Loyola Names Barry Bimbi Head Women's Soccer Coach

CHICAGO -- Barry Bimbi, who has spent the last four seasons as an assistant women's soccer coach at the University of Pittsburgh, has been named head women's soccer coach at Loyola University Chicago, Loyola Assistant Vice President and Director of Athletics Dr. M. Grace Calhoun announced today. Bimbi, a native of Pittsburgh, Pa., brings 14 years of NCAA Division I coaching experience to Rogers Park.

"Barry emerged from a strong pool of candidates due to his breadth of past experiences and ability to articulate a vision for the program which paralleled our internal vision," Calhoun said. "Barry is not only well respected within the collegiate soccer community, but he also understands the importance to Loyola's mission of a highly integrated co-curricular experience. I want to welcome him, his wife, Melissa, and their children, AJ and Lena, to the Loyola family."

Bimbi spent the last four seasons as an assistant women's soccer coach at the University of Pittsburgh, where he served as the program's recruiting coordinator and was in charge of player development. In each of the past two seasons, the Panthers have developed an All-Big East Rookie Team player, marking the only two occasions in program history that accomplishment has occurred.

In 2009, Pitt finished with an 8-5-5 overall record during a breakthrough season in which the Panthers received their first-ever national ranking by Soccer America, checking in at No. 25 in September. Bimbi helped the team earn victories over nationally ranked teams such as Ohio State and Connecticut as well play to a tie against Notre Dame, which eventually reached the NCAA Final Four.

Prior to his time at Pittsburgh, Bimbi served as an assistant coach on the men's soccer staff at Marquette University and in 2002, helped the Golden Eagles to a 10-8-1 ledger. During his four-year stay at Marquette, Bimbi mentored 10 total All-Conference USA selections and helped recruit a pair of National Soccer Coaches Association of America (NSCAA) High School All-Americans. While at Marquette, he served as the program's recruiting coordinator, oversaw player development and coordinated academic activities.

Bimbi began his coaching career at his alma mater, spending six seasons at Saint Francis (Pa.), as an assistant on the men's staff. There, he helped lead the Red Flash to the program's first-ever back-to-back winning records in Northeast Conference play and aided in the recruitment of four academic All-Americans.

Bimbi has also coached several Olympic Development teams and earned his USSF "A" license in 2005.

"I am honored to be chosen to lead the women's soccer program at such a great university like Loyola," Bimbi said. "Dr. Calhoun's energy and enthusiasm for where the athletics department is headed was very evident and contagious throughout my interview process. I would be remiss if I did not thank the search committee for giving me this opportunity and I am looking forward to arriving on campus and getting to know the team before final exams."

A 1994 graduate of Saint Francis (Pa.), Bimbi earned four All-Northeast Conference honors as a player, including first team recognition as a junior. He led the conference in scoring as a freshman and was a three-time team captain. In February, Bimbi was inducted into the Saint Francis (Pa.) Athletics Hall of Fame.

Bimbi and his wife, Melissa, are the proud parents of a son, AJ, and daughter, Lena.

(Release courtesy of LoyolaRamblers.com)