Coaches
Megan Link
Assistant Coach
linkmega@msu.edu
884-1689
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Megan Link joined the Michigan State women’s soccer staff in 2021 alongside head coach Jeff Hosler, and enters her third season working as an assistant coach and goalkeeper coach in East Lansing in 2023. She spent two years working alongside Hosler at Grand Valley State University, and assists in team training sessions, video breakdown and recruiting.
In 2023, Link helped lead the Spartans to a 14-5-3 overall record and 7-1-2 mark in Big Ten play. MSU captured its second-straight Big Ten title and advanced to the NCAA Sweet 16 for the first time in program history. Five Spartans captured All-Big Ten honors, highlighted by Justina Gaynor's Midfielder of the Year selection and Bella Najera's Freshman of the Year award, while three student-athletes were named All-North Region by the United Soccer Coaches.
Link was the primary goalkeeper coach for MAC Hermann Trophy Semifinalist, two-time United Soccer Coaches All-American and two-time Big Ten Goalkeeper of the Year Lauren Kozal. In the 2022 campaign, Link led Kozal to unanimous B1G Goalkeeper of the Year accolades while simultaneously helping steer the Spartan program to its first Big Ten Regular Season title in program history and a 17-3-3 overall record. Link, in addition to the rest of the coaching staff, garnered United Soccer Coaches North Region Staff of the Year honors in 2022.
During her first season in East Lansing in the fall of 2021, the Spartans experienced a rapid turnaround and ascended to fourth place in the Big Ten league table despite going 1-10-1 in the previous season. MSU finished with an impressive 10-5-3 ledger and hosted a Big Ten Tournament quarterfinal game for the first time since 2002.
In an abbreviated 2020-21 season, she helped GVSU to a 6-1-1 overall record, including a GLIAC Tournament title. Link was also selected and graduated from the United Soccer Coaches prestigious program, 30 under 30.
"I have been really fortunate to work closely with Megan the last couple of years and excited to have her join me at Michigan State. She is a proactive learner and has grown into one of the best young coaches at any level. While having an expansive role at GVSU, she is an elite goalkeeper trainer. Familiarity with each other and the continuity of culture and ideas will be a huge benefit to this program," Hosler said of Link.
In 2019, the Lakers won the NCAA Division II National Championship and the coaching staff earned United Soccer Coaches National Staff of the Year. Under the guidance of Link, GVSU goalkeeper Jessica Radice earned D2CCA All-America honors and garnered all-conference honors. During that national championship season, the Lakers recorded 19 shutouts, leading the nation in scoring defense.
Prior to coming to GVSU, Link was the head coach at Southwest Baptist (NCAA Division II) for four seasons. During her tenure, the Bearcats compiled a team GPA of 3.5 or higher in all four years, while she helped produce two United Soccer Coaches All-Region players, 16 All-MIAA players and two first-team CoSIDA Academic All-District honorees. She also guided her team to a Top-25 ranking in the United Soccer Coaches national poll.
In 2014, she began her coaching career, serving as a goalkeeper coach for the Missouri Youth Soccer Association and ODP soccer for one year before joining the staff at Quincy (NCAA Division II) as the assistant coach.
Link was a four-year starter as a goalkeeper for the Bearcats as a player.
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