GREENEVILLE, Tenn. --- Tusculum University has named Vanessa Fyffe associate head women's soccer coach, announced head coach Mike Joy.
Fyffe returns to the Pioneer coaching staff after spending the past two years as assistant coach at the University of Louisiana Monroe. The 2010 Tusculum graduate succeeds Chelsea Parker, who departed in February to become head coach at Francis Marion University.
While at ULM, Fyffe coached goalkeepers and was heavily involved in recruiting, video breakdown and technical field sessions for the Warhawks, a member of the Division I Sun Belt Conference.
"First, I want to thank both coach Mike Joy and director of athletics Doug Jones for this opportunity to be rejoining the team. I am very excited to be returning to my alma mater and working with Mike again," said Fyffe. "Tusculum has always been a home away from home for me. As a coach, I cannot wait to start working with our players, building a foundation towards a great season and getting a chance to contribute to our continuing team legacy."
During her first coaching stint at Tusculum from 2013 through 2017, Fyffe helped coach the Pioneers to the 2016 South Atlantic Conference regular-season championship and five SAC Championship tournament appearances, including two trips to the semifinals. She also coached 13 players who received postseason All-Conference honors, while also overseeing the junior varsity program. Two of her goalies, Marissa Williams and Miriah Martin, earned All-SAC honors during Fyffe's first tenure with the Pioneers.
"I am tremendously excited that Vanessa is returning to her alma mater and to our coaching staff," said Joy, who is the winningest coach in SAC history with 276 victories in 23 seasons at Tusculum, and has 362 wins in 28 years as a collegiate head coach. "I know her vast experience as a player and coach will help us to reach our goals as a program. Vanessa has a great positive outlook on life, and I consider myself very fortunate to have her back on our staff."
A native of Bellbrook, Ohio, she earned a bachelor of arts degree in sport management with a minor in coaching from Tusculum in 2010. In her playing career, she played 22 games and compiled a 9-6-1 record with a 1.18 goals against average. Her career goals against average ranks as the eighth-best in program history.
As a junior, Fyffe started 16 matches and finished with 61 saves and a 1.26 goals against average spanning 1,355 minutes of playing time. That year, Fyffe was in goal when the Pioneers upset seventh-ranked Columbus State by a 2-1 score in Greeneville to win the Southeast Region championship and advance to the Elite Eight. She was a member of three Tusculum teams that appeared in the NCAA Division II Tournament, including a Sweet 16 appearance in her senior season, and was a member of the SAC Commissioner Honor Roll and Tusculum Athletic Director's Honor Roll.
Fyffe returned to Tusculum in 2013 after three seasons as an assistant coach at Division III Moravian College in Bethlehem, Pa., where she worked with the Greyhound goalkeepers. She also assisted in practice planning, recruiting, fundraising and off-season workouts during her time at Moravian. At Moravian, the Greyhounds made three straight appearances in the Landmark Conference Tournament, twice in the league semifinals along with one berth in the championship match.
Fyffe has also gained valuable coaching experience through her work with the Joy of Soccer Camp held each summer at Tusculum, along with the Mommy and Me Soccer Program for youth in the Bethlehem area. Fyffe has also been involved with Play for the Cure to raise money for the Susan G. Komen Foundation.
She received a United Soccer Coaches National Diploma in 2017, along with regional and state goaltending diplomas. Fyffe, who was a licensed FIFA referee for 10 years, earned her Masters of business administration degree from Moravian in 2012.
