Ex-SMU coach lands new job

[DallasDiehard]

U-M names Ryan women's soccer coach

Saturday, February 02, 2008

Greg Ryan, who led the U.S. women's soccer team to a bronze medal in the 2007 World Cup, was hired as the University of Michigan's head coach Friday.

He's just the second head coach in the program's 14-year history.

"I think it is a program that has a great upside,'' Ryan said. "It's a program that could develop into, certainly, one of the top teams in the Big Ten and potentially one of the top teams in the country, and so I am excited by the challenge of coming to Michigan.''

Ryan was 45-1-9 in three years as the national team head coach. As an assistant coach, the team won the 2004 Olympic title.

He's 189-81-18 in 15 years as a collegiate head coach, at Wisconsin (1986-93), Southern Methodist (1996-98) and Colorado College (1999-2002).

Ryan played at SMU (1975-78) and in the North American Soccer League (1979-84).

He takes over for Debbie Rademacher, who was 160-108-37 from 1994-2007, but resigned Nov. 15 to spend more time with her family. She led Michigan to the NCAA Tournament nine times, including a trip to the quarterfinals in 2002.