West Virginia University Athletics

Entering her 28th season as the only coach in Mountaineer women’s soccer history, Nikki Izzo-Brown has built a one-time infant program into one of the nation’s elite teams.
 
In 27 seasons, Izzo-Brown has coached 34 players who went on to play professionally, 25 different players to 60 total All-America honors, 17 different players to 30 total Academic and Scholar All-America accolades, 24 conference players of the year and 23 Missouri Athletic Club (MAC) Hermann Trophy candidates. She also coached the 2016 Hermann Trophy award winner, the 2016 espnW National Player of the Year, a pair of Olympic Gold and Bronze Medalists and FIFA Women’s World Cup participants, as well as a FIFA Women’s World Cup Best Young Player honoree.
 
The 2016 season remains the team’s best-ever campaign, as the squad made its first NCAA College Cup appearance and finished as the NCAA National Runner-Up. WVU has appeared in the NCAA Tournament in 22 of last 23 seasons, including a 21-year streak from 2000-20.
 
To date, Izzo-Brown has led the Mountaineers to an impressive 383-132-68 overall record and a 160-50-30 conference mark that includes 10 regular-season titles and eight tournament championships, including most recently the 2022 Big 12 Soccer Championship title. The Mountaineers won the conference regular-season title in each of their first five years as members of the Big 12 (2012-16), and a title sweep in 2016 was the third time the squad earned both championships.
 
Women’s soccer won the school’s first Big 12 championship in 2013 and was the only WVU program to win multiple Big East Tournament titles.
 
Izzo-Brown’s teams have been a consistent force in the national rankings and reached new levels in 2016, as the program earned its first national No. 1 ranking. WVU spent eight weeks ranked No. 1 nationally and was never ranked lower than No. 7. Additionally, WVU has defeated at least one top-10 opponent in 15 of the last 17 seasons.
 
In addition to the success she has enjoyed with the Mountaineers, Izzo-Brown has several years of experience with U.S. Women’s National Teams, including serving as an assistant at the teams’ 2012 training camps with the U.S. U-18, U-20 and U-23 squads. She also served as a scout for the 2017 U.S. U-20 squad.  
 
Izzo-Brown has never had a losing season as a head coach and has led WVU to 23 consecutive 10-plus win seasons. Additionally, she has earned 13 combined conference and regional coach of the year awards since 2000.

2022 Season

After a nearly four-year stretch without a trophy, Izzo-Brown’s Mountaineers ended their drought as the 2022 Big 12 Conference Tournament champions. WVU claimed its 10th league title and 18th conference championship all-time with a 1-0, double overtime win over TCU in the Big 12 Championship final on Nov. 6, in Round Rock, Texas.
 
West Virginia worked its way through a tough nonconference slate with just a 3-3-3 record, leading many to question its position moving into league play. However, the Mountaineers only lost one match in conference competition, finishing with a 4-1-4 mark in the league. WVU entered the Big 12 Tournament as the No. 4 seed, defeating No. 5 Oklahoma State, No. 1 Texas and No. 2 TCU in the final to depart Round Rock as the 2022 Big 12 Champions and earn the league’s automatic bid into the NCAA Tournament. WVU earned a No. 7 seed heading into the national tournament and made its 22nd appearance all time.
 
A pair of records were broken at season’s end, as WVU’s star “super seniors” Lauren Segalla and Jordan Brewster etched their names in the top of the record books before departing the program. Segalla became the new program leader in career games played, finishing her time in Gold and Blue with 104 career appearances. Brewster finished her career with 101 starts, breaking the program record in the category.
 
Once again, the Mountaineer defense showed its dominance throughout the season. The squad collected 10 shutouts on the year, two of which came in the Big 12 Championship. Star goalkeeper Kayza Massey added to her impressive resume, tallying three career-high tying seven-save performances to lead to a season save total of 77. At season’s end, Massey was named the Big 12 Co-Goalkeeper of the Year, becoming Izzo-Brown’s first-ever netminder to earn a conference player of the year award.

Massey and Brewster led the way on the All-Big 12 First Team, while Gabrielle Robinson, AJ Rodriguez and Dilary Heredia-Beltran were named to the Second Team. Brewster, Massey and Rodriguez also received All-Midwest Region honors from the United Soccer Coaches, as Brewster went on to earn her third consecutive All-America honor from the organization.
 
Brewster and Massey moved Izzo-Brown’s all-time professional players number to 33 as the pair signed professional contracts at season’s end. With the No. 15 overall pick in the 2023 NWSL Draft by the Kansas City Current, Robinson became the sixth Mountaineer to be selected in the NWSL Draft all time. Brewster signed a professional contract with Kristianstads DFF in Sweden.

