June 29, 2006
Tony Tommasi hired as the fourth Women's Soccer Coach in Monarch history
Former Texas Lutheran head coach brings passion, knowledge, and a wealth of experience to Methodist

FAYETTEVILLE, N.C. – Methodist athletic director Bob McEvoy announced on Thursday the hiring of Tony Tommasi as the new head women's soccer coach at Methodist College. Tommasi comes to Methodist after serving as the head women’s soccer coach at Texas Lutheran University for the past five seasons.

"We are delighted to add Coach Tommasi to our coaching staff," said McEvoy.  "He brings a great deal of quality DIII head coaching experience to our women's soccer program. I look forward to working with Coach Tommasi and supporting him in his efforts to bring Methodist College Women's Soccer back to the championship level."

Tommasi replaces Bobby Graham, who resigned in May after seven seasons with the Monarchs.

"This is a fabulous opportunity for me," Tommasi said on Thursday in a phone interview from his home in Southern Texas, "I am honored to be the next coach in Methodist College history.  This is an exciting opportunity for me to not only be back on the east coast for my family, but also to solidify my coaching career and legacy and help the Methodist Women's Soccer program raise their bar of competition on the national level."

Ironically, Tommasi, a native of Virginia, knows all three of his Methodist College Women's Soccer head coach predecessors in Joe Pereia, Phil Stephenson, and Bobby Graham.  He hopes to continue the proud successes of Methodist College women's soccer and has the passion and desire to accomplish more.  "I will be different", Tommasi says, "I may be the new kid on the block, but I have some old tricks up my sleeve."    

Tommasi's tricks he eludes to may be a small part of his winning philosophy he has honed in in his thirty years of playing and coaching competitive soccer. 

Tommasi brings tremendous credentials to an already successful women's soccer program at Methodist. In addition to his head coaching experience at Texas Lutheran, he has coached at Trinity (TX) University, Mississippi State, and Randolph-Macon College as an assistant coach. 

During his tenure at Texas Lutheran, the Bulldogs experienced great success under Tommasi's guidance.  Taking over a seven-year old program that had a combined record of 22-100 before his arrival, Tommasi guided the program to a 49-34-5 record in his five years.  In just his second season at the helm, Tommasi was named the American Southwest Conference Coach of the Year for guiding Texas Lutheran to a 10-7-1 finish, the first winning season in school history.  The following year Tommasi's squad reached even greater heights, finishing 12-6-1, advancing to the American Southwest Conference finals, and finishing as the #10 ranked team in the South Region.  In 2004 Tommasi's Bulldogs continued to improve again eclipsing the school record, winning 14 games to just four losses and one tie.    

Prior to joining Texas Lutheran in 2001, Tommasi spent time assisting with the women's soccer program at Trinity, in San Antonio, Texas.  Trinity advanced to NCAA Division III National Semi-Finals that season.  The two previous years, Tommasi was the head assistant coach at NCAA Division I Mississippi State, where he assumed head coaching duties for an extended period of time. 

Tommasi spent most of the 1990's in Virginia.  From 1992-1999 he directed the training for the Richmond Capitals Soccer Club.  He became the Director of Coaching and Training for the Central Virginia Olympic Training Development Program in Richmond from 1995-99.  In addition, he served as the head varsity girl's soccer coach at Midlothian (VA) High School and assisted with the soccer program at Randolph-Macon College from 1997-1999.

His summer camp experience includes senior camp staff experience with UNC-Chapel Hill, Texas A&M, University of Richmond, East Carolina, Trinity, and Texas.

As for the 2006 season, Tommasi has already begun his preparation.  "I have spoke at length with Bobby Graham and I could not be more excited about the players we have coming back." 

Tommasi, in fact, already has a goal in mind when thinking about Methodist falling in the USA South Championship last fall, "We don't just want to get to the dance, we want to dance," he said.

Tommasi earned his Bachelor of Arts in Economics in 1985 from the University of Richmond.  He, and his wife Chappell, are proud parents of daughters Kyra and Talia.