Gretchen Zigante Explained

Gretchen Zigante
Fullname:Gretchen Marie Zigante
Birth Name:Gretchen Marie Gegg[1]
Birth Date:6 October 1964
Birth Place:Tacoma, Washington, United States[2]
Position:Goalkeeper
Youthclubs1:Bellarmine Lions[3]
Collegeyears1:–1986
College1:North Carolina Tar Heels
Collegecaps1:21
Collegegoals1:0
Clubs1:Fujita Tendai SC Mercury
Nationalyears1:1986–1990
Nationalteam1:United States
Nationalcaps1:2
Nationalgoals1:0
Manageryears1:1990
Managerclubs1:Colorado College Tigers (assistant)
Managerclubs2:Shiroki FC Serena (goalkeeping coach)
Manageryears3:1995–1997
Managerclubs3:Cal State San Bernardino Coyotes
Manageryears4:1998–1999
Managerclubs4:San Diego State Aztecs (assistant)
Managerclubs5:Sereno Soccer Club
Manageryears6:2002–2006
Managerclubs6:Cornell Big Red (assistant)
Manageryears7:2006
Managerclubs7:Cornell Big Red (interim)
Managerclubs8:TC United
Manageryears9:2018–
Managerclubs9:Wasatch Wasps

Gretchen Marie Zigante (; born October 6, 1964) is an American former soccer player who played as a goalkeeper, making two appearances for the United States women's national team.

Career

During college, Zigante played for the North Carolina Tar Heels, where she was the starting goalkeeper in her senior season of 1986 where the team won the 1986 NCAA Division I Women's Soccer Tournament.[4] She later joined Japanese club Fujita Tendai SC Mercury, where she spent five seasons before retiring.[5]

Zigante made her international debut for the United States on July 9, 1986 against Canada in a play-off for the 1986 North American Cup title (a friendly tournament). The match, which lasted 30 minutes, was won by the U.S 3–0 to win the tournament.[6] Her second and final cap came on July 27, 1990 in a friendly match against Canada.[7]

Zigante holds a U.S. Soccer B coaching license, and previously held an A license.[8] After graduating from college, Zigante began working as an assistant coach for the Colorado College Tigers,[9] where she primarily focused on goalkeeper training. After retiring from her playing career, she started working as a goalkeeping coach in Japan with Shiroki FC Serena for two years. She later returned to the U.S., becoming the head coach of the Cal State San Bernardino Coyotes in 1995,[10] where she won the Coach of the Year award from the California Collegiate Athletic Association. She later served as the assistant for the San Diego State Aztecs, before joining the youth team Sereno Soccer Club where she helped coach, develop youth curriculum, and manage the program. In 2002, she joined as an assistant coach for Cornell Big Red, before leading the team as the interim head coach during the 2006 season.[11] [12] [13] She also founded and coached TC United in Ithaca, New York. In 2018, she became the head coach of Wasatch High School Wasps women's soccer team in Heber City, Utah.[14] [15]

Personal life

Gretchen is married to Nenad "Ziggy" Žigante, a former Croatian footballer and coach born in Yugoslavia. They have two children,[16] with her daughter Susana also playing soccer as a goalkeeper. With eligibility through her father, she is capped to the Croatia national team.[17]