Academically, six Mountaineers were named Academic All-District selections by the College Sports Communicators, headlinged by Brewster who went on to be named a CSC Academic All-American. West Virginia placed 13 student-athletes on the Fall Academic All-Big 12 Team, and Brewster also was named the Big 12 Conference Women's Co-Scholar Athlete of the Year.

2021 Season

The 2021 campaign saw a return to normalcy following the COVID-19 pandemic, as Izzo-Brown and the Mountaineers once again played a full, non-conference slate before diving head-first into Big 12 Conference play. Ranking as high as No. 9 in the United Soccer Coaches National Poll, West Virginia finished the campaign with a 10-5-5 overall mark to extend its streak of at least 10 wins or more to 22 straight seasons.
 
On the pitch, WVU showed off the defensive prowess for which it has become known over the years. The Mountaineer defense recorded 11 shutouts on the year, including a pair of clean sheets in the Big 12 Championship. WVU’s nine shutouts in the regular season marked the most since 2017, while the squad’s 11 total clean sheets were the most since 2018. Goalkeeper Kayza Massey became a force to be reckoned with between the posts, tallying eight solo shutouts and 52 saves.
 
Izzo-Brown coached star defender Jordan Brewster to another successful campaign in 2021. Not only did she play every minute of the season and aid in each of the team’s 11 shutouts, but she was an All-America Third Team selection by United Soccer Coaches, her second All-America honor in as many seasons. Brewster became one of just 14 Mountaineers coached by Izzo-Brown to earn a pair of All-America accolades in her career. Additionally, Brewster was named a candidate for the 2021 Women’s Soccer Senior CLASS Award, WVU’s first honoree since 2018.
 
Four Mountaineers earned a spot on the 2021 All-Big 12 Teams, including Brewster on the first team, Nicole Payne and Massey on the second team and Dilary Heredia-Beltran on the all-freshman team. At season’s end, Isabella Sibley signed a professional contract with Crystal Palace FC in London, England, to become Izzo-Brown’s 31st Mountaineer to go on to play professionally.
 
Academically, Brewster, Julianne Vallerand and Lilly McCarthy were named Academic All-District selections by CoSIDA, while a program-best 15 student-athletes were honored on the Academic All-Big 12 Soccer Teams.

2020-21 Season

Despite navigating one of the most unusual seasons in the program’s history due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Izzo-Brown’s Mountaineers once again reached national prominence in 2020-21. The squad played a two-part season, with Big 12 Conference action taking place in the fall and nonconference competition being held off until the spring. West Virginia beat seven of its nine Big 12 opponents and used an undefeated spring slate, as well as a pair of wins over top-10 foes, to earn the No. 5 overall seed in the NCAA Tournament. WVU extended its streak to 21 consecutive appearances in the NCAA Tournament, which is the fifth-longest in the country.
 
The Mountaineers finished the year 10-3-1 overall, including 7-2 in conference play, surpassing the 10-win threshold for the 21st straight season.
 
West Virginia ranked as high as No. 4 in the United Soccer Coaches poll, and the squad extended its win streak over top-10 foes to 15 of the last 16 seasons. Izzo-Brown coached the Big 12 Conference Defensive Player of the Year for the fifth time in the last six seasons, as Jordan Brewster garnered her first career conference player of the year award.
 
Brewster, Stefany Ferrer-vanGinkel and Alina Stahl were selected to the All-Big 12 First Team and United Soccer Coaches All-Midwest Region Team, while Brewster was honored as a United Soccer Coaches All-American. Brewster also appeared on the Missouri Athletic Conference (MAC) Hermann Trophy Award Watch List.
 
Following the conclusion of the season, Ferrer-vanGinkel signed a professional contract with Tigres UANL Feminil, a member of Liga MX, the top tier of the Mexican women’s soccer league. Ferrer-vanGinkel became Izzo-Brown’s 30th professional player at West Virginia.
 
In the classroom, 13 Mountaineers were named to the Academic All-Big 12 First Team. Brewster and Stahl were named to the Academic All-District First Team by the College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA), before Brewster moved on to be honored as an Academic All-American.

2019 Season

Izzo-Brown led West Virginia to its 20th consecutive NCAA Tournament in 2019. The Mountaineers advanced to the NCAA Third Round for the fourth time in five years by taking down No. 25 Georgetown, 2-0, on the road, before posting a 106th-minute goal to top Central Connecticut State in the second round. WVU eventually fell to Washington State in the third round of play.
 
The Mountaineers, who once again logged one of the most difficult schedules in the nation, finished 12-8-2 on the season, including a 5-3-1 mark in Big 12 play.
 
