Women's Soccer Assistant Mead To Pursue Professional Career
February 22, 2001 | Women's Soccer
Feb. 22, 2001
University of Louisville assistant women's soccer coach Jennifer Mead has stepped down to pursue a career with the Bay Area Cyber Rays of the newly formed Women's United Soccer Association (WUSA).
"We're very sad to see Jen go but we are also very excited for her," said Louisville Head Coach Karen Ferguson.
"She has an opportunity to be a professional athlete in the first ever women's professional soccer league, which is a tremendous accomplishment . I am 100% supportive of her decision to pursue her dreams."
The WUSA held it's first draft in December, where Mead was tabbed in the seventh round and 56th overall by the Cyber Rays, which are headquartered in San Jose, California. Mead is one of two goalkeepers on the Cyber Ray roster, and was the fourth keeper taken in the draft.
The Cyber Rays feature U.S. National team stars Brandi Chastain and Tisha Venturini, as well as Brazillian stars Sissi and Katia. It will open a 21-game schedule on April 14 when it faces the Washington Freedom.
Mead, who hails from Raynham, Massachusetts and spent the past season as an assistant to Ferguson, has six caps for the full U.S. National Team.
Mead played three years of soccer, and four years of basketball at Providence College , before transferring to George Mason for her final soccer season.
At GMU she was named NSCAA All-American and college goalkeeper of the year in 1994. Mead was named Big East MVP in 1993, leading Providence to the conference title. Mead won a state championship in basketball as a senior at Bridgewater-Raynham High School, and was the 1990 Massachusetts State Basketball Player of the Year.
Mead played three years for the Boston Renegades club team from 1996-`98. Prior to joining the staff at U of L, she was the head girl's soccer coach at Newton North High School winning the state title in 1999 .
The Cardinal soccer team is expected to name a new assistant to fill the vacancy in the coming weeks.