Career statistics

International

United States
YearAppsGoals
198610
199010
Total20

Honors

United States

Notes and References

  1. Web site: 2001 North Carolina women's soccer media guide . . 63 . 2001 . August 4, 2022 . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20220804004657/https://unc_ftp.sidearmsports.com/custompages/old_site/mediaguides/w-soccer/01history.pdf . August 4, 2022.
  2. News: Pentz . Matt . Michelle Akers, Hope Solo headline Washington Youth Soccer's 50th anniversary team . . July 20, 2016 . August 9, 2019 . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20161016032818/http://www.seattletimes.com/sports/reign/michelle-akers-hope-solo-headline-washington-youth-soccers-50th-anniversary-team/ . October 16, 2016 .
  3. News: All-Time WA Women's Roster . Washington Youth Soccer . July 18, 2016 . August 9, 2019 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20190810005632/http://www.washingtonyouthsoccer.org/all-time_wa_womens_roster/ . August 10, 2019 .
  4. Web site: 2010 Carolina Tar Heels Women's Soccer Media Guide . . 2010 . August 9, 2019 . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20190810005639/https://s3.amazonaws.com/sidearm.sites/unc.sidearmsports.com/documents/2017/7/5/2010WomenSoccerMG.pdf . August 10, 2019.
  5. News: . Gretchen Zigante Named Assistant Women's Soccer Coach At Cornell . . March 22, 2002 . August 9, 2019 . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20190810005643/https://cornellbigred.com/news/2002/3/22/032202aaa_5442.aspx . August 10, 2019.
  6. News: This Day in Football from 9–15 July . CanadaSoccer.com . . July 9, 2012 . August 9, 2019 . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20190809041856/https://www.canadasoccer.com/this-day-in-football-from-9-15-july-p151267 . August 9, 2019.
  7. Web site: 2019 U.S. Women's National Team Media Guide . . 2019 . August 9, 2019 . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20190808074101/https://d1dhn91mufybwl.cloudfront.net/downloads/pdfs/fdxnf1dwi/fdxnf1dwi_print.pdf . August 8, 2019.
  8. Web site: Advanced & Junior Goalkeeping . Lake Placid Soccer Centre . July 31, 2010 . August 9, 2019 . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20190810005647/http://lakeplacidsoccer.com/homepage/?p=404 . August 10, 2019.
  9. Web site: 1990 Women's Soccer Roster . . August 9, 2019 . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20190810005650/https://cctigers.com/sports/2015/6/29/WSOC_0629154949.aspx?id=1050 . August 10, 2019.
  10. Margaritis appointed acting coach . The Friday Bulletin . . July 21, 1995 . August 9, 2019 . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20190810005636/https://core.ac.uk/download/pdf/55331596.pdf . August 10, 2019.
  11. News: . Zigante Named Interim Women's Soccer Head Coach . College Sports Live . February 13, 2006 . August 9, 2019 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20190810005654/http://www.cstv.com/sports/w-soccer/stories/021306aae.html . August 10, 2019.
  12. News: Cornell Women's Soccer History . . August 16, 2007 . August 9, 2019 . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20190810005658/https://cornellbigred.com/news/2007/8/16/wsoc_25yrs.aspx . August 10, 2019.
  13. News: Drucker . Jeremy . . Zigante Takes Helm of Women's Soccer . College Sports Live . . September 12, 2006 . August 9, 2019 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20190810005702/http://www.cstv.com/sports/w-soccer/uwire/091206aao.html . August 10, 2019.
  14. News: Marsing . Steve . Wasatch Names New Head Women's Soccer Coach . Wasatch High Athletic . January 10, 2018 . August 9, 2019 . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20190810005706/https://wasatchhighathletics.com/2018/01/10/wasatch-names-new-head-womens-soccer-coach/ . August 10, 2019.
  15. News: Bristow . Kenny . . Wasatch's first-year girls soccer coach already building for second season . . October 10, 2018 . August 9, 2019 . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20190810005709/https://www.deseretnews.com/article/900036183/wasatchs-first-year-girls-soccer-coach-already-building-for-second-season.html . August 10, 2019.
  16. Web site: Nenad Zigante . . August 9, 2019 . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20190810005713/https://cornellbigred.com/coaches.aspx?rc=394 . August 10, 2019.
  17. News: Women's Soccer Inks North Carolina, U-19 Croatian National Team Goalkeeper . . February 17, 2012 . August 9, 2019 . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20190810005717/https://gculopes.com/news/2012/2/17/WSOC_0217124215.aspx . August 10, 2019.

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