UCLA women s soccer UCLA SOCCER 2007 From Left: Alma Playle, Ashley Thompson, Valerie Henderson and Danesha Adams SENIORS 2007 2007 SCHEDULE QUICK FACTS THE PLAYERS Aug. 31 at Houston 7:00 AM (CST) Sept. 2 vs. Texas (at Houston) Noon (CST) Sept. 7 UCLA vs. Illinois^ 5:00 PM Cal State Northridge vs. USF^ 7:30 PM Sept. 9 Cal State Northridge vs. Illinois^ 11:00 AM UCLA vs. San Francisco^ 1:30 PM Sept. 14 at San Diego 7:30 PM Sept. 16 at Cal State Northridge 3:00 PM Sept. 21 at Pepperdine 3:00 PM Sept. 23 Hawai i 1:00 PM Sept. 28 Portland 7:00 PM Oct. 5 at San Diego State 4:00 PM Oct. 7 Santa Clara 1:00 PM Oct. 12 Oregon State* 5:00 PM Oct. 14 Oregon* (Fox) 11:00 AM Oct. 19 at Stanford* 7:30 PM Oct. 21 at Cal* 1:00 PM Oct. 26 USC* 7:30 PM Nov. 2 Arizona State* 7:00 PM Nov. 4 Arizona* 1:00 PM Nov. 9 at Washington State* 1:00 PM Nov. 11 at Washington* Noon Nov. 16 or 18 NCAA First/Second Rounds TBD Nov. 23, 24 or 25 NCAA Third Round TBD Nov. 30, Dec. 1 or 2 NCAA Quarterfinals TBD Dec. 7 & 9 NCAA College Cup (Cary, NC) TBD Home Games in bold played at Frank W. Marshall Field at Drake Stadium ^ Denotes game as part of UCLA Women s Cup * Denotes Pac-10 Conference game All times pacifi c unless otherwise indicated (Fox) - Match to be aired on a delayed basis by Fox Sports Net Location... J.D. Morgan Center...325 Westwood Plaza... Los Angeles, CA 90095 Athletics Phone... (310) 825-8699 Ticket Offi ce...(310) UCLA-WIN Chancellor... Dr. Gene Block Director of Athletics... Daniel G. Guerrero Sr. Women s Admin.... Petrina Long Assoc. Athletic Director (Soccer)...Ken Weiner Faculty Athletic Rep.... Donald Morrison Home Field (Capacity)...Frank W. Marshall Field...at Drake Stadium (11,700) All-Time Home Record... 120-21-7 Enrollment...37,500 Founded...1919 Colors...Blue and Gold Nickname... Bruins Conference...Pacific-10 National Affiliation... NCAA Division I Head Coach... Jillian Ellis (William & Mary, 88) Record at UCLA (Years)... 153-31-7 (8 years) Career Record (Years)... 172-49-7 (10 years) Assistant Coach... Shannon MacMillan (Portland 96) Assistant Coach... B.J. Snow (Indiana 00) Volunteer Assistant Coach... Claine Plummer (Cal State Los Angeles 98) 2006 Record... 21-4-0 2006 Pac-10 Record (Finish)... 8-1-0 (1st) 2006 NCAA Finish... T-3rd 2006 Final National Ranking... 3rd (NSCAA/adidas) THE 2007 UCLA BRUINS Roster...2 Radio/TV Chart...3 Jillian Ellis Q&A... 4-5 THE COACHING STAFF Head Coach Jillian Ellis... 6-7 Assistant Coaches...8 Returning Player Biographies... 10-19 Newcomer Biographies... 20-21 2006 SEASON IN REVIEW Final Statistics...24 Scoring & Results...24 Season in Review...25 Final National Rankings...25 Box Scores... 26-27 Final Pac-10 Standings, Stats & Honors...28 UCLA HISTORY All-Time Letterwinners...30 All-Time Numerical Roster...31 All-Time Game-by-Game Results... 32-33 Coaching Records / All-Time Assistant Coaches...33 Single-Season Records...34 Career Records...35 Bruin Honors...36 NSCAA/adidas & Soccer America All-Americans...37 Miscellaneous Team & Individual Records...38 Year-by-Year Team Statistics...38 All-Time Player Statistics...39 Yearly Leaders...40 UCLA Soccer Timeline...41 UCLA Jersey Evolution...41 NCAA Tournament History...42 2006 NCAA Tournament Results...42 Final NSCAA/adidas Polls (Since 1993)...43 UCLA s All-Time Record vs. Opponents...44 National Team Players...45 Former Players - Where Are They Now?...45 UCLA Training Facilities...46 Facility Records...46 Media Information...47 UCLA Athletic Department Personnel...48 About This Publication: Writing, layout and cover design by Danny Harrington, UCLA Assistant Sports Information Director. Photography: ASUCLA Campus Studio (Don Liebig and Todd Cheney). Additional photos provided by: Scott Chandler, Scott James, Paul Olden, Shane Lardinois, Milt Crossen and Tony Duffy. Special thanks to Jeff Sipsey for his NCAA College Cup photography and U.S. National Team images. Printing: Marina Graphic Center Special thanks to Getty Images, ASUCLA Photography, Berliner Studios, Andrew Bernstein, Ruth Chambers, the Los Angeles Visitors and Convention Bureau and Scott Quintard for their photos in The UCLA Experience section. Purchase: Copies of the women s soccer media guide can be purchased in person at the UCLA s Sports Information Offi ce for $6.00. By mail, make checks payable for $8.00 to UC Regents and mail to UCLA Sports Information Office, Women s Soccer Guide, PO Box 24044, Los Angeles, CA 90024. PAC-10 CHAMPIONS 1997, 1998, 2001, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006 1
