Ian Spooner has been named the new head women's soccer coach at Greensboro, Pride athletics director Kim Strable announced.

Spooner has been employed by the Greensboro Soccer Association since 2006 as its director of player development/assistant director of coaching.

A native of Oxford, England Spooner played intercollegiate soccer at Division I Radford where he was a four-time first team all-conference player. He was also named Big South Conference MVP in his final two seasons. After graduation, he played professionally for six years in the United Soccer League.

Spooner was selected as the first-ever head women's soccer coach at NCAA Division III Bridgewater (Va.) and in two seasons of competition recorded an impressive 21-11-1, a 64% winning percentage. He also simultaneously coached the Bridgewater men's soccer team for two years before returning to his alma mater in 2001 to become the first assistant for the Highlander women's soccer program. He became the technical director for the Roanoke Valley Youth Soccer Club in 2004, and was the state head coach for the Olympic Development Program.

With more than 15 years of coaching experience, Spooner holds the NSCAA premier diploma and the USSF B license, and has been invited to join the North Carolina Youth Soccer Association coaching education staff as an instructor for state level coaching education courses.

"Ian has the right blend of experience as a coach and former player coupled with a strong interest in returning to the collegiate environment," said Strable. "We are confident he will be a popular addition to our staff and campus community."

Spooner replaces Franco Bari who returned to coach at his alma mater, St. Lawrence. GC is expected to return 13 letter-winners from a team that set a program record with 14 wins.