Women's Soccer Coaching Staff

01/01/00

- Head Coach John Daly

The name John Daly has become synonymous with success in women’s college soccer circles since he took over the William and Mary program as head coach in 1987. Entering his 21st year directing one of the most successful programs in America, Daly sports a career record of 278-111-34 and has led the Tribe to nine Colonial Athletic Association championships in 14 years, including a stretch of six consecutive titles from 1996-2001. In addition to ranking seventh all-time in wins at the Division I level, he has guided the Tribe to the NCAA Tournament 18 times, including 14 of the past 15 seasons. That success has not been lost on the College community, as the William and Mary Athletics Department named its soccer field after Daly and former men’s coach and current fundraiser Al Albert. Last season, W&M went undefeated at home with an 8-0-2 mark, while it has posted an impressive 19-5-8 record at Albert-Daly Field since the facility opened in the fall of 2004.

The Tribe has been nationally ranked among the country’s top-25 programs for 23 consecutive seasons, including a program-high No. 3 ranking during the 1994 campaign. W&M is one of three colleges (with Connecticut and North Carolina) to hold the nation’s record of 25 straight winning seasons since 1982. Additionally, the College has earned an NCAA Tournament bid 21 times and has reached the second round in four of the last 10 seasons.

Under Daly’s tutelage, 12 W&M players have garnered a total of 25 All-America honors, including two National Players of the Year in Megan McCarthy (1987) and four-time All-American Natalie Neaton (1995). Claire Zimmeck became the most recent to be bestowed with All-America accolades, as Soccer Buzz honored her as a fourth-team selection in 2006. Along with the success on the pitch, Daly’s players have also distinguished themselves in the classroom, as eight Tribe players have earned Academic All-America recognition under Daly’s watch. Robin Lotze was a three-time honoree from 1988-90, while Tara Flint was selected in 2002 and 2003. Last season, Anna Young garnered the distinction with a GPA of better than 3.8 in accounting.

A four-time CAA Coach of the Year honoree (1993, 1994, 1999, 2006), Daly shared the conference’s top honor with UNC Wilmington’s Paul Cairney last season. Daly was also recognized at the regional level in ‘06, as the NSCAA selected him as the Mid-Atlantic Region Coach of the Year, marking the fifth time (1989, 1990, 1992, 1997, 2006) he has garnered the accolade. He also picked up VaSID Coach of the Year honors last season, the fourth time (1994, 1998, 1999, 2006) he has been recognized as the Commonwealth’s top collegiate coach.

While Daly has compiled a number of incredibly successful seasons with the College, 2006 proved to be particularly impressive. In addition to winning the CAA regular season championship and earning a bid to the NCAA Tournament, Daly guided the Tribe to a 16-1-4 record overall and a 10-0-1 mark in conference play. The overall winning percentage of .857 was a school record, while the squad finished the season with a program-record 17-match unbeaten streak. Additionally, W&M was ranked 13th nationally in the final Soccer Buzz poll and earned a No. 7 ranking in the final RPI released by the NCAA.

The 2000 season was also a memorable one for Daly, as he achieved his 200th career victory with an exciting, 1-0 overtime win against Richmond. Daly added another honor to his resume later in the season when he was named the 1999-2000 William and Mary Society of the Alumni Coach of the Year. The previous year was one of Daly’s finest coaching efforts, as he led the Tribe to a 19-4-0 record and a trip to the NCAA Sweet 16. Making the outstanding season even more impressive is the fact that the roster had nine freshmen on the roster.

In 1997, Daly led the Tribe to perhaps its finest season in school history, setting a school record with 20 wins while posting a 13-match unbeaten streak. The College came within one match of advancing to the NCAA tournament semifinals after a pair of exciting one-goal wins over Virginia and Penn State.

Another of Daly’s numerous career highlights includes helping the Tribe win the prestigious WAGS (Washington Area Girls’ Soccer) title in 1987, earning a victory against North Carolina in a shootout (4-3).

