Two months after Ron Rainey left as coach of the women's soccer team, Ball State University has found a replacement to help the Cardinals reach their goal of a conference championship.
Director of Intercollegiate Athletics Tom Collins announced Friday that Michelle Salmon will become the second coach in Ball State women's soccer history. Salmon takes over the program after Rainey, who left to coach at the University of Iowa, led the team to its best regular-season record in 2005.
Rainey spent seven successful years at Ball State but he was unable to lead the team to the Mid-American Conference Championship and the Cards were ousted out of the first-round of the MAC Tournament four of the past five years. Players have said their only goal for next season is to win a MAC Championship and Salmon said that goal is exactly what she believes the team should be striving for.
"Players saying that winning the MAC Championship is a goal is right on par for me too," Salmon said. "I'm excited the most about coming here and trying to take Ball State to the next level."
Salmon has been spent the past six years as coach of the University of Maryland, Baltimore County. Salmon led the Retrievers to a 9-9-1 record in 2005 and also took the team to the America East Conference Tournament two of the past three seasons.
Salmon's most successful playing experience came when she was an All-American at the University of Maryland and led the Terrapins to three consecutive NCAA Tournament appearances. Collins said her success as a player and coach made her very attractive for the job.
"She is well-respected by her peers and has a great reputation out East," Collins said. "Because she was such a talented player, that gives her a lot of respect from her players as well."
Even though her duties as coach don't begin until May 1, Salmon attended the team's Alumni game on Saturday to get a first-hand look at the players she will be coaching next season.
The Cardinals lost only four seniors from last year's team, two of them starters, and Salmon said having an experienced team in her first year will be helpful.
"I have to get a good feeling of the players and because they are an older group with a lot of experience, it should be an easy process for both sides," Salmon said. "I love where this program is headed and I think we have potential to do some great things."
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