Gustavus hires Redlands assistant

Gustavus Adolphus has named Laura Burnett-Kurie the new head coach of its women’s soccer program. Burnett-Kurie, a 2008 graduate of William Smith, is replacing Mike Stehlik, who resigned at the conclusion of the 2011 season after serving as the head coach of the women’s soccer program for 22 years.

“This is a tremendous honor and I feel fortunate to be part of this great Gustavus community,” stated Burnett-Kurie. “After my time on campus, it is evident a strong winning environment has been established within the athletic department and I look forward to building on the previous successes of the women’s soccer program as we work our way back to competing for MIAC championships.”

Burnett-Kurie added, “I would like to thank Al Molde, Tom Brown and the rest of the staff for providing me with this opportunity and making Gustavus such a desirable place to work. I am looking forward to new challenges and continued growth.”

A licensed member of the National Soccer Coaches Association of America, Burnett-Kurie brings a great deal of energy and passion to the Gustavus women’s soccer program. Most recently, she has been the assistant women’s soccer coach at Redlands since August 2010. In addition to her coaching responsibilities, she is pursuing a master’s degree in higher education. While on staff for the Bulldogs, Burnett-Kurie served as the team’s director of recruiting and assisted in all aspects of the day-to-day operation of running a high caliber NCAA women’s soccer program. Redlands compiled a mark of 22-15-1 overall and 13-11-0 within the Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference during her two seasons with the program.

Before taking the job at Redlands, Laura served as an assistant coach for the Gettysburg women’s soccer program for the 2009 and 2010 seasons. At Gettysburg, Burnett-Kurie assisted in all aspects of team management and was specifically responsible for the in-season and offseason strength and conditioning programs for the team. She also prepared and facilitated the basketball, volleyball, and lacrosse offseason workout programs, utilizing SPARQ training sessions to improve speed, power, agility, reaction and quickness.

As a college player, Burnett-Kurie epitomized an elite NCAA Division III student-athlete, excelling both on the pitch and in the classroom. At William Smith, Laura was a four-year starter and captain (2007) for the Heron women’s soccer program from 2004-07. During her tenure on the field, she helped lead the team to the program’s first Liberty League championship, one ECAC championship, and two NCAA Tournament appearances. William Smith went a combined 56-13-8 within that time, as Burnett-Kurie became the fifth women’s soccer player in Heron history to reach the 100-point milestone, registering 42 goals and 18 assists over her career. After being named Liberty League Rookie of the Year in 2004, she went on to be a two-time NSCAA Third Team All-American (2006, 2007), and the Liberty League’s Player of the Year in 2006.

In addition to her accomplishments on the field, the Durham, N.H. native also garnered numerous academic honors. Laura was an ESPN The Magazine/College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA) Academic All-America honoree in 2005, a three-time CoSIDA Academic All-District honoree (2005-07), and a three-time Liberty League All-Academic performer.

After graduating cum laude with a degree in psychology in May of 2008, Laura continued to play soccer at a competitive level for the Adirondack Lynx, a semi-pro team in the Women’s Premier Soccer League (WPSL), during the summer of 2009. She helped the team to the playoffs for the second time in the squad’s four-year history and garnered WPSL All-Eastern First Team honors.

“We are extremely pleased that Laura has accepted our offer to become our new head women’s soccer coach,” said Gustavus athletic director Al Molde. “She is bright, articulate, and talented. Coupled with her excellent soccer skills and high energy level, we believe she will be an outstanding head coach. We look forward to working with Laura to take Gustavus women’s soccer to the next level.”

Laura Burnett-Kurie becomes the fifth head coach in the 30-year history of the Gustavus women’s soccer program. The Gusties have compiled an all-time record of 305-201-47 (.558), winning five Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference championships and making eight NCAA Tournament appearances.

In addition to her responsibilities as the head coach, Burnett-Kurie will also teach in the Health and Exercise Science Department. She will begin her new duties immediately.

