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 | Position:
Assistant Women's Soccer Coach
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| Experience:
First Year
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| Alma Mater:
Lynchburg '94
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Vernon Croft enters his first season as an assistant coach with the women's soccer team after spending the past nine seasons as the head coach of the Indiana State women's soccer team
The 2008 season saw the Sycamores reach the Missouri Valley Conference finals, the deepest postseason run in program history. Croft's squad also won the Athletic Director's Cup with the highest team GPA (3.62) and the team received the NSCAA Team Acadmeic Award for the eighth straight season.
Although the 2007 season was a bit of a disappointment for Croft and the Sycamores, the team finished the season on a high note, notching a 2-0 win over Missouri State on Senior Day, the first and only conference victory of the season. While the Sycamores failed to qualify for the MVC tournament for the first time in four years, Croft produced four All-Conference performers, two that were lost to graduation.
2006 was a year of continued growth for the Sycamores. Led by the play of Lauren Podolski who was the lone current Valley athlete to be named to the MVC's All-Centennial Team, the Sycamores put together a six-match winning streak en route to finishing sixth in the league. In addition, Podolski also earned First Team All-MVC and Academic All-MVC plaudits. The Sycamores notched conference victories over Northern Iowa and Missouri State.
In 2005, Indiana State's season was headlined by a 2-1 win over nationally-ranked Illinois, the first win for ISU over a Big-Ten program. The Sycamores also advanced to the Missouri Valley Conference tournament for the second year in a row. Following the end of the season, ISU pulled in the most conference accolades in the history of ISU soccer with five players named All-Conference.
Success on the field is only part of the program that Croft has built as the academic success is just as impressive. The Sycamores earned the number one academic ranking among all NCAA Division I soccer programs during the 2003-04 school year, according to the NSCAA, as their 3.54 team GPA led the nation. It was the fourth straight year the ISU program was recognized by the NSCAA for its academic performance and the fourth straight year the Sycamores were the highest ranked school in the MVC.
Croft earned 2004 MVC Co-Coach of the Year honors after the Sycamores posted their best season in school history and advanced to the Missouri Valley Conference Tournament semifinals. ISU also set new records with nine wins overall and four victories in league play. Along with three players being named All-Conference, freshman Lauren Podolski picked up ISU's first ever MVC Freshman of the Year honor.
Three Sycamores earned All-Conference honors in 2003 with Croft at the helm. It marked the second consecutive season in which at least one Sycamore was named First Team All-Conference. ISU earned two MVC Player of the Week awards, while Natalie Contosta was named to the MVC All-Academic Team. The Sycamores continued their strong defensive play, a hallmark under Croft, as they limited their opponents to a then school-best 29 goals on the season.
In 2002, Croft directed the Sycamores to a then school record seven wins, landed three players on the All-MVC team, and a pair of freshmen on the All-Freshmen squad. Croft made adjustments to the schedule as Indiana State faced its toughest lineup in the history of the program, including three teams that advanced to the NCAA tournament.
In 2001, the Sycamores doubled its win total from 2000. As a result, ISU was the lone Missouri Valley Conference school recognized nationally for its improvement. The Sycamore defense recorded the first three shutouts in school history. Offensively they tallied 13 more goals on 85 more shot attempts in comparison to 2000. The improvements on the field translated into four Sycamores being named to the All-Missouri Valley Conference team.
In 2000, the first year of the program, Croft and the Sycamores were ranked No. 5 among first-year programs, according to Soccer Buzz. Croft also landed a pair of players on the Soccer Buzz First-Year Programs All-National Team. In addition, the Sycamores earned a berth in the Missouri Valley Conference Tournament.
Croft, who was named head coach on December 15, 1999, came to Indiana State with solid experience in building programs from the ground level. Previously, he had served at Missouri State, where he assisted in launching the Lady Bears soccer program. In his four seasons with MSU, the Lady Bears made appearances in the Missouri Valley Conference tournament and advanced to the semifinals every year including the championship game in 1999. While at the Springfield, MO, institution, Croft also served as the men's goalkeeper coach from 1996-97 which finished its season ranked No. 12 in the nation.
Prior to MSU, Croft served as an assistant coach at NCAA Division III Widener University in Chester, PA, helping begin the women's soccer program from 1995-96. He helped guide the Pioneers to a second-place finish in the Middle Atlantic Conference with a 15-2-1 record and a berth in the Eastern Collegiate Athletic Conference tournament and a No. 4 regional ranking.
Croft began his college coaching career at Lynchburg College in 1994 as the assistant men's soccer coach.
Croft played collegiate soccer at Rider University for one year before a four-year stint at Lynchburg College where he was a two-year captain and goalkeeper who holds a Lynchburg College record for most saves in a career.
He earned his bachelor's degree in health, movement science and recreation in 1994 from Lynchburg and his master's in education from Widener in 1996.
The Fairfax, Virginia native played two seasons as goalkeeper in the United Systems Independent Soccer League, competing for the Roanoke (VA) Riverdawgs in 1994 and the Reading (PA) Rage in 1995.
Croft currently holds licenses from the National Soccer Coaches Association of America (NSCAA) and has his United States Soccer Federation A License. He is also a staff coach for the Indiana Youth Soccer Association/Olympic Development Program and the Missouri Valley Conference representative to the NSCAA Women's Division I Sub-Committee. Additionally, Croft is on the NSCAA National Ranking Committee and the Missouri Athletic Club Hermann Trophy Nominating Committee.
Croft has recently become involved with L.A.C.E.S (Life and Change Experienced Thru Sports) this past spring and in October was named the technical director.
L.A.C.E.S is an organization that promotes growth, education, and the development of youth soccer in war torn Liberia. Croft travelled to Liberia in mid-February of this year where he brought with him soccer balls and various soccer gear that was donated to the L.A.C.E.S organization. He spent his days working with coaches and kids as well as a professional team on one day. Besides coaching, Croft assisted with preparing and maintaining the field so that the kids could have a chance to play on safe conditions.
Croft has two children, twins Kelsey and Keegan, born January 2006.
