Aug. 21, 2002

Cape Girardeau - Three-time co-captain and 2001 Ohio Valley Conference Player of the Year Beth Guccione was named as the new assistant coach for the Southeast Missouri State women's soccer program on August 20, 2002 by Head Coach Heather Nelson.

Guccione finished an outstanding career as a goalkeeper for the Otahkians by leading the team to a program and conference best 16-2 record and OVC regular season championship in 2001. Along the way Guccione amassed impressive individual statistics, including recording 13 solo shutouts which ranked her third all-time in NCAA Division I history for solo shutouts in a season. She also recorded a .72 shutout percentage which ranked her second all-time in that statistical category for a season. Besides being named OVC Player of the Year, and becoming the first goalkeeper to ever win that award, Guccione was named to the Soccer Buzz All-Central region third team. She left the program as the all-time statistical category in every goalkeeping category.

"Beth will be an outstanding addition to the coaching staff," said Nelson. "For the first time in the history of our program we will have an assistant coach with Division I goalkeeping experience. Beth's playing background and inner drive to be successful will be a motivating factor for the entire team."

Guccione graduated from Southeast Missouri with a degree in computer science in May.

On the field Guccione will be in charge of the goalkeepers, becoming the first true goalkeeper coach in the program's short three-year history. Off the field Guccione will assist Coach Nelson with recruiting duties.

Guccione replaces Kelley Poole who served as the main assistant for two seasons and who left her position in January to become the first ever women's soccer head coach for Austin Peay State University.