WVU ranked as high as No. 11 during the course of the season. Playing with a big group of promising up-and-comers infused with several key veterans, two Mountaineers – Jordan Brewster and Rylee Foster – were named to the All-Big 12 Second Team at season’s end, while freshmen Enzi Broussard and Nicole Payne landed on the All-Big 12 Freshman Team. Additionally, Brewster and Foster were named to the United Soccer Coaches All-Midwest Region Second Team, while Foster also appeared on the MAC Hermann Trophy Watch List for the second consecutive season.
 
In the classroom, nine players were named to the 2019 Academic All-Big 12 Team, including six on the first team.
 
West Virginia took on 10 opponents which reached the NCAA Tournament and nine that appeared in the top 25, including eventual National Champion, Stanford. The squad’s victory over TCU in the regular-season finale marked the program’s 350th victory.

2018 Season

The Mountaineers returned to the top of the Big 12 Conference in 2018, winning their ninth league title with a 3-0 victory over No. 9 Baylor in the Big 12 Championship final on Nov. 4, at Swope Soccer Village in Kansas City, Missouri.
 
WVU found itself in an unfamiliar position at the onset of the season, despite entering the campaign ranked No. 9 nationally, as the squad went 0-1-3 through its first three matches. With Izzo-Brown’s guidance, the Mountaineers finished their regular-season slate at 4-1 before opening conference play with a pair of 2-0 road wins at No. 22 Texas Tech and at No. 21 TCU. WVU would go on to also defeat No. 13 Texas, 2-1, and re-enter the national rankings at No. 16 following five weeks away before concluding the Big 12 campaign at 7-2.
 
The Mountaineers earned a No. 2 regional seed in the NCAA Tournament, their 19th consecutive appearance, the fifth-longest active streak. WVU bowed out in the second round following a 2-2 draw (5-6 PKs) to Wake Forest. WVU spent eight weeks ranked in the United Soccer Coaches Poll and finished the season at No. 14. Additionally, the Mountaineer backline posted 12 shutouts and allowed 12 opponents goals for a 0.541 goals-against average (GAA), the 11th-best mark nationally.  
 
Senior defender Bianca St. Georges was named the Big 12 Defensive Player of the Year, extending WVU’s streak to seven seasons with a Mountaineer claiming the honor. A conference-best eight Mountaineers claimed All-Big 12 honors, including first-team recognitions for St. Georges, goalkeeper Rylee Foster, forward Sh’Nia Gordon and defender Easther Mayi Kith. Gordon was named the Big 12 Championship Most Outstanding Offensive Player, and Mayi Kith was named the Big 12 Championship Most Outstanding Defensive Player.
 
At season’s end, St. Georges and Foster, WVU’s 11th and 12th Missouri Athletic Club (MAC) Hermann Trophy candidates, were named to the United Soccer Coaches All-America Second and Third Teams, respectively. Foster’s honor was the first for a WVU netminder. St. Georges also was named to the Senior CLASS Award All-America First Team and won the Google Cloud Academic All-America of the Year Award for Division I women’s soccer, the second Mountaineer since 2013 to earn the nation’s highest academic honor. She also was named to the United Soccer Coaches Scholar All-America First Team, while Mayi Kith landed on the third team.
 
Four Mountaineer seniors signed professional contracts following their time at WVU. St. Georges and midfielder Grace Cutler were drafted No. 20 and No. 22 at the 2019 NWSL College Draft, while Mayi Kith signed with Montpellier HSC and Gordon signed with FC Metz.

2017 Season

Following the most successful season in program history, Izzo-Brown and the Mountaineers entered the 2017 campaign ranked No. 1 in the United Soccer Coaches Preseason Poll, WVU’s first-ever preseason No. 1 ranking.
 
The 2017 season also marked the first time in program history the Mountaineers beat the nation’s top team in Morgantown, as WVU defeated No. 1 Penn State, 2-1, on Sept. 2, at Dick Dlesk Soccer Stadium. With the victory, the Mountaineers improved to 2-2 all-time against No. 1-ranked teams. Midway through the season, the Mountaineers’ strength of schedule was rightfully ranked No. 1 nationally, as WVU faced at least one ranked opponent in each of the first six weeks of the campaign, a program first. WVU finished with multiple wins (2) against top-10 teams in back-to-back years for the first time in 22 years.
 
The Mountaineers ranked within the top 10 of the United Soccer Coaches Poll each week in 2017 and within the top 5 for four weeks. WVU ended the year ranked No. 10.
 