UCLA ROSTER THE 2007 UCLA BRUINS (Front Row, L-R): Carli Castaneda, Sarah Salazar, Nicole Sweetman, Britney Scannell, Christina DiMartino, Blake Zerboni, Lauren Barnes, Kylie Wright, Nicki Friedberg. (Middle Row, L-R): Assistant Coach Shannon MacMillan, Lauren Wilmoth, McCall Zerboni, Dana Wall, Kristina Larsen, Caitlyn Mac Kechnie, Erin Hardy, Nicole Kleinert, Catherine Calvert, Taylor Cochran, Dea Cook, Jenni Branam, Athletic Trainer Julia Seamark. (Back Row, L-R): Head Coach Jillian Ellis, Assistant Coach B.J. Snow, Lauren Cheney, Alma Playle, Liz Zadro, Ashley Thompson, Lisa Jett, Valerie Henderson, Danesha Adams, Elise Britt, Jenna Belcher, Team Manager Kerry Bradley. Not Pictured - Kara Lang NUMERICAL ROSTER No. Name Pos. Ht. Yr. Hometown (High School) 1 Valerie Henderson GK 5-7 Sr. Orinda, Calif. (Miramonte) 2 Sarah Salazar MF 5-4 Fr. Broken Arrow, Okla. (Broken Arrow) 3 Lauren Barnes D 5-5 Fr. Upland, Calif. (Upland) 4 Blake Zerboni F 5-2 Jr. San Clemente, Calif. (Laguna Beach) 5 Christina DiMartino MF 5-2 Jr. Massapequa, N.Y. (Massapequa) 6 McCall Zerboni MF 5-4 Jr. San Clemente, Calif. (San Clemente) 7 Alma Playle F 5-9 Sr. Davis, Calif. (Davis Senior) 8 Lauren Cheney F 5-10 So. Indianapolis, Ind. (Ben Davis) 9 Danesha Adams MF/F 5-6 Sr. Shaker Heights, Ohio (Shaker Heights) 10 Lauren Wilmoth D 5-2 So. Garland, Texas (Garland) 11 Caitlyn Mac Kechnie MF 5-7 Jr. Camarillo, Calif. (Oaks Christian) 12 Erin Hardy D 5-6 Jr. Costa Mesa, Calif. (Newport Harbor) 13 Nicole Kleinert D 5-4 Jr. La Canada, Calif. (Flintridge Prep) 14 Catherine Calvert MF 5-6 Jr. Malibu, Calif. (Malibu) 15 Kara Lang F 5-10 RSo. Oakville, Ontario, Canada (St. Thomas Aquinas) 16 Liz Zadro F 5-9 Fr. Huntington Beach Calif. (Mater Dei) 17 Ashley Thompson GK 5-5 Sr. Rancho Santa Margarita, Calif. (Trabuco Hills) 18 Kylie Wright MF 5-7 Fr. Rancho Santa Margarita, Calif. (Tesoro) 19 Jenna Belcher D 5-8 RFr. Rolling Hills Estates, Calif. (Palos Verdes Peninsula) 20 Kristina Larsen MF/F 5-5 So. Mission Viejo, Calif. (Mission Viejo) 21 Elise Britt MF 5-8 Fr. Santa Rosa, Calif. (Montgomery) 22 Dana Wall MF 5-6 Fr. Scottsdale, Ariz. (Chaparral) 23 Dea Cook MF/D 5-6 So. Acampo, Calif. (St. Mary s) 25 Taylor Cochran MF 5-8 Fr. Lake Stevens, Wash. (Lake Stevens) 26 Carli Castaneda F 5-5 Fr. Riverside, Calif. (Arlington) 27 Britney Scannell D 5-5 So. Palos Verdes, Calif. (Chadwick) 28 Nicki Friedberg D 5-5 Fr. Dove Canyon, Calif. (Mission Viejo) 29 Nicole Sweetman F 5-4 Fr. Camarillo, Calif. (Oaks Christian) 33 Lisa Jett GK 5-11 Fr. College Station, Texas (A&M Consolidated) Head Coach: Jillian Ellis (9th Season, William & Mary 88) Assistant Coach: B.J. Snow (2nd Season, Indiana 00) Assistant Coach: Shannon MacMillan (1st Season, Portland 95) Volunteer Assistant Coach: Claine Plummer (1st Season, Cal State LA 98) Operations Director: Jenni Branam (1st Season, North Carolina 02) Team Manager: Kerry Bradley Equipment Manager: Scott Whittum Staff Athletic Trainer: Julia Seamark Student Athletic Trainers: Eric Chen, Vicky Zalameda ALPHABETICAL ADAMS, Danesha...9 BARNES, Lauren...3 BELCHER, Jenna...19 BRITT, Elise...21 CALVERT, Catherine...14 CASTANEDA, Carli...26 CHENEY, Lauren...8 COCHRAN, Taylor...25 COOK, Dea...23 DIMARTINO, Christina...5 FRIEDBERG, Nicki...28 HARDY, Erin...12 HENDERSON, Valerie...1 JETT, Lisa...33 KLEINERT, Nicole...13 LANG, Kara...15 LARSEN, Kristina...20 MAC KECHNIE, Caitlyn...11 PLAYLE, Alma...7 SALAZAR, Sarah...2 SCANNELL, Britney...27 SWEETMAN, Nicole...29 THOMPSON, Ashley...17 WALL, Dana...22 WILMOTH, Lauren...10 WRIGHT, Kylie...18 ZADRO, Liz...16 ZERBONI, Blake...4 ZERBONI, McCall...6 BY HEIGHT 5-11... Lisa Jett 5-10... Lauren Cheney... Kara Lang 5-9...Alma Playle...Liz Zadro 5-8...Jenna Belcher... Elise Britt... Taylor Cochran 5-7... Valerie Henderson...Caitlin Mac Kechnie...Kylie Wright 5-6... Danesha Adams...Catherine Calvert...Dea Cook...Erin Hardy... Dana Wall 5-5... Lauren Barnes...Carli Castaneda... Nicki Friedberg...Kristina Larsen...Britney Scannell...Ashley Thompson 5-4... Nicole Kleinert... McCall Zerboni...Sarah Salazar...Nicole Sweetman 5-2... Christina DiMartino... Lauren Wilmoth... Blake Zerboni PRONUNCIATION GUIDE Danesha Adams... Da-NEE-sha Kara Lang...CAR-uh Caitlin Mac Kechnie... Ma-KECK-nee Alma Playle...PLAIL Britney Scannell... Sca-NELL Blake/McCall Zerboni... Zer-BO-nee BY CLASS FRESHMEN (12) Barnes, Belcher, Britt, Castaneda, Cochran, Friedberg, Jett, Salazar, Sweetman, Wall, Wright, Zadro SOPHOMORES (6) Cheney, Cook, Lang, Larsen, Scannell, Wilmoth JUNIORS (7) Calvert, DiMartino, Hardy, Kleinert, Mac Kechnie, B. Zerboni, M. Zerboni SENIORS (4) Adams, Henderson, Playle, Thompson BY POSITION FORWARDS (8) Castaneda, Cheney, Lang, Larsen Playle, Sweetman, B. Zerboni, Zadro MIDFIELDERS (10) Adams, Britt, Calvert, Cochran, DiMartino, Mac Kechnie, Salazar, Wall, Wright, M. Zerboni DEFENDERS (8) Barnes, Belcher, Cook, Friedberg, Hardy, Kleinert, Scannell, Wilmoth GOALKEEPERS (3) Henderson, Jett, Thompson 2 NCAA COLLEGE CUP PARTICIPANT 2000, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006
