Aug. 10, 2006
Hiring a new head coach usually ushers in a new era and alters the attitude of everyone associated with the program, and new Idaho State soccer coach Alison Gibson is counting on both.
"This is the 2006 Idaho State women's soccer team," said Gibson, who spent the past five years as an assistant coach at the University of San Francisco. "We're not worried about what teams have been like in the past. We've got our own system of play and our own set of team goals. That's what we stand for. We're really making them start fresh, but we'll still carry that bit of tradition."
Gibson brings a lot of coaching and playing experience to Pocatello. At San Francisco, she coached in the West Coast Conference, considered one of the best conferences in the nation for soccer. In 2005, the Dons played the toughest schedule in the country. As a player, Gibson helped Division II Sonoma State to the NCAA College Cup's Final Four in 1992 and a Final Eight appearance in 1993. She also played professionally with the Fujita Mercury in Japan for three seasons.
Both the 2006 assistants have ties to San Francisco as well. Hideki Nakada played men's soccer at USF, graduating in 2005, and spent last season as a high school assistant in San Francisco. Lindsey Massengale comes to ISU after spending the past two years as the strength and conditioning coach at USF. Massengale played college soccer at Clemson and also played for the Boston Breakers of the WUSA.
"I'm very excited about my staff," Gibson said. "They're both very talented and very goal and success-oriented. Hideki will work more with the goalkeepers, making them the very best they can be. Lindsay has a long tradition of being successful. She's one of those higher level players that knows what it takes to get to that next level and can teach that."
The new coaching staff will work with a team that, despite coming off Idaho State's worst season since the inaugural campaign of 1998, returns three seniors that were freshmen in 2003 when Idaho State upset Utah in the first round of the NCAA College Cup.
"It's a tremendous group," Gibson said. "They've had three coaches in four years, but that's bonded them in a way. This year is all about them, and they want to make sure this is their best year yet."
Defender Jennifer Loo was named to the All-Big Sky Conference first team for the second straight season in 2005, starting all 17 matches for the Bengals. Forward Chantal Kim led the Bengals in goals with three and also tallied one assist, and forward Tia Burns also scored one goal, the game-winner on Oct. 23 against Eastern Washington.
Several non-seniors will also play a major role in determining whether Idaho State can rise back to the top of the Big Sky standings. Junior Natalie Graham scored two goals in 2005, and Gibson is especially excited about the development of sophomore forward Jana Davis.
"Natalie Graham is a tremendous center midfielder, and I look for her to give us a significant offensive threat," Gibson said. "Jana Davis had a tremendous spring for us. She's a player who scored a ton of goals in high school, but she lost some confidence last year. She scored a number of goals for us in the spring."
Five other players return who scored one goal apiece for the Bengals: junior midfielder Jill Christofferson, sophomore forward Jenny Ford, sophomore defender Kalie McGuire, junior midfielder Michelle Okumura and sophomore midfielder Kilee Quigley. Overall, the Bengals return all but two of last year's 14 goals.
In goal, the Bengals have two returners in junior Maren Eves and senior Lyndsay Gensler, who transferred from St. Louis prior to the 2005 campaign. Both played in four matches last season.
Idaho State will also add five newcomers into the mix, including three Idaho natives. Pocatello residents Christina Beseris and Ali Zikratch, Boise's Annamarie Hofstetter, Jennifer Sandner (Canby, Ore.) and junior college transfer Erin Dupont will all join the club this fall.
Overall, Gibson feels like she has an experienced roster that is thirsting for the success Idaho State was known for earlier this decade.
"We have a blend of kids who played for (former Idaho State coach) Gordon Henderson who knew nothing but success, and kids that have struggled the past couple of years and who know anything but success. The older players will really have to set the tone and help the younger players along."