WVU finished at 16-4-3 and 7-1-1 in the Big 12 Conference. The Mountaineers earned a No. 2 regional seed in the 2018 NCAA Tournament and advanced to the third round for the third consecutive season. WVU’s backline posted 13 shutouts and ranked No. 20 nationally with a 0.565 shutout percentage.
 
For the sixth consecutive year, a Mountaineer claimed the Big 12’s top defensive honor, as Amandine Pierre-Louis was named the co-Big 12 Defensive Player of the Year. Additionally, a conference-best eight players claimed All-Big 12 honors, including first-team recognitions for Pierre-Louis, St. Georges and forward Michaela Abam.
 
The 10th Mountaineer named to the MAC Hermann Trophy Watch List, Abam was named a semifinalist for the prestigious award, WVU’s ninth since 2003. Along with Pierre-Louis, she also was named to the United Soccer Coaches All-America Second Team. Abam was the fifth Mountaineer in four years to be named a finalist for the Senior CLASS Award before landing on the Senior CLASS Award All-America Second Team.
 
St. Georges led the way in the classroom, as she was named to the CoSIDA Academic All-America First Team, as well as the United Soccer Coaches Scholar All-America Second Team. Midfielder Alli Magaletta was named to the CoSIDA Academic All-America Third Team, marking the third straight season the Mountaineers earned Academic All-America accolades.
 
Izzo-Brown’s 22nd season as the Mountaineers’ head coach concluded with another first, as Abam and Pierre-Louis were drafted No. 4 and No. 6 overall, respectively, by Sky Blue FC at the 2018 National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL) College Draft, marking the first time in program history two Mountaineers were drafted in the same year.

2015-16 Seasons – A Program Turns 20 and Reaches New Heights

Izzo-Brown led the Mountaineers to the NCAA College Cup for the first time in 2016. After defeating North Carolina, 1-0, in the semifinal, WVU fell, 3-1, to USC in the final to finish as the NCAA National Runner-Up. The tournament appearance was the team’s 17th straight and first as a regional No. 1 seed.
 
WVU’s run to the NCAA College Cup final included a 3-0-1 mark in tournament matches at Dick Dlesk Soccer Stadium, including 1-0 wins over No. 5 Duke in the quarterfinal and Ohio State in a thrilling overtime match in the second round.
 
Simply put, the 2016 Mountaineer squad was special. In addition to reaching the national final, WVU swept the Big 12 Conference titles, winning its fifth straight regular-season crown and third postseason title. The Mountaineers reached as high as No. 1 in the national polls, a position they held for eight weeks, and set program records for wins (23) and shutouts (18). 
 
Unbelievably, WVU did all this by utilizing 10 different starting lineups. Regardless of personnel, WVU claimed wins over four top-10 teams, its best single-season output. The Mountaineers finished with a 23-2-2 record and an 8-0 mark in the Big 12 Conference, the squad’s fourth undefeated season in five years. The team’s two defeats matched the program’s season low.
 
Led by senior center back Kadeisha Buchanan, the program’s first MAC Hermann Trophy winner, the Honda Sport Award winner for soccer and the espnW National Player of the Year, the Mountaineer defense shut out 18 opponents, tops in the NCAA, and allowed just 12 opponent goals, none to a Big 12 opponent, posting the conference’s first-ever shut-out season. WVU finished the season ranked No. 5 nationally in shutout percentage (.667) and No. 8 in goals-against average (.432).
 
The Big 12 Conference Coach of the Year for a record-setting fifth straight season, Izzo-Brown coached three NSCAA All-Americans, a program high. Buchanan, the Big 12 Defensive Player of the Year for the fourth consecutive year, earned her third straight first-team award and fourth career honor, becoming the first Mountaineer to earn All-America status in each season at WVU. Senior midfielder Ashley Lawrence, a Hermann Trophy semifinalist for the second straight season, was named to the first team for the second straight season, while Abam, the co-Big 12 Offensive Player of the Year, was named to the second team. Buchanan and Lawrence also were named to the Senior CLASS Award All-America First and Second Teams, respectively.
 
Senior defender Carly Black and St. Georges collected CoSIDA Academic All-America honors, with Black named to the second team and St. Georges landing on the third team. Additionally, six Mountaineers collected a conference-best seven All-Big 12 honors.
 
At season’s end, Buchanan and Lawrence inked professional contracts in France, with Buchanan signing with Olympique Lyonnais and Lawrence signing with Paris Saint-Germain.       
 
Izzo-Brown made sure the Mountaineers’ 20th season in 2015 was a year to remember, as she led WVU back to the NCAA Tournament quarterfinals, the squad’s second appearance and first since 2007.
 
