Nov. 11, 2009

Pocatello, ID--Idaho State head coach Allison Gibson earned her second Coach of the Year award with the ISU soccer program. She shares the honor with Portland State's head coach Laura Schott who captured the regular season title and Northern Arizona's Andre Luciano who overcame the Bengals in the championship game for the Big Sky Tournament Title.

"It's exciting I had no expectations," said head coach Gibson. "It was a pleasant surprise."

Gibson led the Bengals to a 10-8-0 season record, her best finish at Idaho State in her fourth season. Idaho State posted a 4-3-0 Big Sky record capturing a perfect 4-0-0 record at home on Davis Field. The Bengals held its opponents to eight shots on goal at home and scored 13 goals including a 4-2 victory over Northern Arizona and a 4-0 victory over Weber State.

The Bengals finished the regular season tied for third in the regular season and advanced to the championship game of the Big Sky Tournament with a 2-1 victory over Eastern Washington. Gibson made her second Big Sky Tournament appearance, Idaho State's sixth, where three Bengals were named to the All-Tournament Team: Annamarie Hofstetter, Kacey Ball and Karissa Henage-Fisher.

Idaho State also had three players named to All-Conference Teams, including freshman Ashley Jones who was named Big Sky Newcomer of the Year. Senior Hofstetter and junior Henage-Fisher earned First Team Honors while Jones earned Second Team. Four Bengals earned Honorable Mentions.

"Obviously the other two are no brainers, a regular season champion and a tournament champion," said Gibson. "To be in that group and be noticed, for me, is an honor because it is means that the team received recognition for their time, for their achievements on the field."

Gibson's first Coach of the Year Award was in 2006 when she led the Bengals to a Big Sky regular season title and a Big Sky Tournament Title. Idaho State finished the 2006 season with a 10-9-1 record and advanced to the first round of the NCAA College Cup.

The three-way tie for Big Sky Coach of the Year is the first in conference history, only two other times has there been a Co-Coach of the Year award. Former Idaho State head coach Gordon Henderson has the most Coach of the Year Honors for Idaho State with three in 2000, 2001 and 2003.