Matt Hawkey Named Assistant Women's Soccer Coach
1/9/2008 12:00:00 AM | Soccer
TUSCALOOSA, Ala. ?? University of Alabama head women’s soccer coach Todd Bramble announced Wednesday that he has hired Matt Hawkey of the University of Miami (Fla.) as an assistant coach. The hiring of Hawkey completes Bramble’s Alabama coaching staff as the Tide enters the heart of its offseason program.
“Bringing Matt on board completes our coaching staff on several different levels,” Bramble said. “He has a tremendous knowledge and passion for the game. He is a dynamic educator and an aggressive recruiter. Matt was instrumental in the recent success at Miami and I took notice of that. Having another coach on our staff that is experienced in competing at a high level will tremendously enhance our program.”
“I want to thank Coach Bramble for this opportunity to help build the soccer program at the University of Alabama to national recognition,” Hawkey said. “From the time that I stepped on campus it quickly became very clear that the support that Alabama is giving women’s soccer really puts you in a position to make some great things happen. I am looking forward to working with both Coach Bramble and Coach Clowney and help get Alabama to the top tier of the very competitive SEC and into the national soccer scene. I would also like to thank Coach Taliaferro at Miami; my time there is something I will cherish tremendously.”
Hawkey recently completed his second season as an assistant coach with the Hurricanes, a period during which UM went a combined 17-16-6 over two seasons, including a mark of 9-7-5 in 2007 marking Miami’s first winning season in six years. Miami’s 4-4-2 record in Atlantic Coast Conference play in 2007 was the team’s best ever in league action.
Before his stint at Miami, Hawkey served as an assistant coach for four seasons at Western Kentucky where he was primarily responsible for the goalkeepers, while also assisting in all aspects of the Lady Hilltopper women's program, including coaching, recruiting, conditioning and fundraising efforts. While at WKU, he also served as the Lady Topper Soccer Academy Camp Director.
A U.S. Soccer Federation “A” Licensed coach who earned his National Youth License in 2006-07, Hawkey also holds a NSCAA Advanced National Diploma and is certified as a NSCAA Goalkeeping Level II coach. He has served on the Region II staff, as well as on coaching staffs for both the Kentucky and Ohio South Youth Soccer Associations, working with the state Olympic Development Programs.
A 1999 graduate of Western Kentucky, Hawkey’s collegiate coaching career began at his alma mater in 2000 as an assistant coach for the men’s program for one season. As a player with the Hilltoppers from 1996-99, he was a two-time All-Missouri Valley Conference selection.
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