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Brooks Monaghan
Heading into the 2000 season, Brooks Monaghan took over the University of Memphis Women’s Soccer program in hopes of taking it to new heights. Twelve league championships, 11 NCAA Tournament berths, 10 All-American honorees, 118 All-Conference selections and 279 wins later, Monaghan has molded the program into a national brand.
On what his one lasting impression on the program would be and why when he first took the job in 2000, Monaghan said, “I would like my student-athletes to know that I gave everything I had to make this program better. I would want the young ladies to leave here knowing that they not only grew as players, but also as people."
That vision has come to fruition as Monaghan, who has earned Conference Coach of the Year distinction in 2007, 2011 and 2019, has seen the Tigers flourish on and off the field since his tenure began back in 2000.
Monaghan and staff were named as the United Soccer Coaches All-South Region Staff of the Year in 2022 following the team's historic Round of 16 run in the National Tournament. The Tigers would defend their crown as the reigning AAC Champions while shutting out No. 10 Saint Louis and Mississippi State in the opening two rounds of the NCAA Championship route to the program's deepest postseason trip.
Memphis has claimed 14-straight National Soccer Coaches Association of America/United Soccer Coaches Team Academic Awards, seven American Athletic Conference Team Academic Excellence Awards, the 2009 C-USA Sport Academic Award, 18 Academic All-America awards and 40 Academic All-District selections. Since Monaghan’s first season in 2000, the team has recorded a composite grade point average of 3.1 or higher. At the end of the 2020-21 academic year, the Tigers posted their 42nd consecutive term with a 3.0 GPA.
In 2016 the Tigers added another honor to the list, posting the highest GPA in all of Division I Soccer during the 2015-16 academic year. The team GPA of 3.70 was the program’s highest ever, after Memphis posted a 3.60 in 2014-15 and in 2009-10.
On the field, team and individual success have become the norm in the Monaghan era. His 279 wins rank 12th among active Division I coaches who have spent their careers at one institution.
The Tigers returned to the NCAA Tournament six times (2022, 2021,2020, 2019, 2018 and 2016) since five straight C-USA Championships and NCAA Tournament appearances from 2007-11. Individually, Memphis has had seven AAC Players of the Year (Mya Jones, 2020 Midfielder of the Year; Grace Stordy, 2020 Rookie of the Year; Clarissa Larisey, 2019 Offensive Player of the Year; Elizabeth Moberg, 2019 Goalkeeper of the Year; Mya Jones, 2019 Rookie of the Year; Olivia Gauthier, 2018 Defensive Player of the Year; Kylie Davis, 2014 Midfielder of the Year), and 14 C-USA Player of the Year winners (five offensive/three defensive/two midfielder/four freshman). The program has added 46 All-AAC picks and 14 All-AAC Rookie selections, 34 All-C-USA picks, 16 All-C-USA Freshman Team selections, nine All-Americans and one Lowe’s Senior CLASS Award honoree. Monaghan also coached his first World Cup player as 2018 senior Chanel Hudson-Marks played represented the Tigers on Jamaica’s Senior National Team in the country’s first Women’s World Cup appearance in June of 2019.
The 2022 season marked one of the most historic in program history as they Tigers made their fifth consecutive NCAA Tournament appearance following their second straight American Athletic Conference Championship. Memphis, who finished the season with a 11-5-6 overall record, would record 10 shutouts during the season while outscoring their opponents by 17 goals. After the Tigers collected a 1-0 overtime win against SMU for the AAC Championship, Memphis would go on to shut out (10) Saint Louis and Mississippi State in the first two rounds of the NCAA Tournament to reach the Round of 16 for the first time in program history. Grace Stordy, Mya Jones and Haylee Spray would collect All-AAC First Team honors while Jocelyn Alonzo and Momo Nakao were named to the Second Team. Stordy and Jones would go on to be named as United Soccer Coaches All-South Region selections.
Following a shortened 2020 season (played in Spring 2021) where the Tigers made their fourth consecutive NCAA Tournament appearance, Memphis would go on to collect a 14-5-2 record and an outstanding 10-1-1 home record in 2021. The team recorded five Power 5 wins during the season, including a 3-0 shutout of LSU in the opening round of the NCAA Tournament - the first hosted by the Tigers at the Track and Soccer Complex on the University's South Campus. Memphis would also collect their second American Athletic Conference Tournament trophy - which was also against South Florida in Tampa back in 2018. Elizabeth Moberg, Saorla Miller, Kimberley Smit, Caroline Duncan and Haylee Spray were all named to the AAC All-Tournament Team while seven found their named All-AAC.