A key figure in the W&M soccer scene long before taking over as head women’s coach in 1987, Daly was an assistant coach of the then-women’s club team in 1979. He also assisted with the men’s program. In 1986, he was a full-time assistant before ascending to his present position.

Active at many levels of soccer, Daly served as assistant coach of the Region I (East) team that traveled to Holland and Italy in March 1989. In addition, he is a Region I Olympic Development coach with the United States Youth Soccer Association and has coached the Virginia under-19 girls’ soccer team. Currently, Daly is Region I advocate to the National Program for U15, U16 and U17 teams.

In April of 2000, Daly recited the Oath of Allegiance, becoming a United States citizen after residing in America for the previous 20 years since moving from his native London, England, where he was born to Irish parents. He enjoys his annual return visits to London and the southwest of Ireland.

An avid golfer, he also enjoys the performing arts, Irish traditional music, travel and anything to do with William and Mary.

He cites the naming of Albert-Daly soccer field in his and former men’s coach Al Albert’s honor as the ultimate accolade in a storied coaching career.


Assistant Coach Britta Vogele

Britta Vogele enters her first season as an assistant coach at William and Mary after an impressive playing career and successful coaching stints at the collegiate and scholastic levels. While Vogele assists with all aspects of the program, her primary responsibilities include working with the team’s goalkeepers, practice/game preparation, recruiting, coordinating team travel and community service events. Additionally, she serves as assistant director for the John Daly Girls Soccer Camp, which is held each summer in Williamsburg.

Prior to joining the Tribe last spring, Vogele was an assistant coach at Indiana State University where she worked with the team’s goalkeepers and defensive players. She also handled team travel, community service projects, equipment management, ensured individual and team fitness and assisted with recruiting identification and campus visits.

In addition to her experience at the collegiate level, Vogele has also been instrumental in developing players in the prep ranks. She served as an assistant coach with the Indiana Olympic Development Program in 2006, as she oversaw the training of 92 girls. The prior year, Vogele worked at City High School, in Iowa City, Iowa, and was the assistant varsity coach and head junior varsity coach for the girls’ soccer programs. She also spent more than three years as the goalkeeping coach for the Iowa Soccer Club.

As a player, the Newport Beach, Calif., native was a standout goalkeeper at the University of Iowa where she finished her career with five school records. A three-time team captain, she earned second-team All-Big Ten distinction in 2002 and was selected to the conference’s all-academic team in each of her final three seasons. Vogele also garnered the Hawkeye’s team MVP honor twice (2002, 2004) and was nominated for the Big Ten Outstanding Sportsmanship Award in 2004. She finished her career with four conference player of the week accolades and was selected to national teams of the week by Soccer Buzz and Soccer America.

Vogele earned a bachelor’s degree in history from Iowa in 2005.

Assistant Coach Kevin Denson

After serving as volunteer assistant coach for five seasons from 2001-05, Kevin Denson rejoins the Tribe this year.

One of the most successful high school soccer coaches in the state of Virginia, brings a wealth of coaching experience from a number of soccer affiliations. Prior to retiring as the boy’s soccer head coach at Kempsville High School (Va.), he guided the team to four state championships and a pair of national No. 1 final rankings (1992, 1997). His success was recently recognized with an induction into the Kempsville H.S. Hall of Fame.

Denson also served as the USYSA Region I Girls’ ODP Head Coach, Director of Player Development for the Beach FC Travel Team and has been a member of the Virginia Youth Soccer coaching staff since 1989.

In addition, Denson was the Virginia Wesleyan College women’s coach from 1985 through 1987.

Denson is an eight-time Coach of the Year recipient and was selected as the NSCAA National Coach of the Year in 1997.

Denson earned a bachelor of arts degree in recreation and leisure studies from Virginia Wesleyan College in 1983.