OSU Men`s Soccer Announces New Assistant Coach Hirings

Salem-news.com Sports

CORVALLIS - Oregon State men`s soccer coach Dana Taylor announced that he has filled the two openings on his staff, as Paul Meehan, formerly an assistant coach at Marshall University and a Pacific Northwest native, will be the associate head coach, and Jim Cofer, formerly of Metro State College, will be the assistant coach. Additionally, Gary Hamel joins the staff as a volunteer coach.

“Paul Meehan brings a great deal of experience to the staff,“ Taylor said. “That experience is going help elevate our program. Having coached on the West Coast, he`s very familiar with recruiting here. Jim Cofer worked with one of the finest youth clubs in the country and brings a wealth of contacts to our program, which is vital to the recruiting process. He also has professional experience, having worked with the Colorado Rapids goalkeepers. I`ve coached with Gary Hamel off and on the past two years, and he`ll be helping us deal with the day-to-day responsibilities both on the field and in the office, enabling the rest of us to be more proficient.“

Meehan, who grew up in Seattle and played at Western Washington University, was an assistant coach the past three seasons at Marshall. It was his second stint at Marshall, as he also coached there in the 1997 season. He was also a member of the West Virginia Soccer Club`s coaching staff. Other previous jobs include two years as the Associate Coaching Director for FC Alliance in Bothell, Wash., and one season as an assistant coach at Fresno State (1998), a year in which the Bulldogs won the Western Athletic Conference and advanced to the NCAA Tournament. His collegiate coaching career began at Bellevue (Wash.) Community College, where he won three NWAACC titles and was named Coach of the Year twice. He has been the head coach of Washington`s U-18 ODP state team, and a staff coach for Region IV ODP.

Meehan played at Western Washington from 1980-82 and was team captain and an all-conference selection in 1981. He graduated in 1983 with a degree in physical education. He was part of the Milwaukee Wave`s (American Indoor Soccer Association) reserve team in 1984-85, and a member of Team USA (American Indoor Soccer Association) in 1984 as well. He has a USSF national “A“ license.

Cofer spent the last two years at Metro State, located in Denver, as the men`s assistant and overseeing the goalkeepers. The team won the conference title in 2004. While in Denver, he also served as the assistant goalkeeper coach for the Colorado Rapids of Major League Soccer and as a Director of Coaching for the Colorado Rush soccer club, one of the largest youth clubs in the nation. He also served as the Director of Goalkeeping for the Denver and Colorado Springs chapters. Cofer has been an ODP goalkeeper and team coach in both Florida and Colorado, and was the Director of Goalkeeping for Colorado`s boys team. He is currently on the Region IV ODP staff as a goalkeeper coach.

Cofer graduated from Mississippi in 1994 with a degree in accountancy, and played in three SEC Club Championships. He holds a USSF national “B“ license and an NSCAA national goalkeeping license.

Hamel has coached for the Bend United Soccer Club and COSA since 1991, and was a boys` soccer coach at Bend (Ore.) High School from 1991-95. He earned his bachelor`s degree from Springfield (Mass.) College with a degree in physical education, and he holds teaching licenses from Massachusetts and Oregon. He has a USSF national “B“ license and an NSCAA regional license.

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