Aug. 18, 2003
FAIRFAX, VA ... Laura Allen has joined the George Mason University women's soccer team as an assistant coach.
Allen joins the staff of 12th-year head coach Jac Cicala and will assist in all aspects of the program, including on-field coaching, recruiting and administrative duties. Allen, who played for the Patriots under Cicala, will specialize as the goalkeeper coach for the Patriot women.
Allen, 24, returns to the Patriots after a year at Jacksonville State (AL) University as the goalkeeper coach. The Lady Gamecocks posted their best-ever record in 2002 with a mark of 12-6-2, and they ranked fourth in the nation for shutouts. In addition, goalkeeper Amanda Stephens was named to the Atlantic Sun Conference All-Freshman team.
A 2001 George Mason graduate with a degree in physical education, Allen was working toward a master's degree in adaptive physical education at Jacksonville State. In addition to her Patriot coaching duties, she also coaches area club soccer teams and is an instructor at the Soccer Academy.
Playing behind All-American Jaime Pagliarulo, Allen was a member of the Patriot women's soccer team for three seasons (1997-98, 2000) and saw action in three games during her sophomore year. George Mason was 26-14-5 over the 1997-98 seasons, reaching the NCAA Tournament "Sweet 16" in 1997, and allowed just 43 goals in the 45 contests. Allen also played three seasons as a goalkeeper for the Mason women's lacrosse team (1998-2000), seeing action in 11 games.
Allen earned all-county, all-area and all-region first-team honors as a sophomore at Basking Ridge (NJ) High School, setting the school record with 13 shutouts, before her family moved to Greenwood Village, CO. A 1997 graduate of Arapahoe High School, she was injured during her junior season and did not play as a senior. She did play 13 years of youth soccer in several stops across the United States.
The George Mason women, who have 14 letterwinners returning, were 10-11 overall and 7-2 in the CAA last year and advanced to the CAA Tournament championship game.