RADIO/TV CHART 1 VALERIE HENDERSON GK 5-7 Sr. Orinda, Calif. 2 SARAH SALAZAR MF 5-4 Fr. Broken Arrow, Okla. 3 LAUREN BARNES D 5-5 Fr. Upland, Calif. 4 BLAKE ZERBONI F 5-2 Jr. San Clemente, Calif. 5 CHRISTINA DIMARTINO MF/F 5-2 Jr. Massapequa, N.Y. 6 MCCALL ZERBONI MF 5-4 Jr. San Clemente, Calif. 7 ALMA PLAYLE F 5-9 Sr. Davis, Calif. 8 LAUREN CHENEY F 5-10 So. Indianapolis, Ind. 9 DANESHA ADAMS MF/F 5-6 Sr. Shaker Heights, Ohio 10 LAUREN WILMOTH D 5-2 So. Garland, Texas 11 CAITLYN MAC KECHNIE MF 5-7 Jr. Camarillo, Calif. 12 ERIN HARDY D 5-6 Jr. Costa Mesa, Calif. 13 NICOLE KLEINERT D 5-4 Jr. La Canada, Calif. 14 CATHERINE CALVERT MF/D 5-6 Jr. Malibu, Calif. 15 KARA LANG F 5-10 RSo. Oakville, Ontario, Canada 16 LIZ ZADRO F 5-9 Fr. Huntington Beach, Calif. 17 ASHLEY THOMPSON GK 5-9 Sr. Rancho Santa Margarita, Calif. 18 KYLIE WRIGHT MF 5-7 Fr. Rancho Santa Margarita, Calif. 19 JENNA BELCHER D/MF 5-8 RFr. Rolling Hills Estates, Calif. 20 KRISTINA LARSEN F 5-5 So. Mission Viejo, Calif. 21 ELISE BRITT MF 5-8 Fr. Santa Rosa, Calif. 22 DANA WALL MF 5-6 Fr. Scottsdale, Ariz. 23 DEA COOK D/MF 5-6 So. Acampo, Calif. 25 TAYLOR COCHRAN MF 5-8 Fr. Lake Stevens, Wash. 26 CARLI CASTANEDA F 5-5 Fr. Riverside, Calif. 27 BRITNEY SCANNELL D 5-5 So. Palos Verdes, Calif. 28 NICKI FRIEDBERG D 5-5 Fr. Dove Canyon, Calif. 29 NICOLE SWEETMAN F 5-4 Fr. Oxnard, Calif. 33 LISA JETT GK 5-11 Fr. College Station, Texas JILLIAN ELLIS Head Coach Ninth Season PAC-10 CHAMPIONS 1997, 1998, 2001, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006 3
SEASON OUTLOOK UCLA AIMS FOR FIFTH-STRAIGHT COLLEGE CUP APPEARANCE IN 07 Bruins Return Nine of 11 Starters From Last Season, Add Nation s No. 1 Recruiting Class OVERVIEW UCLA returns nine of 11 starters from a team that advanced to its fourth-straight NCAA College Cup in 2006. The Bruins are also coming off the school s fourth-straight Pac-10 title, ending last season ranked No. 3 nationally in every major poll. Joining UCLA s nine returning starters will be 12 newcomers, making up what was ranked the No. 1 recruiting class in the country. In what has become customary in Westwood the last several years, UCLA enters the season listed in the top 5 in the early-season rankings (#2 in Soccer Buzz and #3 in Soccer America). Head coach Jillian Ellis brings a 153-31-7 (.825) record into her ninth season at UCLA. Her overall coaching record, which includes two seasons at the University of Illinois, stands at 172-49-7 (.770). Joining Ellis on the coaching staff this season are assistants Shannon MacMillan and B.J. Snow. MacMillan, a former U.S. National Team star, begins her fi rst season of college coaching, while Snow, a four-year starter at Indiana, was elevated to assistant coach after serving one season as a volunteer assistant at UCLA in 2006. OFFENSIVELY SPEAKING With All-Americans Danesha Adams, Lauren Cheney and Christina DiMartino all returning, UCLA features one of the most potent attacks in the nation. The trio, all M.A.C. Hermann Trophy candidates, accounted for more than half of the team s points in 2006 (94 of 145), not to mention nearly 70 percent of the team s goals. Add 2005 leading scorer Kara Lang, who missed all of last season with an injury, to the mix, and 2007 has the potential to be a special year for the Bruins offensively. The most diffi cult thing for opponents this season will likely be figuring out exactly who to stop, as the Bruins feature a dynamic offensive attack that mixes both size and speed. Adams, who is nearly unstoppable in breakaway situations, will provide the speed up top, as the senior led the Pac-10 in scoring two years ago with 46 points on 21 goals and four assists. She is coming off a season in which she ranked second on the team in scoring with 28 points (12g, 4a). She enters this year just fi ve game-winning goals shy of tying the school record of 26. While Adams is most deadly on balls played behind the defense, Cheney was able to maneuver right through opposing back lines last season en route to posting a conference best 39 points (19g, 1a). Last year s Soccer Buzz National Freshman of the Year and fi rst-team NSCAA/adidas All-American, she set new UCLA freshman records for goals (19) and game-winning goals (8). Although Adams and Cheney get much of the credit for scoring the goals, UCLA s most deadly player might just be 