Feb. 11, 2009
SANTA CLARA, Calif. - Former Bronco standout and current US National Team player, Leslie Osborne '05, will join the Santa Clara women's soccer coaching staff as a volunteer assistant coach, head coach Jerry Smith announced Wednesday. Osborne, who played under Smith, from 2001-04, helped lead the team to their only NCAA National Championship in 2001. She was a four-time All-WCC First Team selection, the 2004 Honda Award winner and the 2003 WCC Player of Year while at Santa Clara.
"We are very excited for Leslie to join our coaching staff," said Smith. "She was a student-athlete here at SCU and will be able to relate to our current student-athletes very well. Leslie is a world-class person and a world-class athlete. Her experiences in helping us win a National Championship in 2001, along with her Olympic and World Cup experiences with US Soccer will only help inspire our current players and incoming recruits to follow their dreams!"
"Leslie has an incredible work ethic, whether in the classroom, on the field or in life. She works hard at making her life and the lives of people around her full of success and happiness. In short, she is an incredible addition to our staff!" concluded Smith.
Osborne, who boasts an impressive soccer resume with the US National Team and the US Olympic Team, will return to play at Buck Shaw Stadium this year as a member of Women's Professional Soccer's FC Gold Pride. The WPS's Bay Area franchise will call Buck Shaw home for their inaugural season. The Menomonee Falls, Wis. native was allocated to the Pride in the Fall of 2008 in the US National Team Player Allocation.
"I feel very fortunate to be back here at Santa Clara and even luckier to be able to coach at SCU," said Osborne, who will begin working with the team now. "I will be surrounded by a great coaching staff, a fantastic University and great people everyday."
"To be back here and involved with Santa Clara women's soccer has been a goal of mine since the day I graduated. I am looking forward to helping the University and the women's soccer program anyway I can," Osborne said.
The Broncos, who are currently training hard during the offseason, recently welcomed a nationally recognized recruiting class who will join the women's soccer program in the Fall of 2009.