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Dave Musso
Dave Musso is entering his sixth season as the head coach of the Lindenwood women’s soccer team in 2023.
Lindenwood made quite the impression across the Ohio Valley Conference in its first NCAA Division I season, finishing with a 6-8-6 record. Picked to finish ninth in the league, the Lions finished in fifth place and secured a birth into the conference championships, under Musso in 2022.
The Lions picked up nine shutouts during the year with Sam Blazek being in net for seven of them. The Diamond Bar, Calif, native made 112 saves on the season, tops in the conference, helping her earn a first-team all-conference selection and OVC Goalkeeper of the Year, while Paige Anderson earned second team all-conference honors and Jacqueline Baetz was named to the all-newcomer team.
Under the direction of Musso in 2021, the team posted a 4-11-1 record, including a 4-9-1 mark inside conference play. Lindenwood compiled four shutouts during the year, which led to senior defender Jill Wipke earning All-Conference honors.
In the 2020 season, Musso guided the Lions to their most wins in his tenure, finishing with a 9-3-3 record, and a 9-2-3 mark within the GLVC. A frequent in the top 25 rankings during the season, Musso coached the team to a 5-2-1 record at home, and a 4-1-2 spot on the road. Under Musso, five Lions earned All-Conference honors, and two student-athletes collected weekly GLVC accolades. The .700 winning percentage for the season was the highest in Musso’s tenure with Lindenwood, and the eighth time in his career he has recorded a win-loss percentage of .700 or higher. Musso coached the Lions to their first-ever appearance in the Great Lakes Valley Conference Tournament in program history. In the classroom, the Lions collected GLVC Team Academic All-Conference honors.
In 2019, the team went 7-9-1 under Musso's direction, including a record of 6-8-1 within conference play. At home in 2020, the team was 4-2-1.
Musso ushered in a new era during his first season in St. Charles, Mo. in 2018, which saw the team return to postseason play for the first time since the 2016 campaign. Musso guided the Lions to a 7-10-2 record and a 4-6-1 mark from within the MIAA.
Lindenwood played some of its best soccer of the season on its home turf at Hunter Stadium, finishing the season with a 5-5-0 record in St. Charles, Mo. The Lions won three of their final four home matches, all against MIAA foes, including a 1-0 shutout victory over Northwest Missouri during the regular-season finale.
Lindenwood had two players receive all-MIAA honors following the 2018 season. Defender Jordan Wipke was selected to the all-MIAA third-team, while Morgan Weller earned all-MIAA honorable mention status.
Musso was named the women’s soccer head coach at Lindenwood in December of 2017, and started his first season at the school in 2018. Musso came to Lindenwood after 12 successful seasons as the head coach at Quincy University. He is returning to St. Charles after previously being an assistant coach for two seasons at Lindenwood.
Musso departed Quincy following the 2017 season with a coaching mark of 165-64-26 at the school, and he won the second-most games in program history. The Hawks reached the GLVC Postseason Tournament all 12 years under Musso, and they reached the NCAA Tournament 10 times. Musso won GLVC regular season titles in 2012, 2013, and 2017, and won the conference tournament in 2012 and 2013.
Musso was named the GLVC Coach of the Year four times, and was Regional Coach of the Year twice. He earned both of those honors for the 2017 season. Musso has coached 12 All-Americans, 39 all-region players, and 56 all-GLVC performers. Off the field, Musso student-athletes have captured five Academic All-American honors in 12 seasons.
In 2017, Quincy went 17-4-1 overall and captured the GLVC Regular Season Championship with a 13-1-0 mark. The Hawks, which finished the season ranked 11th in NCAA Division II, earned a 2-1 win over Bellarmine in the first round of the conference tournament, before falling to Grand Valley State in the regional semifinals.
One of his top stretches at Quincy came in 2012 and 2013 when the Hawks went a combined 34-4-6. The 2013 team reached the regional championship game and was ranked as high as No. 8 in the national polls. That 2013 team set program record for wins (18), shutouts (15), and fewest goals allowed (nine).
In his 12 seasons, Quincy finished .500 or better in every season but one. The Hawks won 12 or more games in 10 of Musso’s years at Quincy, including in his first season when Quincy won 10 more games than the previous season.
Musso’s teams at Quincy were known for their tough defense, including having a Goals Against Average (GAA) under 1.00 in 11 of his 12 years. Three of his teams ranked in the top-10 nationally in GAA, including two in the top-five. Musso also has strong recruiting ties to the St. Louis metro area, including 20 kids on last year’s roster that came from this area.
Prior to going to Quincy, Musso coached at Lindenwood for two seasons. In 2004, he was an assistant coach for the men’s team which won the NAIA National Championship. The next year, Musso helped with the women’s program, and that team went 17-3-1 and was nationally ranked.
Musso played collegiately at Quincy. The four-time letterwinner was twice named to the All-GLVC team, he earned all-region honors as a senior. Musso served as a team captain, and was named the team’s best defender in 2003. He was a two-time Academic All-GLVC honoree.
Musso graduated from Quincy in 2004 with a bachelor’s degree in sports management. In 2007, he earned a Master’s in Teaching from Lindenwood. Musso is originally from the St. Louis area, and is a graduate of De Smet Jesuit High School.
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