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Pamela Kalinoski enters her sixth season as head coach at the University of San Francisco and has all the factors in place to lead the Dons to their best finish ever in the demanding West Coast Conference. San Francisco looks to return to their 2004 form, when they had their best conference finish since 1997. Kalinoski hope to guide the Dons to their elusive first berth in the NCAA Tournament. For five consecutive years, Kalinoski has successfully recruited talented players capable of not only competing at the national level but of excelling, "The pieces are beginning to fall into place for this program to not only rise to the top of the WCC, but to remain a powerhouse for years to come." says Kalinoski. Since her arrival on the Hilltop, Kalinoski has coached five All-WCC performers and one All-West Region selection. Success in the classroom and in the community is also of extreme importance. During her watch, USF has responded with a Community Service All-American (Alana Healy, 2004) and three have earned All-WCC Academic selection. Last season an unprecedented 16 players were named to the WCC Commisioner's Honor Roll (3.0 GPA or higher). No less an authority than North Carolina coaching legend Anson Dorrance, who continues to dominate the women's soccer landscape, believes Kalinoski possesses leadership traits necessary to succeed at an elite level. "I loved her as a player, not just for what she does on the field. She was great for chemistry, which is why I knew she would be a great coach. She has a dynamic energy that recruits can't help but respond to. She brings a wealth of knowledge to her job," Dorrance stated. Kalinoski enjoyed a tremendous playing career at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, playing for one of the true dynasties in collegiate sports. Kalinoski competed on a Tar Heel's team that won four consecutive NCAA women's soccer titles without losing a single match, posting an incredible 89-0-5 record. After her four years at Chapel Hill, Kalinoski left as the school's all-time assists leader (51) and served as team captain during her senior season and also earned Offensive MVP honors in the 1991 NCAA Championships. Kalinoski ranks in the top-25 in several career and single-season records, including career assists (51) and points (101). An exceptional playmaker, Kalinoski holds Tar Heel records for most assists in a match (5) and most consecutive matches with an assist (12) and tallied 28 assists during her senior campaign, good for second in the single-season record books. Kalinoski finished her career as the NCAA's career assists leader with 51 before the record was broken by Mia Hamm two years later. While at UNC, Kalinoski teamed with soccer legends and 1999 World Cup team members Mia Hamm, Kristine Lilly, Carla Overbeck and Tisha Venturini to form one of the most impressive squads ever assembled. The Tar Heels posted and dominated the sport in such a way it was recently rated as one of the premier dynasties in 20th Century American Sports by Sports Illustrated. Named team captain as a senior, she earned Second Team All-American honors in 1991 and was also selected to the All-ACC Tournament squad. |
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