Dave Poggi gone! Leaves Nationally Ranked Recruiting Class Behind

[NewsCopy]

LOUISIANA La. - The University of Louisiana announced Friday that head women's soccer coach Dave Poggi will not return for the 2005 season. Poggi is leaving the University effective June 30, 2005.

Poggi, who guided the Cajuns to their best overall record in 2004, has coached the Ragin' Cajuns since their inaugural 2000 season, compiling a 27-56-6 overall record and an 11-25-2 record in the Sun Belt Conference.

The search for a new head coach will begin immediately.

LOUISIANA SI

[NewsCopy]

University of Louisiana women's soccer coach Dave Poggi, who founded the Ragin' Cajun program in 2000 and coached for five seasons, had his contract terminated by the university Friday.

Poggi said Friday he received a certified letter saying that his contract was not going to be renewed. His current contract expires June 30.

"I was a loyal employee," Poggi said, "and I am very disappointed with this decision and how it was handled."

In a statement Poggi released Friday, he said that some parents of current and former Cajun players brought pressure on UL president Dr. Ray Authement and athletic officials to remove him from the position.

UL director of athletics Nelson Schexnayder would not comment on the reasons for Poggi's dismissal, but did say a final decision was made in the last two days.

"We have been talking about the future of the soccer program for some time," Schexnayder said.

Poggi's teams compiled a 27-56-6 record in his five seasons and an 11-25-2 mark in the Sun Belt Conference. He inaugurated the program in the fall of 2000 and compiled a 2-14 record, and the Cajun women followed with marks of 6-10 in 2001, 6-9-3 in 2002, 6-13-1 in 2003 and 7-10-2 last year.

"I'm very grateful to have had an opportunity to start and successfully build a regionally-recognized program in such a short time," Poggi said in his statement, printed here in its entirety. "The true benefit of any university program and how it should be ultimately measured is its results in the classroom, the community and on the playing field.

"Academically, I couldn't be more proud of what this program has accomplished with one of the highest team GPA's in the athletic department. In the community, we have taken an active volunteer role, and in several areas have led the way. For the last five years my players and I have worked with school reading programs, Special Olympics, Boys and Girls clubs and youth soccer organizations.

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Dan McDonald
dmcdonald@theadvertiser.com

[JMV JustMyView]

We sure are losing alot of coaches lately. Mens basketball coach who wasn't legit, then volleyball, then soccer. What is the status of coach Hall we can't afford to lose him to?

[sandra]

We sure are losing alot of coaches lately. Mens basketball coach who wasn't legit, then volleyball, then soccer. What is the status of coach Hall we can't afford to lose him to?

If we lose coach Hall, Nelson J. Schexnayder needs to be fired.

[JMV JustMyView]

If we lose coach Hall, Nelson J. Schexnayder needs to be fired.

Even if we don't lose another coach he still should be fired.

[NewsCopy]

LOUISIANA La. - The Louisiana Ragin' Cajun soccer team has something to look forward to.

The 2005 recruiting class has been ranked No. 21 in the Central Region and No. 78 in the nation by Soccer Buzz Magazine.

The Cajuns' incoming class was ranked higher than conference rival Denver, the only other Sun Belt school in the Central Region to be ranked.

The team's national rankings also were ahead of the other conference schools.

The source of the story

[shof]

Does anyone on this board have any "inside scoop" on the decision not to retain Poggi? I saw the article when I was in town saturday; but not much else. Some parents/players liked him, other didn't. That's all I've seen.
Shof