Michael Giuliano, who guided Westmont College to the past three four of the past five NAIA women's soccer titles, has been hired as head women's soccer coach at San Diego State.
Giuliano, a four-time NAIA Coach of the Year, takes over for Chuck Clegg, who retired in December after posting a 122-81-8 record in 11 seasons as the Aztecs' head coach.
Giuliano was 194-42-14 in 11 seasons at Westmont, which is located in Santa Barbara, Calif. The Warriors won the NAIA championship in 1999, 2001, 2002 and 2003.
''I honestly believe that this is one of the best coaching positions in Division I,'' Giuliano said in a statement. ''You take a world-class university with big-time support for their athletic programs, put it smack dab in the middle of America's most beautiful city, and then you surround it with the best girls high school soccer in the nation, and you have every ingredient for a perennial national soccer power. I can't wait to see what the future holds for SDSU soccer.''
San Diego State earlier offered the job to Santa Clara assistant Curtis McAlister, a former Aztec player, but he turned it down. New Mexico coach Kit Vela also interviewed for the post, and applicants included former WUSA coaches Omid Namazi (San Diego Spirit) and Ian Sawyers (San Jose CyberRays), according to the San Diego Union-Tribune.
Giuliano, who played at Tennessee Temple University, started the women's program at Santa Barbara City College and was head coach of the men's team at Trinity International University in Deerfield, Ill., for five seasons.
His Westmont teams never won fewer than 14 games, and the Warriors were 42-2-4 in the past two seasons. Since 1997, Westmont has never lost more than four games in a season.
Clegg spent 29 years at SDSU, as a player in the 1970s, as an assistant men's coach for five years, and as the men's head coach from 1982 to 1999. His men's teams were 194-134-39.
NCAA DIVISION I COACHING CHANGES/HIRES
Alabama State (SWAC) — No announcement; new program
Arkansas (SEC) — Gordon Henderson (Idaho State head coach) for Alan Kirkup (contract not renewed)
Arkansas State (Sun Belt) — Jason Wharton (Cisco JC, Texas, head coach) for Kent Hefner (fired)
Cal State Northridge (Big West) — Tony Davila (CS Northridge men's head coach; will coach both teams) for Mac Thompson (interim coach)/Allison Lee (resigned)
Central Michigan (MAC) — Tony DiTucci (interim) for Mark Salisbury (hired at Idaho State)
Cleveland State (Horizon) — Derrek Fallor (DePaul assistant); first-year program
Colorado College (Independent) — Open; Erik Oman (interim).
Davidson (Southern) — Tiffany Tisdale (interim) for Kevin Hundley (resigned)
Fresno State (WAC) — Open; Stacy Welp (resigned)
George Mason (CAA) — Diane Drake (Georgetown head coach) for Jac Cicala (resigned)
Georgetown (Big East) — Dave Nolan (Georgetown assistant) for Diane Drake (hired at George Mason)
Georgia Southern (Southern) — Ashley Hart (UAB assistant) for Tom Norton (resigned)
Holy Cross (Patriot) — Deborah Flaherty (West Chester head coach) for Mary Curtis (resigned)
Idaho State (Big Sky) — Mark Salisbury (Central Michigan head coach) for Gordon Henderson (hired at Arkansas)
Long Beach State (Big West) — Open; Peter Reynaud (retired)
Mercer (Atlantic Sun) — Grant Serafy (Stratford Academy boys and girls coach) for Jodie Smith (resigned)
Minnesota (Big Ten) — Mikki Denney Wright (Missouri assistant) for Barbara Wickstrand (contract not renewed)
Montana (Big Sky) — Neil Sedgwick (USC associate head coach) for Becky Duerksen (resigned)
Morehead State (Ohio Valley) — Greg Sheen (Dayton Soccer Academy coaching director) for Leslie Faber (resigned)
Nevada (WAC) — Teri Patraw (former Arizona State head coach) for Dang Pibulvech (contract not renewed)
San Diego State (Mountain West) — Michael Giuliano (Westmont head coach) for Chuck Clegg (retired)
San Jose State (WAC) — Dave Siracusa (San Diego State men's assistant) for Cris Gilmore (resigned)
Temple (Atlantic-10) — David Jones (Temple men's assistant, served as interim 2003) for Seamus McWilliams (resigned)
Tulsa (WAC) — Rena Richardson (Alabama assistant) for Damon Gore (resigned)
Vermont (America East) — Kerry Dziczkaniec (Maryland assistant) for Jodi Kenyon (resigned)
Youngstown State (Horizon) — Anthony James (West Virginia Wesleyan head coach) for Elizabeth Bartley (contract not renewed)