Macalester hires former D-I coach

Macalester announces the hiring of Michele Cornish as women's soccer coach. Cornish takes over the program from interim coach Jemma Perkins, who directed the team during the 2011 season.

Cornish, a former Macalester assistant, was head women's soccer coach at NCAA Division I UNC-Asheville from 1994 to 2010 and since 2010 has been girls' soccer head coach at Shattuck-St. Mary's School in Faribault, Minn. She was an assistant under John Leaney at Macalester in 1991.

She will begin her duties at Macalester on April 2.

“Coming back to Macalester is truly a full-circle experience for me,” said Cornish. “Without my time, as an assistant coach, under former head coach, John Leaney, I would not have had the opportunity to coach at UNC Asheville for so many years. The Mac program gave me my start, and I intend to continue the tradition of success that Macalester has come to expect from its women's soccer program. I'm looking forward to joining a closely knit community of students, faculty, and staff, and to embracing all that Macalester has to offer."

Cornish became head coach of the UNC-Asheville program in 1994, and at the age of 26, was one of the youngest coaches in the nation upon her hiring. However, she quickly made an impact with the young Asheville program that was in its third year of existence.

In 1995, she led the Bulldogs to the Big South Conference championships and school-record 16-5 mark. Asheville finished the season in second place in the league standings and advanced to the league title game for the first time. Cornish led the Bulldogs to back-to-back Big South Conference regular-season titles in 2004 and 2005. In 2006, she guided Asheville to the Big South Conference title and a trip to the NCAA Tournament. The women's soccer team became the first female team at Asheville to ever go to the NCAA championships. She finished her Bulldog career with 134 victories, making her not just the all-time winningest coach at UNC Asheville but the Big South, as well. Cornish led Asheville to the Big South Conference title game seven different times and was a two-time Big South Conference Coach of the Year.

As a student-athlete, she played at George Mason and won the Division I national championship in 1985 by defeating UNC Chapel Hill. Prior to her college career, she was selected to the first U.S. representative women's soccer team to play in China, and was the team's youngest player and leading scorer during the tour.

Cornish and her husband Steve have two children, Cameron 18, and Cheyney 13.

Cortland names Axtell interim coach

Steve Axtell has been named SUNY Cortland's men's soccer interim head coach, according to director of athletics Mike Urtz. Axtell replaces Dwight Hornibrook, who is leaving Cortland after eight seasons to accept a position as major gift officer at Houghton College. Hornibrook previously coached men's soccer at Houghton from 1995-2003 before coming to Cortland.

Axtell has served as an assistant coach at Cortland the past two seasons. He also was a volunteer student assistant coach during the 2007 season.

A goalie for the Red Dragons for three seasons (2006, 2008-09), Axtell earned All-SUNYAC honors in 2008 and appeared in 39 career games with nine shutouts. He earned a bachelor's degree in kinesiology in 2008 and is currently pursuing a master's degree in exercise science.

A native of Franklin, N.Y., Axtell holds an Advanced National Diploma and an Advanced National Goalkeeping Diploma from the National Soccer Coaches Association of America (NSCAA) with Distinguished Pass and is a member of the NSCAA Goalkeeping Staff. He is also a certified strength and conditioning specialist and has received a conditioning for soccer diploma from the International Coaches Association. Axtell is the founder and director of the One+ Goalkeeper Academy in Ithaca, N.Y., with programs in Elmira and Oneonta and summer camps throughout the Northeast.

Besides assisting with both the men's and women's soccer programs at Cortland, Axtell has served as the head coach of the Central Region scholastic soccer team at the Empire State Games and the WAZA FLO soccer club in Ithaca. He has also served as the goalkeeper coach and the U16 girls' coach of Empire United of the United States Youth Development Academy and acted as director of soccer at Camp Winadu in Mass. for two years and Ithaca MicroSoccer for one year. Currently, Axtell is head coach and Director of Goalkeeping at the TCW Academy in Ithaca and an ODP Region One staff member.