In addition to their run through the NCAA Tournament, the Mountaineers also captured their fourth straight Big 12 Conference regular-season title with a 6-0-1 mark.
 
The Mountaineers finished the season at 19-3-1. WVU was ranked in the top 10 of the NSCAA Poll the last 15 weeks of the season and peaked at No. 2, a position the squad held for two weeks. The Mountaineers finished the year ranked No. 7.
 
Led by Izzo-Brown, the WVU defense posted 15 shutouts, the third-best mark in the NCAA, and allowed just 11 goals and 44 corner kicks all year. WVU ended the season ranked No. 5 nationally in goals-against average (0.471) and shutout percentage (0.652). The 11 goals allowed were the fewest in program history. The Mountaineer offense also was spectacular, setting a program record with 61 goals.
 
Named the Big 12 Conference Coach of the Year, Izzo-Brown saw Buchanan become the program’s first-ever MAC Hermann Trophy finalist. The Best Young Player at the 2015 FIFA Women’s World Cup, Buchanan and Lawrence, a Hermann Trophy semifinalist, were named to the NSCAA All-America First Team, marking the first time in program history two Mountaineers were selected as semifinalists for the Hermann Trophy and garnered All-America First Team honors.
 
Senior midfielder Amanda Hill pushed WVU’s All-America count to three, as she was named to the Senior CLASS All-America Second Team. Hill also was named to the CoSIDA Academic All-America First Team, and classmate Kailey Utley landed on the NSCAA Scholar All-America Third Team.
 
Buchanan secured her third straight Big 12 Defender of the Year honor, and St. Georges was named the Big 12 Freshman of the Year. Additionally, 10 of the 11 WVU starters earned a combined 11 All-Big 12 honors, a league-best mark and a program record.

2012-14 Seasons

In their first three seasons as members of the Big 12 Conference, the Mountaineers staked their claim as the team to beat, winning five conference titles, including three straight regular-season crowns, and six player of the year awards.
 
Izzo-Brown led the Mountaineers to two Big 12 Conference titles in 2014, as WVU successfully defended its regular-season and championship titles. The Mountaineers ended the season on a 19-match unbeaten streak, a program record, and went unbeaten in Big 12 play for the second time in three seasons.
 
WVU advanced to the NCAA Tournament for the 15th straight season and earned a 16-2-4 record. The squad finished the year ranked No. 15 in the NSCAA/Continental Tire College Rankings. The Mountaineer defense posted 12 shutouts, including five in Big 12 regular-season play, with four coming on the road. The four conference road shutouts marked the first time in program history WVU denied each conference opponent a goal in its home arena.
 
Izzo-Brown earned her third straight Big 12 Coach of the Year honor, while Buchanan scored her second consecutive Big 12 Defensive Player of the Year honor and Abam was named the Big 12 Newcomer of the Year. WVU collected a conference-best nine All-Big 12 honors.
 
For the second straight season, Izzo-Brown watched two student-athletes collect All-America honors, as Buchanan was named to the NSCAA/Continental Tire All-America First Team, becoming the program’s first sophomore to earn a first team award. Buchanan also was named a semifinalist for the MAC Hermann Trophy. Additionally, senior forward Kate Schwindel was named to the Senior CLASS All-America Second Team, the program’s first Senior CLASS Award finalist.
 
Izzo-Brown capped the season with her second straight NSCAA Central Region Coach of the Year award, her fifth career honor.
 
The Mountaineers secured seven straight victories in conference play in 2013 to earn their second straight Big 12 title with a 7-1 record. The team continued its stronghold on its conference opponents with three shut-out victories at the 2013 Big 12 Soccer Tournament en route to the Mountaineers’ first Big 12 Conference Championship title, also the first for any WVU team at a Big 12 Conference Championship.  
 
With the win, WVU earned the conference’s automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament, its 14th consecutive appearance. The Mountaineers advanced to the second round for the ninth time in program history, the first time since 2010, and finished the year at 16-4-3 and ranked No. 12 in the NSCAA/Continental Tire College Rankings and No. 8 in the TopDrawerSoccer.com Top 25 Rankings.
 
WVU swept the conference awards, as Frances Silva was the Big 12 Offensive Player of the Year and Buchanan was the Big 12 Defender and Newcomer of the Year; the Mountaineers became the first team to win the offensive and defensive awards in the same season. Additionally, Izzo-Brown earned her second straight Big 12 Coach of the Year honor, and six student-athletes scored eight All-Big 12 awards.
 
