Women’s soccer coach resigns due to family responsibilities
After completing the most successful season in program history, Utah State women’s soccer Head Coach Jen Kennedy Croft announced Thursday in a press release she will be resigning.
Her decision, taking full-effect in mid-December, was based on wanting to devote time to being a full-time mom.
“I think it’s a good decision for my family and me,” Croft said. “I’m pregnant and due in February, and while we’re very excited to have another child, I’ve been a little overwhelmed.”
Croft notified the whole team of her decision in a meeting on Monday afternoon.
When the team was told the meeting would take place, some had preconceived ideas of what was going to happen, but the overall reaction was still shock.
“I’m disappointed she left,” said Aggie goalkeeper Megan Mills. “We kind of had some speculations as to why she called the meeting, [but] I respect that she will spend time with her family.
“It’s definitely a loss for us,” she said. “Hopefully, we can find somebody to fill her big shoes.”
The 2002 season, Croft’s second as a head coach and fourth overall at USU, was the best in program history as the Aggies finished 8-9-3 (.475 winning percentage).
“I feel very good about leaving this program at the point it is,” Croft said. “USU soccer has become stronger each year, and these student athletes give a new head coach a young, but solid core of players to work with.”
Croft’s husband, Stan, is assistant coach of the USU track team. They currently have one child, two-year-old Sarah.
Mary Ellen Cloninger, senior associate athletic director for internal operations at USU, said because of commitments made to assistant coach Brent Anderson, he will stay with the team for at least one more year.
However, she said he likely would not be made head coach because he has not completed his degree at USU, Cloninger said.
The Aggies lost six seniors, three of whom were starters. Sophomore Heather Arnell said because the team is young and will have to find a new coach, next season will be a rebuilding one.
“Some people unexpectedly will have to step up and be a leader,” she said.
-samhis@cc.usu.edu