April 1, 2009

ATHENS, Ohio - Head coach Stacy Strauss and the Ohio soccer team has announced the addition of former Presbyterian College assistant men's soccer coach Ed Joyce to the Bobcat coaching staff beginning in the 2009 season. Joyce will replace Gina Siedentopf as graduate assistant coach.

"We are very excited to bring in an additional assistant coach with the passion, experience and knowledge that Ed brings," Strauss said. "He made an immediate and remarkable impression on our student-athletes during his brief visit to Athens, and they share in my enthusiasm about his arrival. I feel Ohio has made a real steal with this addition, and I look forward to his immediate impact on our program's success."

A native of Shefford, England, Joyce will perform a myriad of responsibilities with the Bobcats, including helping organize and run practices, opponent scouting, game breakdown, travel arrangements, recruiting and other office responsibilities.

Experienced both as a head coach on the high school level and as an assistant on the collegiate level, Joyce played four years at Erskine College, including two years as the team captain for the Flying Fleet. Following his graduation in 2006, he became the head boy's soccer coach at Greenville HS in Greenville, S.C., where he led the Red Raiders to a state championship, a perfect 27-0 record and a No. 1 national ranking by the National Soccer Coaches Association of American (NSCAA) in 2007. Greenville also set state records for shutouts, fewest goals allowed and goals given up per game. He spent the last two years as an assistant for the Blue Hose men's program.

"I'm excited to come to Ohio University," Joyce said. "This is a new challenge for me, and I am looking forward to working with a good program at a great school."

Ohio will play six more games this spring, including five at Chessa Field, as it continues its preparations for fall training later this summer. The `Cats will open the 2009 campaign Aug. 28, at Ohio State.