Colorado State University-Pueblo Director of Athletics, Joe Folda, has announced the hire of former Oxnard (Calif.) College head coach, Janet Cassidy, as women’s soccer coach at CSU-Pueblo.

Cassidy takes over a women’s soccer program that boasts 16 returners and is coming off two consecutive RMAC Tournament appearances.

At Oxnard College, Cassidy coached the Condors for one campaign, leading a turnaround from just two wins in 2007 to a respectable 8-9-2 mark in 2008.  She also doubled the team roster at Oxnard from 12 members in 2007 to 24 members in 2008.

Prior to Oxnard, Cassidy was an assistant at Cal Poly-Pomona, an NCAA Division II program in Pomona, Calif.  In her four years at Pomona, the team went 33-31-10, and won three NSCAA/Adidas Team Academic Awards.  She was also an assistant at Riverside Community College in Riverside, Calif. for one season in 2002.

From 2002-2006, Cassidy was the head coach at Vista Del Lago High School in Moreno Valley, Calif., where her team won the 2003-04 Inland Valley League championship in just the program’s second year of existence.  Cassidy’s teams earned three state tournament berths in her four seasons at the helm.

As a player, Cassidy has enjoyed a great deal of success, including two seasons playing on semipro teams in California, and being the team captain during her two seasons at Riverside Community College in 1997 and 1998.  She also made the USA Select team at age 13.

“I am honored and excited about becoming part  of the ThunderWolves’ family,” Cassidy said.  “I am about integrity and fairness, and with this belief, I will create a positive and competitive environment for the women’s soccer team.  This program has the potential to do many great things, and my goal is to win championships here.”

“We believe our women’s soccer program will be in good hands under Janet’s leadership,” Folda said.  “She has a strong track record of coaching good teams and mentoring successful student-athletes, and we have no doubt that she will help lead our women’s soccer program to the next level.”

Cassidy will become the third head coach in the 16-year history of the women’s soccer program at CSU-Pueblo.  Roy Stanley, the current men’s soccer coach at CSU-Pueblo, coached the team from 1994-2006, and Dave Morris, who resigned the post in May, coached the team in 2007 and 2008.