Patrick Farmer, a two-time NSCAA national Coach of the Year who guided the New York Power during the first two WUSA seasons, has been hired as the second head coach in Syracuse University women's soccer history.
Farmer, who turned 55 on Sunday, takes over for April Kater, who resigned in early April to pursue environmental studies in New Zealand.
Farmer has a 242-68-31 record in 15 seasons as a collegiate head coach, at Division III Ithaca College, at Penn State and, last year, at Tennessee Tech. He guided the New York Power to a 12-24-6 mark in two seasons.
''In Patrick Farmer, we have one of the most successful and highly regarded women's soccer coaches in the NCAA ranks,'' Syracuse athletic director Jake Crouthamel said. ''He has developed winning programs at each stop in his career and has also built a system of that produces successful student-athletes.''
Farmer was appointed head coach at Ithaca in 1987 and guided the team to a 110-23-23 record and two NCAA Division III titles in seven seasons. The Bombers reached the NCAA tournament in all seven seasons with Farmer at the helm, winning in 1990 and 1991.
Farmer started Penn State's program in 1994 and built it into a national powerhouse. In seven seasons, his teams were 123-34-8, with three Big Ten Conference championships, six NCAA tournament appearances, three NCAA quarterfinal appearances and one NCAA final four. Five of his players were All-Americans, including U.S. women's national team forward Christie Welsh.
The Power were 9-7-5 and reached the semifinals in the WUSA's inaugural season, but struggled to a 3-17-1 record in 2002. He was dismissed following the season and took charge at Tennessee Tech, of the Ohio Valley Conference. The Golden Eagles were 9-11 last fall.
Farmer was chosen NSCAA Division III Coach of the Year in 1989 and Division I Coach of the Year in 1999.
Kater, who started the program at Syracuse, guided the Orangewomen to an 88-57-8 record in eight seasons, with NCAA tournament appearances in 1998 and 2001. She played for Farmer during the Power's preseason in 2002.
NCAA DIVISION I COACHING CHANGES/HIRES
Open positions
Alabama State (SWAC)
Elon (Southern)
Fresno State (WAC)
Hartford (America East)
Jacksonville (Atlantic Sun)
Long Beach State (Big West)
Nicholls State (Southland)
St. Francis, Pa. (Northeast)
Tennessee Tech (Ohio Valley)
Hires/Changes
Alabama State (SWAC) — Open; first-year 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 (Central Michigan assistant coach) for Mark Salisbury (hired at Idaho State)
Cleveland State (Horizon) — Derrek Fallor (DePaul assistant); first-year program
Colorado College (Independent) — Geoffrey Bennett (Hartwick men's assistant) for Erik Oman (interim)/Greg Ryan (hired as U.S. Soccer Region II women's staff coach).
Davidson (Southern) — Greg Ashton (Trinity, Texas, head coach) for Kevin Hundley (resigned)
Elon (Southern) — Open; Paul Webster (hired at Elmhurst, Ill., College)
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)
Hartford (America East) — Open; Eva Bergsten (hired at Wesleyan, Conn., College)
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)
Jacksonville (Atlantic Sun) — Open; Mike Johnson (hired as Jacksonville men's coach)
Long Beach State (Big West) — Open; Peter Reynaud (retired)
Louisiana Tech (WAC) — Jennifer Soileau (Baton Rouge, La., Bishop Sullivan HS head coach); first-year program
Mercer (Atlantic Sun) — Grant Serafy (Macon, Ga., 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; hired as Tulsa assistant coach)
Nicholls State (Southland) — Open; Jim Zakel (resigned)
St. Francis, Pa. (Northeast) — Open; Michael Coll (hired as Penn State assistant coach)
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)
Syracuse (Big East) — Patrick Farmer (Tennessee Tech head coach) for April Kater (resigned)
Temple (Atlantic-10) — David Jones (Temple men's assistant, served as interim 2003) for Seamus McWilliams (resigned)
Tennessee Tech (Ohio Valley) — Open; Patrick Farmer (hired as Syracuse coach)
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)