As the 2002 soccer season approaches, BYU's women's soccer coach Jennifer Rockwood gets set for her eighth season at the helm of the women's soccer program.
Entering the 2002 season coach Rockwood ranks fifth among active coaches by winning percentage. She has averaged 18.6 wins per season in five of the eight years coaching. That average ranks second behind only Anson Dorrance of North Carolina for wins per season. Dorrance has won an average of 22.2 matches per season.
For the past six years she has guided her team to four conference championships and five straight appearances in the NCAA Championships beginning with the 1997 season. The Cougars have had two "Sweet Sixteen" finishes in 1998 and 2000, both times losing to Santa Clara. Last season the team lost to Nebraska in second round action. Her many honors include two Coach of the Year honors, by the WAC in 1996 and in 2000 by the MWC.
During the 2000 season she became the first MWC coach to eclipse the 100-win total on Sept. 23 with a 2-0 victory over Milwaukee-Wisconsin.
Under Rockwood's tutelage, a long list of All-American soccer players have emerged from BYU's program. Among them are two that are current players of the newly organized Women's United Soccer Association. Maren Hendershot plays for the San Jose Cyberrays and Shauna Rohbock with the San Diego Spirit. Other noteworthy All-Americans include Aleisha Cramer Rose, Staci Reynolds and Michelle Peterson.
Prior to becoming the head coach, Rockwood led BYU's highly successful club soccer team for seven years. In her final two years, she took her teams to first place in the Western National Collegiate Club Soccer Association (NCCSA) championships and to second place in the NCCSA national championships.
The Lake Oswego, Oregon, was a three-sport athlete in soccer, basketball, and track. After one year at Ricks College on a basketball scholarship, she transferred to BYU
Where she was a four-year starter at center midfield on the Cougars' club team.
Rockwood has also coached in the Utah ODP, the youth club's and at the high school level.
Rockwood's Record (13 Years at BYU)
Club team/years: 128-25-9/6
Division I/years: 126-33-3/7 (.777)
1995 Record: 11-8-1
1996 Record: 22-1-0
1997 Record: 19-4-0
1998 Record: 20-5-0
1999 Record: 21-4-0
2000 Record: 19-4-1
2001 Record: 14-7-1