Sources: Pensky's replacement at Maryland women's soccer may come from within

By Charles Boehm

The University of Maryland women’s soccer program was hit with a gut punch last week when longtime head coach Brian Pensky succumbed to a second, improved offer from the University of Tennessee and left College Park to take over in Knoxville.

Initial reaction to his departure centered around the major gap it revealed between the two programs’ budgets, and the possibility that Pensky’s move might threaten the dramatic progress made by the Terrapin women over the past four years, with some fans worried about the potential loss of top recruits given the timing of the departure, which was finalized less than a week before national signing day.

But UMd fans have subsequently been relieved to see that well-regarded assistant coaches Laurie George and Jonathan Morgan have not followed Pensky to Tennessee. In fact, sources have informed Potomac Soccer Wire that many current players have spoken up on behalf of the coaching staff, increasing the likelihood that Pensky's replacement could come from within the program.

The same sources report that Morgan is seeking the position and has already been interviewed by the university, though additional interviews with other candidates - believed to all be current coaches of other NCAA Division I programs - are taking place over the next several days. An announcement should be expected sometime next week.

Though the identities of these other candidates are not known, fan discussion on local forums and blogs naming West Virginia boss Nikki Izzo-Brown and Georgetown University coach Dave Nolan would appear to be off the mark, based on our information.

Izzo-Brown has led the Mountaineers to two consecutive Big East championships and it may take a very tempting offer to lure her away from a program she built from scratch over 16 years in Morgantown.

The same goes for Nolan, who enjoys deep roots and a supportive environment in Northwest D.C. and may not see reason to leave that behind for a bigger, but more tumultuous setting at Maryland, where budget cutbacks have nearly the entire athletics department walking on eggshells.

Former Maryland star Michelle Salmon, presently in her fourth year at the helm of the Cincinnati Bearcats women, is also rumored to be a contender, as is another prominent female coach.

But all signs point to support of Morgan, who is apparently the players' favorite, which may be key, as several Pensky-recruited 2012 recruits postponed signing of National Letters of Intent earlier this week to wait to see who is named.

[ +Visit the Terps' women's soccer home page here ]