5-foot-2 junior DiMartino, as she is the fuel that keeps the Bruins offensive machine running. The only consensus fi rst-team All-American on last year s team, as recognized by NSCAA/adidas, Soccer America and Soccer Buzz, DiMartino led the Bruins and tied for second in the Pac-10 with seven assists. Lang is the x-factor in this year s group, as she unfortunately was unable to follow up her spectacular freshman season of 2005 due to a knee injury. The good news for UCLA is that she has played solid at several international events, including the 2007 Pan American Games this past summer. The bad news is that the Bruins will be without her for the early part of the season while she competes for Canada at the Women s World Cup in China. Once she returns, however, she will hopefully pick up where she left off two years ago when she ranked second on the team in scoring, registering a UCLA freshman record 40 points (17g, 6a). She and Cheney, both standing at 5-10, give the Bruins a formidable advantage up top, especially on set pieces. Sophomore Kristina Larsen also fi gures into the mix, as she ranked fi fth on the team in scoring as a rookie last season (3g, 0a). Senor Alma Playle and junior Blake Zerboni join freshmen Liz Zadro, Carli Castaneda and Nicole Sweetman as players who fi gure to compete for playing time up top. IN THE MIDDLE UCLA s midfi eld is probably the deepest area of the squad, with seven or eight players all capable of seeing a lot of playing time. In addition to DiMartino, who will likely play mostly at forward until Lang returns from the World Cup, the Bruins also return McCall Zerboni, who was a starter in 15 matches last season, She ended the year with six points on two goals and two assists. Two freshmen who will be making an immediate impact are U.S. Youth National Team players Kylie Wright and Sarah Salazar. Wright was one of four Bruins selected to represent the U.S. at the Pan American Games this past summer, while Salazar has seen extensive time with the U-16s and U-17s. Caitlyn Mac Kechnie, who played in 10 matches a year ago, joins freshmen Dana Wall, Taylor Cochran, and Elise Britt as other possible contributors in the midfi eld area. THE BRUIN BACK LINE Junior Erin Hardy and sophomore Lauren Wilmoth are the key returning defenders from a back line that surrendered less than a goal a game in 2006 (19 in 25 matches). Despite missing four matches last season while playing at the FIFA Under-20 World Championships with the U.S. National Team, Hardy has been the Bruins most reliable defender the last two seasons, starting every match of her career. 4 NCAA COLLEGE CUP PARTICIPANT 2000, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006
SEASON OUTLOOK She was named a fourth-team Soccer Buzz All-American in 2006, helping the Bruins post 13 shutouts. Like Hardy, Wilmoth has started every match since arriving on campus. Her ability to step in right away as a freshman was key to UCLA s College Cup run last season, as the Bruins lost defensive leader Mary Castelanelli to injury just nine games into the year. Wilmoth kept busy in the offseason, recently helping the Jillian Ellis-coached U.S. Under-20s to a second-place fi nish at the Pan American Games in Brazil. Joining Wilmoth and Hardy as a starter on the back line will likely be incoming freshman Lauren Barnes. Rated as the No. 2 recruit in the country by Soccer Buzz, Barnes brings a wealth of experience into her first season in Westwood, as she has been a stalwart with the U.S. National Team Program since the U-15 level. She and Wilmoth should work well together, as the two were teammates on Team USA s Pan American squad. Two returning players that fi gure to get a lot of playing time in the back are junior Catherine Calvert and sophomore Dea Cook. Calvert played in both the midfi eld and on defense last season, starting 20 of 25 matches. Cook was starting on defense before and injury towards the end of the year limited her playing time down the stretch. Redshirt freshman Jenna Belcher could also log signifi cant minutes on defense, as the Santa Clara transfer is a former U.S. Youth National Team player. She received a medical redshirt after playing in only three matches for the Broncos last season. Rounding out the defensive unit in 2007 will be returning players Britney Scannell and Nicole Kleinert. Scannell played in eight matches a year ago, including four of five during the NCAA Tournament. Also adding depth to the defense is freshman Nicki Friedberg. BETWEEN THE POSTS UCLA returns what many consider to be the most experienced goalkeeper in the country, as Valerie Henderson embarks on her fi nal