Soccer coach Julie Cochran resigns

By Chan Tran
Daily Forty-Niner

In the aftermath of falling short of the Big West title this past season, Long Beach State women's soccer has suffered another heartbreak.

Head Coach Julie Cochran, the 2000 Big West Conference Coach of the Year, announced Tuesday that she will not be returning next season.

"Coaching is an all-consuming job, which it has to be when you create something out of nothing," Cochran said. "It became mentally and physically more of a toll on my body than I expected."

The announcement was made at a meeting on Tuesday with the team and coaching staff present, said junior defender Kim Domen, who was the first player to hear the news.

"I found out before the meeting," Domen said. "It's definitely a shock. I wasn't expecting it at all."

"This was very sudden, she kind of caught everybody off guard by the announcement," said Steve Janisch, sports information director. "I think everybody in the department will be saddened when they find out."

Cochran led the 49ers to a third-place league finish this past season with a 4-2-2 record. On the season the team was 7-8-3, but missed the Big West Championship because of two league ties.

In her three years with the 49er program, she had a record of 23-32-2. This past season produced first-time wins over league powerhouses Pacific (4-1) and Cal Poly (1-0).

"Julie built this program from the ground up and has turned LBSU women's soccer into a force in the Big West Conference," said Bill Shumard, director of athletics.

Cochran said she will move back to Northern California where her family is and plans on pursuing other interests.

"Her family ties are very strong," Janisch said. "There might be other factors but those are the only reasons she gave us."

Janisch said that Cochran has parents up north and a sister in Sacramento. He said that the program would start a national search as soon as possible to find a replacement.

Domen expressed remorse about the departure but said she feels positive about the future.

"I started the program with her and I thought I would go four years and watch her grow with me," Domen said. "But since we have a solid foundation with a lot of returning players, it's something we can work through."

Junior defender Amber Glende said that falling short of the Big West title was not a factor in Cochran's decision.

"Without her, I don't think a lot of us would be here," Glende said. "She built a foundation for the program. I'm a better player for having her as a coach."

George Allen Field waits for next season without the driving force of past glories and Long Beach State women's soccer has lost the anchor to their successes.

"I've done my absolute, very best and gave 100 percent always," Cochran said. "I'm very sad to be leaving the student athletes and I'll miss the relationships I have developed with them."