The successful season ended with the trio scoring several major awards, including NSCAA/Continental Tire All-America Second Team honors for Silva and Buchanan and NSCAA Central Region Coach of the Year accolades for Izzo-Brown. Additionally, Silva, a Hermann Trophy semifinalist, was named an NSCAA College Scholar All-American and the CoSIDA Academic All-American of the Year.
 
In its inaugural season in the Big 12 Conference in 2012, WVU won the regular-season championship with a 7-0-1 record. Seven student-athletes were named All-Big 12, including senior Bry McCarthy, who was chosen as the Big 12 Defensive Player of the Year. Izzo-Brown was named the conference coach of the year.
 
The 2012 Mountaineers scored an upset win over No. 1-ranked Stanford, 1-0, on Aug. 26 at the Penn State Invitational. The win snapped Stanford’s 64-match regular-season unbeaten streak.
 
West Virginia defeated visiting Texas Tech, 3-2, on Sept. 21 to give women’s soccer, and WVU athletics, its first victory as members of the Big 12 Conference.
 
To end their careers, McCarthy earned All-America honors and midfielder Bri Rodriguez was named a NSCAA College Scholar All-American. 

2010-11 Seasons

The 2010-11 seasons marked the end of an era as the Mountaineers won back-to-back Big East Championships before departing for membership in the Big 12 Conference. It also marked the third conference title in a five-season span.
 
West Virginia finished the 2011 season with a 17-5-0 record, and a 10-1-0 mark in league play, to win its division for the fifth time. The 10 wins marked a school record, making WVU one of only four Big East schools to ever win 10 league contests in a season.
The Mountaineers finished the season ranked No. 9 by Soccer America and won 15 of their last 17 matches to close the season.
 
The 2010 season was a record-breaking one as the team won its second Big East Championship while advancing to the NCAA Sweet 16. WVU had its then-school record 14-match win streak end in the NCAA Tournament against College Cup participant Boston College, giving the Mountaineers a final record of 18-5-1.
 
WVU’s 1-0 win over fifth-ranked Virginia matched the then-highest-ranked opponent defeated in school history, and the team’s 3-0 shutout against Georgetown marked the program’s 200th win.
 
West Virginia’s defense set the then-single-season record for shutouts at 14, while goalkeeper Kerri Butler also broke the school record for career shutouts, finishing with 44.

2005-09 Seasons

From 2005-09, the program reached new heights with consecutive NCAA appearances in every season and won its first Big East Championship. Izzo-Brown was named NSCAA/adidas and Soccer Buzz Mid-Atlantic Regional Coach of the Year in 2007 as WVU was ranked every week throughout the season and tied a then-school record for wins (18).
 
The 2007 squad advanced to the program’s first NCAA Elite Eight while establishing an attendance record with more than 3,000 fans for the NCAA Elite Eight contest against USC. Three players earned All-America status and six were named All-Big East. Forward Ashley Banks added to Izzo-Brown’s collection of major award winners as the 2007 Big East Offensive Player of the Year and a Hermann Trophy semifinalist.
 
WVU won Big East division titles in three straight seasons (2006-08) and at least one Mountaineer earned All-America honors from 2006-09. Carolyn Blank added the title of Big East Midfielder of the Year to her resume in 2008, a team that tied the then-school record for fewest losses in a season with just three defeats.
 
Twelve seasons ago, Izzo-Brown took her high-powered offense to the 2006 NCAA Tournament as WVU scored a then-school-record 55 goals in 21 games. Forward Deana Everrett had a breakout sophomore season to earn All-America Third Team honors from Soccer Buzz. The 2006 Mountaineers also displayed a stingy defense that shut out 13 opponents over the course of the season, including eight Big East foes.

2000-04 Seasons

Led by All-Americans Chrissie Abbott and Lisa Stoia, the 2003 Mountaineers made history, going 17-4-2 to give West Virginia its first NCAA Sweet 16 appearance. The senior-led squad logged nine straight wins at one point during the season and had its first-ever Hermann Trophy nominee in Abbott, who graduated as WVU’s all-time leader in goals scored, points and shots, while Stoia established the school’s then-all-time assist record.
 
Izzo-Brown directed West Virginia to an 18-3-1 record, at the time the most wins in school history, and the program’s first Big East division title in 2002. The Mountaineers also received their third consecutive invitation to the NCAA Tournament after putting together an 18-match unbeaten streak. Abbott was the Big East Offensive Player of the Year and a first team All-American, while Stoia earned Big East Midfielder of the Year honors. Izzo-Brown was the Big East and regional coach of the year.
 
A youthful Mountaineer squad played to a fifth straight 15-win season in 2004 and saw Izzo-Brown’s fourth All-America develop as forward Laura Kane earned the nod from the NSCAA after an eight goal, nine assist senior season.
 