season of college soccer. The senior All- American has been the starter in three NCAA College Cups, playing in the fi nal in 2004 and 2005. She broke the UCLA record for career victories last season and currently has 56 in her three-year career. She is coming off a season in which she owned an 18-3 overall record, including an 0.72 goals against average. She also had eight shutouts, giving her 30 for her career (just one behind school record holder Lindsay Culp). Joining Henderson in goal are senior Ashley Thompson and freshman Lisa Jett. Thompson gained valuable minutes last season, going 3-1 overall with an 0.89 goals against average. She played in seven matches in 2006, making four starts. Jett, the tallest player on the team at 5-foot-11, is an athletic keeper from College Station, Texas, who figures to gain valuable experience this year with two seasoned goalkeepers teaching her the ins and outs of the college game. SOCCER BUZZ PRESEASON TOP 25 1. North Carolina 2. UCLA 3. Notre Dame 4. Portland 5. Texas A&M 6. Stanford 7. Florida 8. Florida State 9. Texas 10. Connecticut 11. Virginia 12. Penn State 13. Boston College 14. USC 15. Santa Clara 16. Rutgers 17. Illinois 18. West Virginia 19. Oregon 20. Villanova 21. Colorado 22. Duke 23. BYU 24. Tennessee 25. Long Beach St. Q&A WITH HEAD COACH JILLIAN ELLIS Briefly give us your thoughts on the upcoming season. Well, we re young but we re also experienced. I m excited to see the level that this team is capable of playing. I think we have new players that fi t our blend of soccer. We have very sophisticated players as well, so I feel we are going to be an exciting team to watch. Looking at this team as a whole, we have a very talented group of attacking players, and we garnered some experience in the back because last year we were very young. And with Val (Henderson) between the posts, we will have a solid starting 11. Do you feel that this is one of the best teams you ve ever coached? Without a doubt I think this will be the most experienced team I ve had in my nine years at UCLA in terms of national team involvement and previous College Cup appearances. All of our returning players have played in the College Cup, while most of our newcomers have experienced the game at a very high standard, whether it s with the youth national team program or at the club level. So yes, this team has the chance to be very special. Lang, Cheney and Adams have all led the team in scoring at some point and time. How do you keep everyone happy with so much talent up top? First and foremost, we will craft our team to showcase our strengths. Opposing teams are going to have a lot of different personalities to focus on. This group of players is so mature that all of them will share in the excitement of scoring goals. There is no individualism on this team. I think these players are experienced enough to realize that they are going to need each other to get back to the College Cup. To do that they are going to have to share the ball and share the glory. So I don t really see that as being an issue. What would you say is the greatest strength of this team? In relation to the previous question, I d say we have a lot of fi repower up front. I think there is the potential for great goal production out of this group. What makes this group special is that it features a combination of one-v-one ability, pace, and strength. This is not a one-dimensional group of attackers by any means. You ve guided this team to four-straight NCAA College Cups. You have to be pleased with the stability of the program. I d say that there is something to be said for the consistency of being in the College Cup the last several years and putting ourselves in a position to win it. But undoubtedly, our focus is on winning a championship. I don t think it s a matter of if, but when. That s what fuels our fire. There are very few teams that have actually won a national championship and we re one of the youngest programs that is continually competing for one. So we take pride in that. But when you re at a school like UCLA that has won 100 national championships, excellence is expected. This school has such a rich athletic tradition, and we d like to contribute to it. We feel a responsibility to do so. Is winning that first championship what keeps you motivated and energized day in and day out? When I fi rst started getting into coaching I had one focus and that was a national championship. I remember telling the players at our very fi rst meeting back in 1999 that the goal of this program is to bring a title back to Westwood. As I ve gotten a little older I ve realized that my job is to