When Daryl Gross hired his new women’s soccer head coach, Phil Wheddon, he wasn’t concerned that Weddon could not start fulltime until August.

After all, Weddon, currently an assistant on the U.S. women’s national team, might be bringing an Olympic gold medal with him.

‘I would rather him come two weeks before the season starts than not be a part of the Olympics,’ Gross said by phone. ‘I just like this. This is for the long term.’

Wheddon, who has already won a gold medal with the U.S. women’s team in 2004, was hired Wednesday as the third women’s soccer head coach in Syracuse history. This will be his first head coaching job after 15 years on the sidelines.

Wheddon will begin his full-time responsibilities as head coach sometime in August following the Beijing Olympics, provided the Americans qualify. The U.S. has never missed an Olympic games since women’s soccer was included in 1996.

And even though he’s a little busy this summer, Wheddon knew this was the right fit.

‘It’s been on my mind,’ Wheddon said by phone from California. ‘It’s the logical step. I’ve been a goalkeeper coach, I’ve been an assistant coach, I’ve done a combination of the two. And this is the next step. This is an opportunity I couldn’t pass up.’

Wheddon takes over for Pat Farmer, who resigned on Jan. 25 following a 7-8-4 (3-6-2 Big East) season. Farmer tallied a 23-41-13 record in his four seasons as head coach.

It is the eighth head coach hired by Gross since becoming athletic director in December 2004.

Wheddon will inherit a team that hasn’t won more than three games in the Big East in a single season since 1998. Syracuse hasn’t had an overall winning record since 2003 and has qualified for the NCAA tournament twice in its 12-year existence.

But the Basingstoke, England-native Wheddon said the Orange can compete in the Big East.

‘Obviously you need to walk before you can run,’ he said. ‘I think that it’s unrealistic to be very successful in the conference and to move on and make the NCAA tournament.’

What Gross likes about Wheddon is obvious: his experience. Having spent six years on the staff of both the U.S. women’s and men’s national teams made him an attractive candidate.

‘He’s worked with some of the best players in the world, if not the best players in the world, for a long time,’ Gross said.

Wheddon came highly recommended, too, Gross said. Former U.S. men’s national coach Bruce Arena and current UCLA women’s soccer coach Jill Ellis all spoke to Gross about Wheddon’s qualifications.

Rising senior forward Amanda Arcuri said she noticed an immediate difference in the team’s demeanor once the players knew of the hiring and the resume Wheddon brings.

‘It doesn’t get any better than that,’ Arcuri said. ‘The whole team is really excited. You could tell just in practice that everyone was feeling better.’

Wheddon mentored current Everton F.C. goalie Tim Howard when he served as goalkeeper coach for the NY/NJ MetroStars of the MLS in 2000. And before that, he coached at Southern Connecticut State, which won the men’s Division II titles in 1998-99.

But he is perhaps best known for what happened during this past fall’s Women’s World Cup, when he served as goalkeeper coach. Before the U.S.’s semifinal match, Manager Greg Ryan replaced starting goalie Hope Solo, who had started every game for the U.S. prior to that, with veteran Brianna Scurry. The Americans lost to Brazil, 4-0.

Ryan was eventually fired after Solo publicly called him out. Wheddon, who developed a close relationship with Solo, remained on the staff.

‘Your role as the assistant coach is to support the head coach, whether you agree with that decision or not,’ Wheddon said. ‘That was the stance I took, and I still stand by that. I’d expect the same from my assistant coaches.’

His first assistant coach, Robyn Pepicelli, will continue running operations in Syracuse until Wheddon arrives. Pepicelli has been on SU’s staff for two years and will remain under Wheddon. The two have been in close communication, Wheddon said. He plans to watch game tape from every Syracuse game during the past two seasons before he makes it to campus.

Gross has no concerns about Wheddon’s lack of head coaching experience. (‘For me, he’s got more experience than a lot of head coaches out there.’)

And the allure of perhaps another gold medal is what excites Gross the most.

‘He’s going to have a tremendous recruiting advantage over a lot people because of the people he’s been exposed to,’ Gross said. ‘If you want to be an Olympian, why would you not come play for Phil? He knows exactly what it takes to be an Olympian.’

magelb@syr.edu

Published on March 26, 2008 at 12:00 pm