West Virginia was nationally ranked for the first time in 2000, a regional coach of the year season for Izzo-Brown’s first-ever NCAA Tournament team. Four team members landed spots on Big East all-conference teams, including Big East Offensive Player of the Year Katie Barnes and co-Big East Rookie of the Year Stoia. In that season, Barnes became WVU’s first All-American.

The Early Years

Izzo-Brown accepted perhaps her greatest challenge on Aug. 3, 1995, when then-WVU Director of Athletics Ed Pastilong named her the first head coach of West Virginia's women's soccer program.    
 
In WVU’s inaugural season, Izzo-Brown led a young team to an amazing 10-7-2 record and a 4-4-1 Big East mark. WVU finished fifth in the conference, surprising Big East coaches, whose preseason prediction picked the fledgling Mountaineers to finish last. Soccer Buzz ranked West Virginia as the eighth-best “new program” in the nation. Additionally, Izzo-Brown's first season at WVU produced a Big East All-Rookie Team member in defender Stacey Sollmann. Only two years later, West Virginia made its first Big East Tournament with a team that won 11 matches in 1998. Stacey Adams was the program’s first Big East Female Scholar-Athlete of the Year winner, and Sollmann earned second team all-region accolades.
 
Izzo-Brown led the Mountaineers to an 11-6-2 record in 1997, and two years later, they finished 9-9-1. With trust, hard work and sacrifice, the foundation had been laid for a breakout season in 2000.

Academic Success

Graduation is a must for Izzo-Brown-coached players, who are asked to challenge themselves academically while at WVU. Her teams consistently hold one of the program’s highest GPAs on campus with their serious commitment to academics.
 
The women’s soccer team received public recognition in the spring of 2017 for the fourth time in nine years by the NCAA for its multiyear Academic Progress Rate (APR) scores. The team posted a multi-year APR in the top-10 percent of all squads in each sport. The APR accounts for eligibility, retention and graduation and provides a measure of each team's academic performance.
 
Izzo-Brown has coached 17 different players to 30 total academic and scholar All-American honors. Additionally, the United Soccer Coaches honors her squad year after year with the Team Academic Award for its work in the classroom.
 
Bianca St. Georges was named the 2018 Google Cloud Academic All-America of the Year, giving WVU two honors in six seasons. She also was named to the CoSIDA Academic All-America First Team. Ten different WVU women’s soccer student-athletes have earned CoSIDA Academic All-America honors, including 15 honors since 2001.

Player Development

With tremendous experience and knowledge of the game, Izzo-Brown has built a reputation for getting the most out of her student-athletes. The veteran coach maximizes the performance of her players by providing opportunities to process information in multiple ways in order to find success for each individual.
 
Paving the way for the success of recent Mountaineers, Katie Barnes was the first women’s soccer player to be named an All-American and captured two straight Big East Offensive Player of the Year awards. In all, Izzo-Brown has guided 25 different players to earn 60 All-America honors, as well as 24 conference player of the year honors. Barnes was drafted with the first pick of the second round (ninth overall) of the 2002 Women’s United Soccer Association (WUSA) Draft by the Carolina Courage.
 
Kadeisha Buchanan and Ashley Lawrence signed professional contracts in France in early 2017, with Buchanan signing with Olympique Lyonnais before departing for Chelsea FC in 2022, while Lawrence continues to play for Paris Saint-Germain. One year later, Michaela Abam and Amandine Pierre-Louis were drafted No. 4 and No. 6 overall by Sky Blue FC at the 2018 NWSL College Draft, marking the first time in program history two Mountaineers were drafted in the same season. In total, 80 percent of the 2017 senior class and 44 percent of the 2018 senior class signed professional contracts. WVU's number of all-time professional players now sits at 34, a sign of Izzo-Brown's commitment to building professional- and world-class athletes.
 
During the 2012 offseason, Izzo-Brown served as an assistant at U.S. Women’s National Team training camps with the U.S. U-18, U-20 and U-23 squads. In the summer of 2011, she joined April Heinrichs, U.S. Soccer Technical Director, for a week of training with the U-20 team. She also spent time after the 2007 season as an assistant coach with the U-20 National Team under then-head coach Jill Ellis.
 
During her coaching tenure, more than 40 Mountaineers have participated in the national team scene, with Barnes being selected to the team that won the 2001 Nordic Cup. Former Mountaineer Vanessa Flores was a member of the Mexican Women’s National Team, and Buchanan and Lawrence competed for Canada at the 2015 and 2019 FIFA Women’s World Cups, where Buchanan was named the Best Young Player in 2015. The duo also helped Canada claim Bronze at the 2016 Rio Summer Olympic Games and Gold at the 2020 Tokyo Summer Olympic Games.

