Coaches
Tony Economopoulos
Head Coach
wsoccer@mercer.edu
(478) 301-2060
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Tony Economopoulos was hired as the sixth head coach in Mercer women’s soccer history on Feb. 22, 2012. In his 11 seasons at the helm , Economopoulos has led the Bears to a 115-77-31 overall record, 53-26-17 mark in conference action (Southern Conference & ASUN Conference) and the best winning percentage in program history (.577). With a 2-0 win over Furman in the 2019 regular season finale, Economopoulos won his 100th career match. As a head coach, he is 125-118-31 (.510) at two institutions.
In his eleven seasons in charge, Econompoulos has mentored numerous players that have received both athletic and academic accolades. Off the pitch, he has coached three CoSIDA Academic All-District selections in Jordyn Ebert (Spring 2021), Maddie Clark (2016) and Maggie Cropp (2015). Clark was also named a NSCAA Scholar All-South Region selection in 2016.
On the field, Economopoulos has had a player represented on the All-Conference teams in the Southern Conference and Atlantic Sun 37 times while seeing his players represented on All-Tournament teams 19 times. Additionally, his student-athletes have been honored with Player of the Week accolades 17 times with Kendall Cook being the most recent selection on Feb. 23, 2021. During Mercer's time in the Atlantic Sun under Economopoulos, the Bears had four all-academic selections.
Email: wsoccer@mercer.edu
Collegiate Coaching Experience
February 2012-Present – Mercer University
Women’s Head Coach
2009-12 – Georgia Southwestern
Women’s Head Coach
2007-09 – Oklahoma State University
Women’s Assistant Coach/Recruiting Coordinator
2003-07 – Bowling Green State University
Men’s Assistant Coach
Interim Men’s Head Coach
Recruiting Coordinator
2001-03 – Western Illinois University
Men's Assistant Coach
Men's/Women's Goalkeeper Coach
Recruiting Coordinator
Coaching Accolades at Mercer
2022
Lead Mercer to a 9-4-7 (4-1-4 SoCon) record that featured a trip to the SoCon conference semi-final appearance
Undefeated at Home
Seven wins, three draws
34-7 goal differential
Instructed five All-SoCon Performers
First Team All-SoCon: Jada Moorman
Second Team All-SoCon: Nicole Icen, Ciara Whitely, Kylie Buchanan
All-Freshmen: Lindsay Bell, and Jada Moorman
Trained two SoCon All-tournament Team members
Jamie Hlebec
Lindsay Bell
Coached three Academic All-District team
Kylie Buchanan, Mackenzie Gassie, Jamie Helbec
Mentored Jada Moorman to stellar freshmen season
First team All-SoCon
2x SoCon Offensive Player of the week
7 goals and 2 Assists
Aided in the development of Goalkeeper Lindsay Bell.
Started in all 20 games of the Season
83.2% save percentage and 94 saves
SoCon Defensive Player of the Week
Six shutouts this season
2021
Led Mercer to 7-6-5 record that featured an appearance in the SoCon Tournament Semifinal
Mentored Jordyn Ebert, who was second in the SoCon in shutouts (7) and fifth in saves with 78
Ebert and Payton Schurr were tabbed to the all-Tournament team following the SoCon All-Tournament
Instructed six All-SoCon performers
Second Team: Kylie Buchanan (Defender), Ally Fordham (Forward), Schurr (Midfielder) and Ciara Whitely (Midfielder)
All-Freshman: Chandler Lewis-Jenkins and Lana Whitfield
Recorded eight shutouts on the season
2020-21 (COVID-19 forced the season to span the fall and spring semesters)
Led the Bears to an 8-10-1 record and 5-3 mark in SoCon play.
Helped the Bears to a SoCon semifinals appearance as the No. 4 seed
Coached six All-SoCon performers
First Team All-SoCon: Brie Pavol (Defender)
Second Team All-SoCon: Jordyn Ebert (Goalkeeper), Ally Fordham (Forward), Aliah Kitchens (Forward) and Ciara Whitely (Midfielder)
SoCon All-Freshman Team: Kendall Cook (Forward)
Trained two all-tournament honorees, Nicole Icen and Payton Schurr
Led a team that ranked first in the Southern Conference in points (103), goals (36), assists per match (1.63) and saves (96)
Aided in the development of Fordham who scored nine goals. Fordham's nine scores placed her 27th nationally, and her five match-winners led the conference and tied her for second in the country.
