General 2/20/2012 5:22:00 PM

Addition of Women's Soccer Presents Another Historic First at Lehman College

Feb. 21, 2012

BRONX, N.Y. - A new day is dawning for women's soccer on the playing fields of Lehman College.

Beginning this week Lehman Athletics will look to tap into a student population that is decidedly female by starting a women's soccer team for the first time in the history of the school. Season one is set to officially begin in August and offer a full collegiate schedule of 14 home and away contests played on the South Field.

The addition of women's soccer will boost Lehman's total team offerings to 18 with nine geared specifically to the women's student body. Those currently available include basketball, volleyball, cross country, indoor and outdoor track and field, swimming and diving, tennis and softball, making Lehman one of the very few City University of New York Athletic Conference schools to provide such a large amount of team and individual sport opportunities for women.

“Lehman Athletics is excited to present yet another opportunity for our female students to get involved in the college student-athlete experience,” said Lehman Athletic Director Dr. Martin L. Zwiren. “We look forward to watching and developing those young women who choose to participate on this new team, not only as student-athletes, but as members of the Lehman College community.”

But what's a women's soccer team without a head coach? Given the responsibility of leading Lehman's first-year program will be Amanda Popoli, a former team captain of NCAA Division II Adelphi University on Long Island, who enjoyed a run to the NCAA Tournament as well as an East Coast Conference (ECC) championship during her time with the Panthers.

Following her collegiate playing career at Adelphi, Popoli was afforded the opportunity to play with an Italian “A” level professional team in Trieste, Italy, as well as with Sky Blue FC of the women's professional soccer league.

Over the last several years she has built a solid coaching reputation throughout the metropolitan region by coaching with several top local programs, including as an assistant women's soccer coach at Harrison High School in Harrison, N.Y.

“Amanda Popoli brings a great deal of energy and knowledge about the game of women's soccer to Lehman College, and we are fully confident in her ability to mentor the Lightning's inaugural program into one that will be a model for years to come,” said Dr. Zwiren.

Those students interested in trying out for the team must contact Coach Popoli by e-mail at amanda.popoli@lehman.cuny.edu or by phone at 718-960-1142.

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