In its 25th season in program history, the 2019 Tigers continued to break records. Memphis captured the 2019 AAC regular-season title, its second championship in as many years, and earned their third trip to the NCAA Tournament in the last four years. The Tigers' 16 regular-season wins stand as the second-most in program history, while their 12 shutouts throughout the season tied for third in the program record book. With the addition of stadium lights, Memphis women's soccer found a new home facility in Park Avenue Campus and called the complex home for a full season on the UofM campus – the first time since 2000. The Tigers defended home turf behind a 10-1-0 mark, including a perfect 9-0-0 run in the regular season, and earned the No. 1 seed and host bid of the American Athletic Conference Championship after winning the regular-season crown.
Six Tigers garnered All-Conference honors at the end of the 2019 season, including Clarissa Larisey (forward), Elizabeth Moberg (goalkeeper) and Mya Jones (rookie), who earned categorical Player of the Year Awards. Memphis also gained national recognition in postseason awards, as Larisey and Stasia Mallin each earned First Team All-America honors, while the trio of Larisey, Mallin and Moberg were named Academic All-Americans.
The 2018 season served as one of the most successful campaigns in program history, capped by the Tigers claiming their first league tournament title in The American and punching their seventh trip to the NCAA Tournament. The Tigers thrived in environments away from home, going 9-0 in true road games and 3-0 in neutral site matches. At the end of the regular season, the Tigers had a school-record seven student-athletes named to AAC All-Conference teams. Olivia Gauthier was named the league’s Defensive Player of the Year. In addition, Serena Dolan, Clarissa Larisey and Marie Levasseur earned First Team All-Conference recognition. Catherine Levasseur and Elizabeth Moberg were named Second Team All-AAC, while Tanya Boychuk was listed to the conference’s All-Rookie Team.
In Memphis’ route to capturing its first AAC tournament title, Chanel Hudson-Marks (Most Outstanding Defensive Player), Clarissa Larisey (Most Outstanding Offensive Player), Marie Levasseur and Stasia Mallin garnered All-Tournament Team honors. Through the conference tournament, Memphis boasted one of the best offenses nationally. The Tigers’ 50 goals ranked fifth nationally, while their scoring offense (2.5 goals per game) ranked eighth. Between the posts, Elizabeth Moberg’s 13 shutouts was tied for first nationally and set a single-season record for clean sheets by a sophomore. Defensively, the Tiger defense limited opponents to 7.1 shots per game as opponents averaged just 0.65 goals per game.
The 2017 season saw continued success for the team and for Monaghan after an 11-6-3 season that came with six All-Conference performers. Elizabeth Woerner and Marie Levasseur were named to the first-team, Olivia Gauthier and Jessica Lisi were named to the second team and Clarissa Larisey and Elizabeth Moberg were coined to the All-Rookie Team. With the third conference victory of the season, Monaghan claimed his 100th career conference victory.
Memphis returned to the NCAA Tournament in 2016 after finishing with a 14-5-1 record and earning the program’s first at-large selection. The Tigers posted an unbeaten home record for the first time in program history with an 8-0-1 record, while the only tie was against Big 12 opponent Oklahoma State. Forward Valerie Sanderson became the program’s all-time goals (52) and points (122) leader after a stellar senior campaign where she scored 16 goals and totaled 39 points.
The 2013 campaign saw Memphis dawn a new era, joining the American Athletic Conference, and the Tigers still managed to post 10-plus wins for the 10th-straight season. In 2012, Monaghan passed the 150-win plateau as the UofM posted a 10-8-1 record.
The 2011 season went down as the best in school history and marked a fifth-consecutive NCAA Tournament appearance. Memphis climbed as high as No. 3 in the national polls, the program’s highest ranking. The 2011 squad surged through the non-conference schedule with a 7-0 mark and won the C-USA title with a 10-0-1 record. The squad advanced to the NCAA Tournament second round, where it suffered its lone loss in a 22-1-1 season.
Prior to taking the head coaching duties, Monaghan served as the program’s goalkeeping coach for former head coach Les Szabo. Monaghan was a vital part of Szabo’s staff during the program’s first four seasons.
When Monaghan became the Tigers’ goalkeeper coach, he was already familiar with the demands of running a successful college soccer program, having enjoyed tremendous success during his playing career at Memphis. The former Tigers' goalkeeper still holds school records for season (11) and career (24) shutouts. His 298 saves rank second all-time, and he is second in single-season goals-against average (0.80 in 1992).
He was named All-Great Midwest Conference first team in 1992, after leading the Tigers to a share of the conference title. In 1993, Monaghan was named the Defensive MVP of the league’s championship game, helping the Tigers to the tournament crown and their first NCAA Tournament appearance. His 38 goalkeeper wins still stand as the school’s career record.
A former prep standout at Christian Brothers High School in Memphis, Monaghan’s collegiate play earned him a spot on the United States U20 National Squad. Monaghan also played professionally, spending two seasons with the New Orleans Gamblers from 1995-96 and one with the Memphis Express in 2002.
A Memphis native, Monaghan received his bachelor’s degree in business management from Memphis in 1994. He and his wife, Mary, reside in Collierville and have two children, Brooks IV and Charlie Elizabeth.
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