maximize every player s potential. Getting players to perform at a level that they ve never reached is what motivates me. If I can do that, a national championship will be a by-product of our hard work and dedication. Overall I d say coaching in general just hasn t gotten old for me. The connection I have with the players and seeing them succeed are the intangibles of why I do what I do. What are your thoughts on this year s schedule? I always say that we have one of the top 5 schedules in the country. Portland, Stanford and Texas are preseason top 10 teams. We also have Santa Clara at home, which is an extremely tough opponent. Our schedule will be great preparation for the postseason. I fi rmly believe that you have to go out and stretch your players in the non-conference part of the season to prepare you for the Pac-10, which is always competitive. And you know, the caliber of players we have at UCLA don t want to go out and win games 5-0. They want to step into a competitive environment and face the teams that are going to bring out the best in them. That s why we schedule the high-level teams that we do. PAC-10 CHAMPIONS 1997, 1998, 2001, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006 5
COACHING STAFF BIOS Jillian Ellis Head Coach Ninth Season William & Mary 88 NSCAA/adidas National Coach of the Year (2000) Five NCAA College Cup Appearances (2000, 03, 04, 05, 06) Head coach of the Under-20 U.S. National Team Jillian Ellis enters her ninth season at the helm of the UCLA women s soccer program. She is the third head coach at UCLA since the program s inception in 1993. Since the moment she stepped foot on campus back in 1999, Ellis has transformed UCLA into a perennial top 5 program. In just eight seasons, she has guided the Bruins to fi ve appearances in the NCAA College Cup, including four in a row from 2003-06. She has also led the Bruins to three appearances in the NCAA Final - 2000, 2004 and 2005. Ellis owns a record of 153-31-7 (.825) at UCLA. Her overall coaching record, which includes two seasons at the University of Illinois, stands at 172-49-7 (.770). In 1999, her first season at the helm, Ellis coached the Bruins to an impressive 15-5-1 overall record and their fourth NCAA tournament bid. During the season, the Bruins emerged as one of the top teams in the country, ranking as high as No. 7 in the nation, which at that time was the highest regular-season ranking the program had ever achieved. UCLA was able to build on its 1999 performance a year later, as the Bruins reached the school s fi rst-ever NCAA College Cup in 2000. UCLA opened play with a 1-0 victory over Portland in the semifi nals before dropping a 2-1 heartbreaker to North Carolina in the NCAA title match. UCLA fi nished second in the national rankings that season with a 19-4-1 overall record. Ellis was rewarded for her efforts when she was named the NSCAA/adidas National Coach of the Year at the NSCAA s annual convention following the season. In 2001, Ellis guided the Bruins to the Pac-10 title and within one match of a second-straight College Cup. Although UCLA fell upset to Florida in the quarterfinals, the Bruins ended the season ranked No. 5 nationally with a 20-3-0 overall record. The Bruins 20 victories that year set a single-season school record. In 2002, UCLA made another strong run deep into the NCAA Tournament by reaching the third round. The Bruins fi nished 18-4 overall and ended the season ranked No. 7 in the NSCAA/adidas fi nal national poll. With an 8-1 record, UCLA also fi nished second in the highly-competitive Pac-10 Conference. The 2003 season was another special year for Ellis and the Bruins, as UCLA advanced to the College Cup for the second time in school history. UCLA posted a 20-2-3 overall record, claiming its fourth Pac-10 title. For her efforts, Ellis was named Pac-10 Coach of the Year at season s end. The Bruins made a return trip to the NCAA College Cup in 2004, falling in the NCAA Final to Notre Dame on penalty kicks. UCLA ended the season with an 18-7 overall record, earning the third Pac-10 title for Ellis in the process. In 2005, Ellis guided the Bruins to the NCAA College Cup for the third year in a row, making UCLA the only team in the country to appear in the last three College Cups. The Bruins, who set the school record for wins with 22, fi nished the season with a 22-2-2 overall record and the school s third Pac-10 title in a row. UCLA advanced to the school s fourth-straight NCAA College Cup (fi fth overall) in 2006, ending the season with an impressive 21-4 overall record. The Bruins captured the school s fourthstraight Pac-10 title, posting an 8-1 