STORM LAKE, IOWA . . . Buena Vista University director of athletics Jan Travis has announced that Tony Tommasi has been hired to take over the reins as the university’s head women’s soccer coach.

“I am very excited to have Tony joining the BVU family,” says Travis.  “I feel a coach of his caliber can take the women’s soccer program to the next level.”

Tommasi will step foot onto campus with nine years of collegiate coaching experience under his belt, including his recent four-year stint as head women’s soccer coach at Methodist University in Fayetteville, N.C.

“I want to personally thank (BVU) President (Fred) Moore, (BVU VP for Student Services and Dean of Students) Dr. (Keith) Betts, and Jan Travis for giving me this great opportunity,” Tommasi says.  “My family and I are excited to become part of the BVU family.”

During his tenure at Methodist University, he picked up his 100th career coaching win, while guiding the program to a combined 54-27-5 record and a conference mark of 27-4-2.  In just his first season with the Monarchs in 2006, he led them to the regular season USA South Atlantic Conference championship, as well as its first trip into the NCAA Tournament since 1995.  The following year, the Monarchs captured both the regular season and conference tournament championships.

Prior to his time at Methodist University, he also served five years as head women’s soccer coach at Texas Lutheran.  The program had an all-time record of 22-100 prior to his arrival in 2001, and during his tenure, the team went 49-34-5.  In just his second season, he was named American Southwest Conference Coach of the Year and led the team to its first winning season (10-7-1) in school history.  He left the program as its all-time winningest coach, while the team established 55 new team and individual records.

In addition to his two head coaching stints, he’s also spent time assisting the women’s program at Trinity, in San Antonio, Texas and serving two years as the head assistant coach at NCAA Division I Mississippi State.  Throughout most of the 1990’s, he served as Director of Training for soccer clubs in Richmond, Va.

“I’m really excited about the challenge and making the team a competitive force in the conference,” he adds.  “We’re going to set our goals high and will always give our best with lots of character and heart.”

Tommasi earned his Bachelor of Arts degree in Economics in 1985 from the University of Richmond.  He and his wife, Chappell, have three children – daughters Kyra and Talia and son, Michael Anthony.

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