Soccer coach Marcia Oliveira to move to South Dakota
5/1/2008 6:00:00 PM | Soccer
Marcia Oliveira, who directed Bearkat women's soccer program through the program's first five years as head coach, is leaving Sam Houston State to become head coach at the University of South Dakota.
Oliveira will replace Becky Heiberger as the Coyote's women's soccer coach.
“It has been a great honor to have worked at a quality institution like Sam Houston State,” Oliveira said. “Sam Houston and Athletic Director Bobby Williams gave me the opportunity to grow professionally and personally while developing a higher level of soccer for the University.”
Oliveira was named as Bearkat women's soccer head coach on June 1, 2002, and worked for a year to prepare Sam Houston for its inaugural women's soccer season in 2003.
In 2003, the Kats were ranked sixth nationally out of the 13 first-year programs in Division I. In 2004, the team closed out the season with their first Southland Conference win by defeating Southeastern Louisiana in overtime. In 2005, the squad advanced to the Southland Conference Tournament championship game after going 5-2-1 to close out the season. This past season, Oliveira guided SHSU to a school record six wins and the program's second appearance in the SLC post-season playoffs.
“I would like to thank all the people I have worked with the past six years, especially the student-athletes on the team,” Oliveira said. “They are a good group of players that have already experienced success. Along with the new recruiting class, they can achieve even greater feats in the future. The opportunity at South Dakota is like the challenge I took on six years ago here in building the Bearkat program It is exciting, motivating, and I look forward to the opportunity to share my experience and my passion in the profession.”
Sam Houston State reached the Southland Conference finals in their first season to earn a berth in the league post-season tournament in 2005. The Bearkats upset No. 1 seed Stephen F. Austin in the semifinals before falling in the finals 1-0. Last fall, Sam Houston fell 1-0 to Texas-San Antonio in the tournament first round.
“We appreciate everything Marcia Oliveira has done for Sam Houston State. Starting from scratch, she built our program from the ground up and has taken us to a level where we are competitive each season in the Southland Conference,” SHSU Director of Athletics Bobby Williams said. “We are happy for Marcia and her new opportunity. We will begin a search for a new coach who can come in and continue to improve our program.”
Oliveira had the experience of building a completely new program prior to her arrival at Sam Houston State. In 1999 she began building a new soccer program at the University of Mary Hardin-Baylor (Texas). The team reached its pinnacle under Oliveira in 2001 by posting a 10-6-1 record and advancing to the American Southwest Conference playoffs. In three seasons at Mary Hardin-Baylor, she produced seven all-conference performers.
“The University of South Dakota is pleased to welcome coach Oliveira to the Coyote family,” said Nielsen. “We were very impressed with the work Marcia has done at Sam Houston State, building that program from the ground up and turning it into a competitive NCAA Division I program. I believe that Marcia will guide the Coyote soccer team in the right direction as we head to Division I.”
Oliveira, who is a native of Brazil, earned her bachelor's degree in psychology and exercise and sport science from Mary Hardin-Baylor in 1995. While working on her bachelor's degree, she was also a member of the UMHB women's basketball team. In 1998 she received her master's degree in physical education-pedagogy from the University of Northern Colorado. She is doctorate candidate in education leadership at Sam Houston State, scheduled for graduation in 2008.
The University of South Dakota finished the 2007 season with a 7-10-3 record overall and were 4-7-1 in the NCC. The Coyotes will begin their first year of transition to NCAA Division I in 2008.