conference record. UCLA was the only school at last year s College Cup to be making its fourth-straight appearance. In addition to her efforts in the college game, Ellis has also excelled at the international level, serving as the head coach of the Under-21 and Under-20 U.S. National Teams. She has led the U-21s to two Nordic Cup titles (2000 and 2005), including a trip to the fi nals in 2006. She was recently named head coach of the Under-20s in preparation for the World Championships in 2008. This past summer she coached the U-20s to a second-place showing at the Pan American Games in Brazil. In addition to her work with the U-21s and U-20s, Ellis served as a consultant with the U.S. Olympic Team in Sydney, Australia in the Summer of 2000. She has also worked extensively with the Under-16 U.S. National Team. CAREER HIGHLIGHTS Has led UCLA to five Pac-10 titles (2001, 2003, 2004, 2005 and 2006) Has guided the Bruins to five NCAA College Cups (2001, 2003, 2004, 2005 and 2006) Led UCLA to a school record 22 wins in 2005 2003 Pac-10 Coach of the Year Named the 2000 NSCAA/adidas National Coach of the Year Currently serves as head coach of the Under-20 U.S. National Team Former head coach of the Under-21 U.S. National Team, leading the U.S. to Nordic Cup titles in 2000 and 2005, including a second-place showing in 2006. Head coach for two seasons at the University of Illinois (1997-98) Earned third-team All-America honors as a player at the College of William & Mary (1984-87). Inducted into the William & Mary Athletic Hall of Fame in 2002. Holds a United States Soccer Federation A License 6 NCAA COLLEGE CUP PARTICIPANT 2000, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006
COACHING STAFF BIOS NCAA WINNINGEST ACTIVE COACHES (Div. I) Name...Yrs...Record... (Pct.) 1. Anson Dorrance, North Carolina... 28...628-28-18...(.945) 2. Paula Wilkins, Wisconsin... 6...119-19-11...(.836) 3. Jerry Smith, Santa Clara... 20...326-84-27...(.777) 4. Becky Burleigh, Florida... 17...294-78-23...(.773) 5. Randy Waldrum, Notre Dame... 17...273-74-18...(.773) 6. Mark Krikorian, Florida State... 13...206-57-11...(.772) 7. Jillian Ellis, UCLA... 10...172-49-7...(.770) 8. Len Tsantiris, UConn... 26...442-122-33...(.768) 9. Chris Petrucelli, Texas... 17...280-78-19...(.768) 10. G. Guerrieri, Texas A&M... 16...253-81-13...(.748) ELLIS YEAR-BY-YEAR RECORD NCAA Conference Final Year... School...Record (Pct.)... Finish... Finish...Ranking 1997... Illinois...7-10-0 (.411)... N/A... 10th... N/A 1998... Illinois...12-8-0 (.600)... N/A... 8th... N/A Illinois Totals...19-18-0 (.514) 1999... UCLA...15-5-1 (.738)... T-9th... 3rd... #14 2000... UCLA...19-4-1 (.813)... 2nd... 3rd... #2 2001... UCLA...20-3-0 (.870)... T-5th... 1st... #5 2002... UCLA...18-4-0 (.818)... T-9th... 2nd... #7 2003... UCLA...20-2-3 (.860)... T-3rd... 1st... #3 2004... UCLA...18-7-0 (.720)... 2nd... T-1st... #2 2005... UCLA...22-2-2 (.885)... 2nd... 1st... #3 2006... UCLA...21-4-0 (840)... T-3rd... 1st... #3 UCLA Totals...153-31-7 (.825) Overall Coaching Record... 172-49-7 (.770) Jillian Ellis with legendary UCLA basketball coach John Wooden Ellis came to Westwood after heading the University of Illinois women s soccer program for two years. In 1998, she brought the Fighting Illini to a 12-8 record and a fi rst-ever Big-Ten Tournament berth. In the program s first year in 1997, the Illini ranked among the leaders in the Big Ten in attendance. Prior to heading up the University of Illinois program, Ellis served as an assistant coach at the University of Virginia for one year (1996-97), at Maryland for three years (1994-96) and at North Carolina State for another three years (1988-90). As an assistant coach at North Carolina State, Ellis helped the Wolfpack secure the 1988 Atlantic Coast Conference title and an NCAA Final Four appearance. In 1993, at the University of Maryland, she helped lead the Terrapins to the 1995 NCAA quarterfi nals. A forward at the College of William & Mary from 1984-87, Ellis was a third-team All-American in 1987 and an honorable mention all-region selection in 1985. She was also a member of the Intercollegiate Soccer Association of America Senior Recognition Team in 1987. In 1984, Ellis led the Braddock Road Club in Virginia to the Under-19 national championship. Ellis is the daughter of legendary soccer coach John Ellis, who is a former assistant coach with the U.S. Women s National Team and has directed the Soccer Academy in Manassas, Virginia since 1984. John was a longtime soccer ambassador for the British government, helping to create soccer programs worldwide. He also served as head coach for the Trinidad and Tobago