August 8, 2008
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Carole Grills
(413) 585-2703

Stephanie Gabbert Named Smith College Soccer Coach

Northampton, MA: Director of Athletics, Lynn Oberbillig, announced today that Stephanie Gabbert has been appointed soccer coach at Smith College. Gabbert, who has fourteen years of collegiate coaching experience and served as the assistant soccer coach at The Ohio State University this past season, will assume her duties at Smith on August 11.

Gabbert began her coaching career in 1989 at the University of Missouri where she served as the assistant coach for one season before taking the head coach position at Northeast Missouri State University in 1991.  In 1993, she joined the staff at the University of Wisconsin.  She assumed the head job at the University of Iowa in 1996 and received Big Ten Conference Coach of the Year accolades in 1999. In 2000, Gabbert moved to Iowa State University as the head coach for two seasons.  Prior to joining the staff at The Ohio State University, Gabbert was a National Staff coach for the U.S. Women's National team program for four years, coached the U-15 Girls U.S. National Team in 2004-05 and was the director of the U-14 National Team program.

Gabbert was a member of the U.S. Women's National Team pool from 1987-1994, a U.S. Olympic Festival participant for four years, inducted into the University of Missouri-St. Louis Sports Hall of Fame in 2005 and received NCAA First Team All-America honors at her alma mater.  She has attained her USSF "A" coaching license, is a USSF national instructor, served as the NIKE Premier 50 Camp Director in 2006 and served as an Olympic Development Program (ODP) Regional Team coach for seven years.

Gabbert looks forward to joining the Smith program as she hopes to "influence the total development of student-athletes in a supportive yet challenging environment that will ultimately prepare them for lifetime challenges."  "We are forunate to have someone of Stephanie's credentials coaching our soccer team", stated Oberbillig. "Her background in coaching education, her commitment to the student-athlete experience and her ability to recruit young women make Stephanie an asset to Smith College."

Gabbert received her Bachelor of Arts Degree with a major in Psychology and minor in Politcial Science from the University of Missouri in 1990 and is currently pursuing a Master's Degree in City and Regional Planning and Public Policy at The Ohio State University.