Ball State University Athletics
Michelle Salmon Named Head Soccer Coach at Ball State
April 21, 2006 | Soccer
Michelle Salmon, former head coach at the University of Maryland, Baltimore County (UMBC), has been named head women's soccer coach at Ball State University, according to BSU Director of Athletics Tom Collins. Salmon becomes just the second coach in Ball State women's soccer history.
"We are pleased to welcome Michelle Salmon to the Ball State University family," Collins said. "She brings several years of head coaching experience to our soccer program, and we look forward to having her begin her duties next month."
Salmon spent six seasons as head coach at UMBC. In just her second year at the helm of the program, she led the squad to the Northeast Conference Tournament finals and tutored the Retrievers to a second-place league finish with an 11-6-2 mark. She helped UMBC bounce back from a 5-11-1 record in 2002 -- its last season the Northeast Conference to a 7-8-1 record and a playoff berth in 2003 -- its first year in the America East Conference. The Retrievers qualified for the America East Conference Tournament in two out of three years under Salmon's guidance.
A former All-American in soccer at Maryland, Salmon served as UMBC's assistant coach in 1999 before being appointed head coach prior to the 2000 season.
A USSF ‘A' license coach, Salmon has served as a senior regional staff member of the United States Youth Soccer Association, where she helped evaluate players' development and impact on the regional scene. She has also been the assistant coach of the United States Under-15 National Team and served as the USYSA Under-16 regional team assistant coach.
Salmon brings a plethora of playing experience to the Ball State program. She captained the Maryland Terrapins in 1997 and 1998 and led the program to three-straight NCAA Tournament appearances from 1995 through 1997. In 1996, she was selected as a pre-season All-America candidate. She finished her outstanding career second on the Terrapins' all-time assists list. Salmon participated on the United States Olympic Festival squad in 1998 and represented the United States as a member of the Under-20 National team from 1993 to 1995, as well as the Under-16 Team in 1991.
Salmon was a high school All-American at Old Mill and was inducted into the school's Hall of Fame. She still holds the Anne Arundel County scoring record with 90 goals and 15 assists.
Salmon graduated from Maryland in 1998 with bachelor's degrees in government and politics and criminology and criminal justice. She begins her coaching duties at Ball State May 1.
