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Former Two-Time All-American, Olympian Imler Has High Expectations As New Women’s Soccer Coach By Richard Walker
Given Erik Imler’s background in soccer, high expectations come with the territory. Imler will certainly have them in his first season as Belmont Abbey College’s women’s soccer coach as the Lady Crusaders are favored to again win Conference Carolinas. Of course, with six returning starters off a team that went unbeaten in league play and didn’t allow even a single goal to league opposition, that should come as no surprise. Just don’t get the impression the Abbey won’t be driven this season to overcome some failure. After all, while the Lady Crusaders’ defense was spectacular — it ranked among the country’s best — Belmont Abbey’s 2007 season ended in heartache as rival Queens won 3-0 on penalty kicks in the conference tournament final after a scoreless tie. The loss ended a streak of tournament titles for the Abbey at two years — and proved to be coach Glad Bugariu’s final game when he left to become head coach at NCAA Division I South Carolina State in the spring. Imler inherits a roster driven to avenge that defeat and a program that has gone 190-90-5 in its 14-year history with seven regular-season and five tournament titles to its credit. Fall 2008
Two-time all-conference selections Danielle Kubinski and Anna Wells are among the top returnees. Amanda Maddock, Celene Molera, Kristin Voirin and Lindsay Palm also return after all-conference seasons. Four of those performers were first-team picks — Kubinski and Maddock at defender, Molera at midfielder and Wells at keeper. Those players, along with several other newcomers and returnees, will be getting their direction from an accomplished player and coach in Imler. A 1993 Virginia graduate, Imler played on three NCAA champions at his alma mater in addition to being a two-time All-American. He also played on the United States Olympic team in 1992 and professionally in the MLS — on the titlewinning D.C. United of 1996 and the following year for the New England Revolution. As a coach, Imler was an assistant at Virginia when the Cavs won the 1993 NCAA title and later at The Citadel. Most recently, he co-founded Charlotte’s Boot Room Soccer School in 2005. (Permission to reprint his article was granted by Richard Walker, sportswriter for the Gaston Gazette) Crossroads
The Magazine of Belmont Abbey College
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