national team. Ellis brother, Paul Ellis, is also a soccer coach. In 1998, he was head coach for the Region I U-17 team. A former assistant coach at George Mason University, he currently works full-time with his father at the Soccer Academy. Jillian Ellis grew up in Portsmouth, England and came to the United States in 1981 at the age of 15. She also lived in Singapore for two years while her father helped to develop a national soccer program in that country. She earned her bachelor of arts degree in English Literature and Composition from the College of William & Mary in 1988 and currently resides in Los Angeles. PAC-10 CHAMPIONS 1997, 1998, 2001, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006 7
COACHING STAFF BIOS B.J. Snow Assistant Coach Indiana 00 Shannon MacMillan Assistant Coach Portland 96 Claine Plummer Volunteer Assistant Coach Cal State Los Angeles 98 B.J. Snow begins his first season as assistant coach at UCLA after serving one year as a volunteer assistant coach in 2005. Snow arrived at UCLA in 2005 after spending four years as the head men s coach at his former high school, Portage Central in Kalamazoo, Mich. During his tenure at PCHS, he led the Mustangs to three Southern Michigan Athletic Conference (SMAC) titles, including three district championships. In addition, Portage Central set the school record for wins in both 2004 (19) and 2005 (20). He also coached NSCAA/adidas National High School Player of the Year Eric Alexander, who plays at Indiana. Snow was also an assistant with the girl s team at the school. A four-year starter on defense at Indiana from 1996-99, Snow helped the Hoosiers capture four-straight Big Ten titles, including back-to-back national championships in 1998 and 1999. He was an academic All-American his senior season and an All-Big-Ten academic selection every year. Indiana s record during his time in Bloomington was an impressive 81-8-3. Snow graduated in 1995 from Portage Central, where he was an NSCAA/adidas High School All-American. Former U.S. National Team star Shannon MacMillan begins her fi rst season as assistant coach at UCLA. MacMillan brings a wealth of experience to the program, having played 12 years with the U.S. Women s National Team from 1993 to 2005. During her career she was a member of two U.S. Women s World Cup teams (1999 and 2003), helping the U.S. to a championship in 1999. She also played in two Olympic Games, winning gold in 1996 and silver in 2000. She enjoyed her best season at the international level in 2002, scoring 17 goals en route to earning U.S. Soccer s Female Athlete of the Year honors. She currently ranks seventh all-time in three U.S. National Team categories, including: appearances (176), goals (60) and points (173). MacMillan began her career as a forward before moving to the midfi eld position in 2000. Prior to joining the U.S. National Team, MacMillan was a standout at the University of Portland, earning All-America honors from 1992-95. During her senior season in 1995, she won both the Missouri Athletic Club (M.A.C) and Hermann Trophy Player of the Year awards. MacMillan, who grew up in Escondido, Calif., was one of the founding members of the Women s United Soccer Association (WUSA), playing for her hometown San Diego Spirit. First-year volunteer assistant coach Claine Plummer brings a wealth of experience into his fi rst season in Westwood. Plummer, who will work primarily with UCLA goalkeepers Valerie Henderson, Ashley Thompson and Lisa Jett, has served as an assistant coach for the men s and women s programs at nearby Occidental College the last four years. In addition, he has been the head coach at Pasadena s Marshall Fundamental High School since 2006, leading the Eagles to a runner-up fi nish in the CIF-Southern Section Division 5 Championships in 2007. For his efforts, he was named the CIF Southern Section Coach of the Year. Plummer has also coached extensively at the club level, serving as Director of Goalkeeper for the La Canada Flyers Soccer Club from 1999-2003. In addition, he is the former head coach of the Santa Anita Flash Under-16 Premier team. As a player, Plummer was the starting goalkeeper at Cal State Los Angeles from 1994-97. He still owns the second-lowest goals against average in school history (1.30). He earned fi rst-team All-CCAA honors in 1994. On the professional level, Plummer has trained with the Los Angeles Galaxy of the MLS and was a member of Limonese F.C. in the Costa Rican First Division. As a youth player, he represented Costa Rica at the U-19 and U-23 levels. 8 NCAA COLLEGE CUP PARTICIPANT 2000, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006