HEAD WOMEN’S SOCCER COACH CLAY GLASGOW STEPS DOWN; HIRED TO LEAD WOMEN’S PROGRAM AT SOUTHWEST MINNESOTA STATE
MITCHELL, S.D. – Dakota Wesleyan University Head Women's Soccer Coach Clay Glasgow announced today that he is stepping down from his current position with the Tigers and has been hired immediately to lead the women's soccer program at NCAA Division II Southwest Minnesota State University in Marshall, Minn.
Glasgow leaves behind an impressive record with 51 wins in eight seasons at DWU. His teams were able to reach three Great Plains Athletic Conference (GPAC) postseason appearances including back-to-back trips in 2020 and 2021. He coached a remarkable number of outstanding athletes including 11 NAIA All-American Scholar-Athletes and 19 All-GPAC selections, with a notable five All-GPAC First Team selections for Megan Johnson, Alyssa Weidler, and Jozy Bardsley. In the classroom, Glasgow's program achieved five-straight National Soccer Coaches Association of America (NSCAA) Team Academic Awards from 2014 to 2018.
About his move to SMSU Coach Glasgow stated, "Dakota Wesleyan University is a special place to work. I would like to take this moment and sincerely thank former athletic director Curt Hart and current athletic director Jon Hart for the opportunity to lead Dakota Wesleyan women's soccer over the past eight years. Without the guidance and support from staff members, I would have never received the exposure needed to be successful. The team, those young, empowered women will forever hold a special place in my heart. Thank you for all the wonderful memories that I will have for the rest of my life."
In his initial season in 2014, Dakota Wesleyan was selected by fellow coaches to finish last in the preseason conference polls. Yet the first-year head coach, with the help of DWU senior forward Johnson, paced the program to its third 10-or-more win seasons in school history while posting a record of 10-9-1. The Tigers culminated that season with a trip to the GPAC semifinals after upsetting Midland University in the opening round. Meanwhile, Johnson finished her illustrious offensive career with a multitude of school records including points per game, goals per game, assists per game, goals per season, and points per season.
The 2020-21 team also reached new heights under Glasgow's direction racing to a 4-0 record to begin play and matched the Tiger's best start since the 2010 campaign in which Dakota Wesleyan notched 16 wins. DWU's fast start was highlighted by a 3-2 home victory over Hastings College, its first win over the Broncos in nearly a decade. The program also tallied seven GPAC wins, a program-best under the Sioux Falls, S.D., native. Senior forward and three-time all-conference forward, Weidler, who rewrote the DWU record for career goals scored at 40, led the Tigers to their first postseason appearance in six years.
In 2021-22 Dakota Wesleyan reached the postseason for the first time in a decade, though fell in a heartbreaker via penalty kicks versus Briar Cliff University in the conference quarterfinals. Glasgow once again netted nine victories on the season thanks to a 7-1 mark at home, while a trio of Tigers were selected to the all-conference team led by Bardsley. Bardsley ender her career as a two-time All-GPAC First Team honoree and registered 14 goals this past fall.
Tiger athletic director Jon Hart stated, "I would like to thank Clay for a tremendous eight years of service to DWU and the women's soccer program. He has been a cornerstone of culture and character during his time on campus." Hart went on, "He is the ultimate player's coach and team player within our department. We are going to miss him greatly, but we couldn't be happier for him and his new opportunity!"
Glasgow will begin his new position at Southwest Minnesota State on March 7. The search for the next head coach of DWU women's soccer will begin immediately.
