Just nine days after Boston College women’s soccer head coach Alison Foley resigned as the winningest coach in school history, the program was dealt another monumental blow.
On Tuesday afternoon, sophomore forward and ACC Midfielder of the Year Sam Coffey announced via Twitter that she would be transferring to Penn State to finish out her career with the Nittany Lions.
“To my Boston College family: thank you for two unforgettable years. I’ll always be an Eagle,” Coffey wrote. “With God guiding my way, I can’t wait to start the next chapter of my life at Penn State!”
Penn State followed with a press release, announcing Coffey would arrive in State College, Penn., with two years of eligibility.
“We are thrilled to welcome Sam to our Penn State women’s soccer family,” Nittany Lions head coach Erica Dambach told GoPSUSports.com. “She has a tremendous work ethic and, through her two years at Boston College, she has already established herself as one of the best players in the country. We’re looking forward to adding her to our already talented roster for the 2019 season.”
Coffey enjoyed an unforgettable run with the Eagles, piling up 58 points in two seasons—17 goals and 24 assists. A Hermann Trophy semifinalist this season, Coffey led the conference in scoring, points per game, and goals per game. She’s one of just four players in BC history to be named a semifinalist, joining the elite company of Kristie Mewis, Kelly Henderson, and Laura Georges.
While the Eagles are coming off an impressive year that culminated in a NCAA Tournament appearance, Penn State remains a step up. The Nittany Lions are three years removed from a national title and finished the 2018 campaign with a loss to eventual champion Florida State in the NCAA quarterfinals.
Coffey’s move will send waves through the roster. Her role in guiding BC to a 14-win season could not be exaggerated, and the Eagles now face the difficult task of adjusting to life without her and their leader in Foley. It’s been an eventful two-week run for the program, which has gone from boasting unbounded optimism for another strong year in 2019 to staring down a plethora of question marks.
Featured Image by Kaitlin Meeks / Heights Editor