Prior To WVU

As a player, Izzo-Brown attained All-America status at Rochester, where she was a four-year starter from 1989-92. During that span, Izzo-Brown helped the Yellowjackets to a 58-10-9 record and four straight NCAA Tournament appearances. In 1991, as a junior, she led Rochester to a 16-4-2 mark and a spot in the NCAA championship game.
 
During her career at Rochester, Izzo-Brown also earned All-East, all-region and all-league honors, while meriting Dean's List recognition all four years. Following her senior campaign, she won the prestigious Merle Spurrier Award, which recognizes Rochester's top female athlete based on leadership, academics and athletics.
 
Izzo-Brown graduated from Rochester in the spring of 1993 with a degree in psychology. That fall, she was named assistant coach at West Virginia Wesleyan, where she continued her winning ways by helping the Bobcats to a 12-7 record. Izzo-Brown was elevated to head coach in 1994 and led Wesleyan to a 13-5 mark and a spot in the NAIA National Tournament.
 
While coaching at the Buckhannon, West Virginia, school, Izzo-Brown earned her Master of Business Administration degree in 1994.
 
In the fall of 2010, she was inducted into the University of Rochester Athletic Hall of Fame. 

Personal

In addition to her duties at WVU, Izzo-Brown is certified as an advanced national level coach by the NSCAA, has her USSF “B” license and is a Region I senior staff Olympic Development member. She has served on several regional and national ranking committees for the NSCAA. She also is qualified internationally with Brazilian, KNVB and Czech Republic certification.
 
In May 2010, Izzo-Brown was named to the West Virginia Executive Sports Hall of Fame. Later that fall, she was inducted into the University of Rochester Athletic Hall of Fame for her outstanding achievement in the sport of soccer.
 
A decade ago, she was named a 2011 Frontier Field Walk of Fame inductee.
 
In March 2018, Izzo-Brown was inducted as a meritorious member into the West Virginia Soccer Association Hall of Fame.
 
She and her husband, Joe, have three daughters – Samantha, Gracie and Gabriella.
 

Career Record

All-Time Pro Players

Katie Barnes
Carolina Courage (WUSA)
San Jose CyberRays
Cincinnati Ladyhawks (USL W-League)

Rachel Kruze
Philadelphia Charge (WUSA)
IBV (Iceland)
Rochester Rhinos (USL W-League)

Kim Bonilla
Pitea IF (Sweden)
Jersey Sky Blue (USL W-League)
Illawarra Stingray (Australia)

Laura Kane
Pitea IF (Sweden)
FC Indiana (USL W-League)

Greer Barnes
Los Angeles Sol (WPS)
FC Gold Pride (WPS)

Lisa Stoia
St. Louis Athletica (WPS)
Boston Renegades (USL W-League)

Carolyn Blank
Jersey Sky Blue FC (WPS)
Atlanta Beat (WPS)
St. Louis Athletica (WPS)
DC United Women (USL W-League)

Kerri Butler
Atlanta Beat (WPS)

Megan Mischler
Boston Aztec Breakers Reserves (WPSL)
Boston Breakers (WPS)
Östersunds DFF (Sweden)
Hammarby Damfotboll (Sweden)

Erica Henderson
Afturelding FC (Iceland)

Blake Miller
Illawarra Stingray (Australia)

Bry McCarthy
Western New York Flash (NWSL)

Frances Silva
FC Kansas City (NWSL)

Sara Keane
FC Kansas City (NWSL)

Kate Schwindel
Sky Blue FC (NWSL)

Kadeisha Buchanan
Olympique Lyonnais (France)

Ashley Lawrence
Paris Saint-Germain (France)

Michaela Abam
Paris FC (France)

Heather Kaleiohi
ASJ SOYAUX (France)

Alli Magaletta
IK Grand BodØ (Norway)

Amandine Pierre-Louis
Sky Blue FC (NWSL)

Carla Portillo
ASPTT ALBI (France)

Easter Mayi Kith
Montpellier HSC (France)

Bianca St. Georges
Chicago Red Stars (NWSL)

Grace Cutler
Houston Dash (NWSL)

Sh'Nia Gordon
FC Metz (France)

Vanessa Flores
Tigres UANL Femenil (Mexico)

Rylee Foster
Liverpool (England)

Jade Gentile
Afturelding KVK (Iceland)

Stefany Ferrer-vanGinkel
Tigres UANL Femenil (Mexico)
Angel City FC (NWSL)

Isabella Sibley
Crystal Palace FC (England)