Teague names new women’s soccer coaching duo

VCU wanted to make a splash with the hiring of the new women’s soccer coach.

So when VCU President Eugene P. Trani asked Athletic Director Norwood Teague what Mia Hamm was up to, Teague got the picture.

Tiffany Roberts Sahaydak, a two-time National Champion at the University of North Carolina – Chapel Hill and 10-year veteran of the U.S. Women’s National Team, and Tim Sahaydak, a veteran of Major League Soccer, were named co-head coaches of the women’s team.

“These two come with quite a resume. It makes a national statement about how committed we are to athletics,” Teague said at a press conference yesterday at the Stuart C. Siegel Center yesterday.

“With these two here, the possibilities for success and growth are limitless,” he added.

Both were extremely excited to be named coach and showed pleasure with the university thus far.

“Upon our first visit here we recognized this is a place where coaches and teams will be successful. We were quickly impressed by the dedication of the team and the athletic department,” said Sahaydak, who played with teams including the Columbus Crew and DC United.

The married duo inherits a Rams squad that finished this past season 7-3-1 in the CAA and 11-6-3 overall. Former co-head coach Denise Schilte-Brown was named head coach at the University of South Florida in December.

Roberts Sahaydak feels the couple has a great opportunity at VCU.

“VCU women’s soccer has been successful in the past and has a legacy of constant improvement,” she said. “It is our goal to build upon this, and there is no doubt in my mind that we can build this team to be one of the nation’s elite.”

While every new hire expects to do big things with the new job, a couple of soccer legends called in during the press conference to share their thoughts on the hires.

UNC head coach Anson Dorrance, Roberts Sahaydak’s college coach, called in to tell of her intensity on the field. Former National Team teammate Julie Foudy also called in and expressed joy with the hiring of her former teammate and friends. Dorrance and Foudy agreed the program would go in the right direction under the couple.

Until next fall, it’s all work for the new coaches and their team as they prepare to become elite.