Another promising LSU ‘football’ team

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By Stephanie Kraft

On a campus that is still buzzing with excitement over winning the National Championship in football, success for another type of football team is on the rise. Brian Lee’s “football” team, the Lady Tigers soccer team, is coming off their most successful season in program history.

In Lee’s third season as head coach, the Tigers won their first SEC Western Division championship which earned them a NCAA Tournament berth, also the first in program history.

“When Brian took over the job in December 2004, LSU soccer had never even sniffed the NCAA Tournament, much less actually qualify,” said William Stafford, Associate Sports Information Director at LSU.

Lee’s recruiting efforts since he has been coach are certainly a major contributing factor for the program’s success. Lee started building a formidable team early in 2005. His first recruit became LSU’s first All-SEC player.

“I was officially hired in January of 2005,” said Lee. “The only recruit from that year that we were active with was former youth US National Team Player Melissa Clarke. I actually met with her at her house in Atlanta on my way home from signing my LSU contract!”

Lee and his staff have not slowed down their recruiting efforts since. The rising junior class for the 2008-2009 season was their first full recruiting class and as a group ranked No. 1 in the SEC and No. 7 in the country.

“That class has eight starters that have played a major role in our rise to the top of the SEC. Last year they cracked the top 20, in addition to winning the SEC West,” said Lee. “Last year LSU added Canadian U20 World Cup player Taryne Boudreau, who become a freshman All-American.”

Mo Isom joined the program in the spring as an early entry. Isom came in as one of the premier goalkeeper recruits in the country for the Class of 2008 and was named a national top 75 recruit by Soccer Buzz Magazine.

“We think Isom can give us world class goalkeeping,” said Lee.

LSU’s youth summer camp (TigerSoccerCamp.com), has also become a valuable recruiting tool for Lee’s staff.

“Naz Alcoser is a redshirt freshman that was recruited directly out of our camp, and last week 5-10 future Tigers were at camp.”

“The recruiting efforts of Brian and his coaching staff have translated into immediate results both on and off the field,” said Stafford. “In 2005, the Tigers averaged 586 fans per home match at the LSU Soccer Complex. Since then, there has been an unprecedented rise in the number of fans who come out to watch matches due to the fact that we have better players. A record 2,402 fans witnessed LSU’s defeat of (then) No. 6 Tennessee on October 5, 2007.”

Returning nine starters from the squad that earned them their first NCAA Tournament berth, the Tigers seem poised for another successful year in the SEC West. The Tigers were picked to defend their SEC Western Division crown in a vote of the league’s 12 coaches released by the SEC office Thursday.

Head coach Brain Lee is honored that the coaches think highly enough of the Tigers to rank them the preseason favorite, but stresses that “the SEC was as wide open as it had ever been a year ago, and I don’t think this year will be any different.”

The preseason ranking is an honor but “means absolutely nothing when we lace up the cleats for the first time,” said Lee. “We will only go as far as the team will take us.”

The Tigers will kick off their fall slate at home against South Alabama on August 22 at 7 p.m. before welcoming the BYU Cougars to the LSU Soccer Complex on August 25 at 7 p.m. Tickets are available through LSUsports.net or by calling the ticket office at 225-578-2184.

Originally Published: Issue 701 - August 19, 2008

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