February 2, 2010  

VCU INTRODUCES TEACH AS ASSISTANT MEN’S SOCCER COACH

RICHMOND, Va. – Virginia Commonwealth University Head Men’s Soccer Coach Dave Giffard has announced that former Tusculum College Head Coach Brett Teach has accepted an assistant coaching position with the Rams.

Teach, who spent the previous three seasons at the helm of Tusculum’s men’s soccer program, joins Giffard’s staff as he is set to begin his first season at VCU this fall.

“We are very excited to add Brett to our staff here at VCU,” said Giffard.  “He has had a tremendous amount of success as a head coach over the last 20-plus years.  Building a championship staff is just like putting together a championship team.  We took a big step in that direction today with Brett coming on board.  With players, and staff alike, we try to find the most talented, hard-working people possible, and Brett certainly epitomizes the type of person we want to associate with our program.”

“I’m thrilled to be a part of VCU Soccer,” Teach said.  “I believe very strongly in the vision that Coach Giffard and the athletic department has set for men’s soccer, and I certainly feel that I can help contribute.  It’s fun to be a part of such an energetic and enthusiastic staff and I really look forward to the opportunity to help build the program and to bring the type of energy and positive experiences I’ve had at my other stops.  I feel very strongly that it will be a unique and special experience for the players and the staff.”

In just three years with the Pioneers, Teach, who inherited a Tusculum program that suspended play a year prior to his arrival in 2006, led his squads to an impressive 41-18-5 record, including back-to-back South Atlantic Conference titles and SAC Coach of the Year honors in 2007 and 2008. His team advanced to the NCAA Division II Elite Eight and turned in the program’s first-ever 20-win campaign in 2008, while finishing the year ranked seventh in the final NSCAA/adidas Division II poll.

Prior to Tusculum, Teach spent seven seasons as the head men’s soccer coach at Auburn University at Montgomery.  During his tenure at AUM, Teach guided the Senators to the NAIA National Playoffs each of his seven seasons, while posting a 139-12-6 record, including three NAIA National Runner-Up finishes, four NAIA Final Four appearances and five Elite Eight showings.

Teach also spent six seasons as head coach at Georgia State University and four years at Oglethorpe University, where he coached both the men’s and women’s squads at the Division III level.  He began his coaching career at Erskine College in 1987.

In all, Teach, who also served 10 seasons as a women’s soccer head coach at the collegiate level, has amassed a 375-208-28 record as a college head coach, including a 270-141-19 mark in 21 seasons on the men’s side.

During his successful career, Teach has been named Conference Coach of the Year nine times.  He has also received NAIA Region XII Coach of the Year and NAIA South Region Coach of the Year on four occasions, while earning NSCAA Southeast Region Coach of the Year honors in 2008 and NAIA National Coach of the Year accolades in 2000.