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Heinz on familiar ground

Starting in fall 2011, Valdosta State will be welcoming a women’s soccer team to the school. Leading the way will be head coach Melissa Heinz.
Heinz comes over from Winthrop University, where she was named NCAA Division I Coach of the Year for first-year coaches. She received the honor after compiling a 7-12-1 record. Heinz has been a head coach since 1997, when she first took over at her alma mater, William Carey College.
Heinz is experienced in starting a new program, having done the same thing at Winthrop, and just three years later she won her conference regular season championship, but fell in the postseason conference tournament finals.
“We feel that we are well positioned geographically to become a power in this sport and look forward to seeing this new team uphold the proud tradition that is Valdosta State Athletics,” Patrick Schloss, VSU President, said.
Heinz also seems to think the location of VSU will help with recruiting, saying that Georgia and Florida are “hot beds” for good recruits. She officially takes office at VSU on March 1 and will start with the little things, as she has over a year to prepare for the upcoming and inaugural season.
Women’s soccer will be the sixth Lady Blazer team, joining the basketball, cross-country, tennis, volleyball and softball teams.
VSU has six men’s sports—baseball, basketball, cross-country, football, tennis and golf—and will not be adding a soccer program.

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