Former assistant coach at LSU takes reins July 1

COOKEVILLE, Tenn. – Daniel Brizard, an assistant coach at LSU for the past five seasons, has been named head coach of the Tennessee Tech women’s soccer team.

Brizard, 36, begins his new position July 1. In addition to LSU, Brizard has coached at Florida International University, South Alabama and the University of Missouri at St. Louis.

“I’m honored to have this opportunity to coach at Tennessee Tech, and I’m excited about the possibility of competing for championships in the Ohio Valley Conference,” Brizard said. “I would like to thank President Bob Bell, Mark Wilson, Frank Harrell and the athletic administration for this opportunity.

“I’m looking forward to keeping the team moving in the right direction, continuing to see improvement, and winning some OVC Championships,” he said.

Brizard has enjoyed a high level of success at LSU, something that TTU Director of Athletics Mark Wilson expects to continue.

“We’re excited to bring Daniel to Tennessee Tech and we look forward to him leading our women’s soccer team to Ohio Valley Conference championships and continuing the team’s success academically.”

At LSU, the Tigers have earned a reputation for their tenacity on the defensive end of the field and Brizard has helped build that reputation while coaching the team’s goalkeepers.

In the past three years, Brizard and the Tigers have won three consecutive SEC Western Division championships and advanced to the NCAA Tournament all three years. LSU was 14-4-2 in 2008 and went 15-4-5 last season. The Tigers boasted the top defensive unit in the SEC and posted goals against averages of 0.82 in 2008 and 0.71 in 2009.

Under his tutelage, Mo Isom became the first LSU goalkeeper to earn All-America honors. Before that, Brizard coached goalkeeper Valerie Vogler to a career year in 2007 to help lead the team to its first ever SEC West crown and a berth into the second round of the NCAA Tournament.

Widely considered one of the top goalkeeper coaches in all of women’s college soccer, Brizard has also served as the goalkeeper coach of the Region III Olympic Development Program Team during his career, as well as a member of the Region III ODP coaching staff for nine years. He is currently a member of the coaching staff of the Region II ODP Team.

Prior to his stint at LSU, Brizard spent four seasons as an assistant coach at Florida International University, two seasons at South Alabama and two seasons at Missouri-St. Louis, while also serving as coach of the girl’s soccer team at Parkway West High School in St. Louis.

Brizard’s instructional background is extensive as he is a former goalkeeping instructor for the National Soccer Coaches Association of America and has received an NSCAA advanced national diploma. In addition, he has received the United States Soccer Federation “A” Coaching license as well as a USSF Goalkeeping license.

Prior to the start of his coaching career, Brizard was a four-year starter and team captain on the men’s soccer team at Berry College in Rome, Georgia from 1991-95.

He earned his bachelor’s degree in sports performance/exercise science from Berry College in 1995 and spent two years in the Navy before beginning his coaching career in 1998.

Brizard is married to the former Julie Schneider of St. Louis. They are the proud parents of three-year-old Izabella Corinne.

Daniel Brizard/Playing and Coaching Experience

Years                         Capacity                            School
1991-1995                  Player                                Berry College
1998-2000                  Assistant Coach                  Missouri-St. Louis
2000-2002                  Assistant Coach                  South Alabama
2002-2005                  Assistant Coach                  Florida International
2005-2010                  Assistant Coach                  LSU
2010-                         Head Coach                      Tennessee Tech