May 16, 2002
SANTA CLARA, Calif. - The NCAA champion Santa Clara University women's soccer program has hired Erin Hussey as an assistant coach, head coach Jerry Smith announced today.
Hussey joins the Broncos in a newly-created position of second assistant and will begin work on the Mission Campus in June. She will share in all responsibilities of the program, with direct tasks to be announced after Smith fills his other coaching vacancy.
"We're very excited about Erin joining our coaching staff," Smith said. "She will bring renewed energy and enthusiasm to the program and we're very happy to be hiring someone of Erin's quality into this newly-formed position."
Hussey, Northwestern University's top assistant, spent three seasons on the Wildcats' staff, including this past season as the top assistant under head coach Jenny Haigh.
"A part of me is sad, because I think Northwestern is going to have a special year next fall and I won't be here to see it," Hussey said of her departure. "However, the chance to work with Jerry and the defending national champions was too good a professional opportunity for me to pass up. Having said that, I will miss the exceptional group of women at Northwestern tremendously."
A native of Plymouth, Minn., Hussey was a four-year starter at the University of Minnesota. The three-year captain played in all of the Gophers' 82 matches during her career, and ended her career ranked fourth on the school's all-time points list, fifth in goals scored, and tied for third in assists.
Hussey earned All-Big Ten honors in 1995 (second team) and '96 (first team), and was named to the NSCAA Great Lakes Region All-America Third Team in '96. In addition, she was a three-time Academic All-Big Ten selection, from 1994-96, and earned District Academic All-America honors in '96.
Hussey graduated from Minnesota with a bachelor's degree in Spanish and International Business. After graduation, Hussey spent time as the head coach of the Wayzata and Edina (Minn.) U-15 Girls' Premier soccer teams, and worked as an assistant account executive for the advertising firm Fallon McElligott in Minneapolis. While at Northwestern, she also served as the head coach of the Glenview U-15 Girl's Soccer Club.
"We are sad to see Erin leave us, but excited for her to have this opportunity," Haigh said. "She has been an extremely valuable part of our program, and she will be missed by all of us. We're excited to see her pursue her career though, and we wish her nothing but the best."