the sixth seed. They defeated No. 17 Memphis and tied top-ranked SMU, while they lost one-goal games at No. 18 Kentucky and at No. 16 South Carolina.

Why hasn't the university announced the hiring? I know he's got the job but nothing in the local press or on the website.

Ask and ye shall receive (within reason). From SMU:

Erwin Returns To The Hilltop To Lead SMU Women's Soccer Program
Former UCF Head Coach & SMU Assistant Returns To Dallas
Jan. 30, 2007

DALLAS (SMU) - Former SMU men's assistant and UCF head men's coach Brent Erwin has been named the head coach of the SMU women's soccer program, Director of Athletics Steve Orsini announced today. Erwin becomes the fifth head coach for the Mustangs since the program's inception in 1986.


Erwin returns to the Hilltop after two seasons as the head coach of the UCF men's soccer program, which followed a six-year stint as the top assistant for SMU's nationally-prominent men's soccer program.

"Brent was an ideal candidate for this position," said Orsini. "He has extensive ties to the area and to SMU. Having hired Brent when I was at Central Florida, I knew that he was well-equipped to lead a program and his success there only reinforced those thoughts. He understands our goal of being a top-25 program and I am convinced he will keep our program at that championship-level and help us continue our march up the national rankings."

"I'm so excited to be back at SMU," said Erwin. "It's a dream come true for me and my family to be back at this wonderful university. I'd like to thank Steve Orsini for giving me the opportunity to come back. I'm really looking forward to working with this team."

"We have a rich tradition here at SMU. We've been to the College Cup and have numerous conference championships. We've done some things no other schools in Texas have been able to do. We will build on that and we will keep it going in the right direction."

In his two seasons at UCF, the Knights' soccer team went a combined 13-17-3, 5-9-3 in Conference USA play, and was an impressive 10-4-3 at home. In 2006, UCF made its first appearance in the Conference USA Championship and defeated No. 17 Memphis and tied top-ranked SMU during the season.

Erwin went to UCF from SMU, where he spent six years as an assistant coach. During that time, the Mustangs compiled an 86-19-7 record and earned six NCAA Tournament berths. After advancing to the NCAA Final Four in 2000, the team was ranked No. 1 in the nation for 14 straight weeks and advanced to the Elite Eight in 2001. During his tenure, Erwin's recruiting classes were consistently ranked among the nation's top five. He aided in the development of seven All-Americans and 20 All-Conference honorees as well as 2001 Hermann Award winner Luchi Gonzalez.

During the summer of 2001, Erwin was invited to Sao Paulo, Brazil by the Santos Futebol Club, Pele's club and a two-time World Club Champion. At Santos, he worked with all of the teams from Under-12 through Under-23 and observed the training of the professional squad.

Prior to his time under Schellas Hyndman, Erwin served as assistant coach at Bradenton IMG Soccer Academy. He has also worked with the Under-17 Men's National Team and the Region 3 Olympic Development Program.

Prior to his coaching career, Erwin was a three-year starter at TCU, where he graduated with a bachelor's degree in general studies. After exhausting his final year of eligibility, he spent the summer of 1997 training with Leeds United of the English Premier League then trained with the Dallas Burn organization, playing with their minor league team the Texas Toros for two seasons.

Erwin holds a U.S. Soccer Federation "A" Coaching License. He and his wife, Angie, have a son, Ben.

The SMU women's soccer team is coming off a 17-5-1 season and has won seven straight regular-season conference titles. The Mustangs tied for 24th in the final SoccerTimes.com poll and received an at-large bid into the 2006 NCAA Tournament, marking their sixth-straight NCAA Tourney appearance.

Erwin replaces John Cossaboon, who resigned at the end of December to take a position with the Gonzaga women's soccer program.