Coached one of the Southern Conference's best newcomers, Kendall Cook. Cook was 38th nationally with six assists, scored 20 points to lead the conference, had a hat trick against Wesleyan (Feb. 11), was the league's Offensive Player of the Month in February and a SoCon All-Freshman team member.
Guided Ebert, the SoCon's leader in saves with 96. Her 96 stops ranked fourth nationally, and her 5.05 saves per match placed her 59th among all NCAA Division I student-athletes.
2019
Went 16-4-0 overall and 7-2 in SoCon play
Named the 2019 SoCon Coach of the Year
Guided the Bears to a single-season program record 16 wins
Mentored the first Bear to earn SoCon Player of the Year honors in Nicole Icen
Eight players earned All-SoCon Honors
All-SoCon First Team: Nicole Icen, Abigail Zoeller
All-SoCon Second Team: Ciara Whitely, Megan Delmonico
SoCon All-Freshman Team: Amaya Evans, Nicole Icen, Ciara Whitely
SoCon All-Tournament Team: Elizabeth Hargis, Payton Schurr
Earned a program best 65th ranking in the RPI
Finished the season with a perfect 11-0 mark at Betts Stadium. The Bears were one of seven teams to win every home match they played.
One of 16 teams with 16 or more wins on the season
Under his guidance, Mercer recorded nine shutouts
2018
Led the Bears to a 9-7-4 (4-3-2 SoCon) record
Three Players earn All-SoCon honors
All-SoCon First Team: Abigail Zoeller
SoCon All-Freshman Team: Kylie Buchanan and Payton Schurr
Program earned the NSCAA Team Academic Award
2017
Guided Mercer to a 10-10-1 (3-5-1 SoCon) record
Three Players earned All-SoCon honors
All-SoCon Second Team: Megan Delmonico
SoCon All-Freshman Team: Sarah Adcock, Ally Fordham
Earned the NCAA Public Recognition Award
Mercer placed seven student-athletes on the Fall Academic All-Conference Team
2016
Guided Mercer to 10-9-1 (6-3-0 SoCon) record
Team was one win away from reaching third consecutive SoCon Tournament title match
Ended the regular season on a six-match win streak (five shutouts) after starting the season 3-8-1
Three players earned All-SoCon honors
All-SoCon First Team: Maddie Clark, Corinne Wooten
SoCon All-Freshman Team: Megan Delmonico
Mentored Maddie Clark to stellar senior campaign (14 goals, 30 points, five game-winning goals)
Saw Clark earn NSCAA Scholar All-South Region Third Team, CoSIDA Academic All-District First Team, All-SoCon First Team and SoCon All-Tournament Team honors
Program earned its 15th consecutive NSCAA Team Academic Award
Led all SoCon women’s soccer teams with 13 student-athletes named to Fall Academic All-Conference Team
2015
Went 9-8-4 and advanced to Southern Conference Tournament Championship match for the second time in as many seasons
Six players earned All-SoCon honors
All-SoCon Second Team: Maddie Clark, Maggie Cropp, Katelyn Dimopoulos
SoCon All-Freshman Team: Jorden Christensen, Haley McDuffee
SoCon All-Tournament Team: Maddie Clark, Maggie Cropp, Sarah Daane
Program earned its 14th consecutive NSCAA Team Academic Award
Maggie Cropp named CoSIDA Academic All-District First Team selection, becoming the first player in program history to earn first team honors
2014
Captured SoCon Tournament title in Mercer’s first year as a league member en route to the program’s second-ever NCAA Tournament appearance
Set program single-season wins record with 14-6-2 mark
Ended season with highest RPI in program history
Four players earned All-SoCon honors
All-SoCon First Team: Maggie Cropp
All-SoCon Second Team: Sarah Daane, Washida Blackman, Lauren Gassie
SoCon All-Tournament Team: Maggie Cropp (Tournament MVP), Washida Blackman, Sarah Daane, Lauren Gassie
Finished season ranked in NSCAA Southeast Region (No. 9) for the first time in program history
Program earned its 13th consecutive NSCAA Team Academic Award
2013
Went 10-8-3 overall en route to a runner-up finish in the Atlantic Sun Conference Championship
Three players earned All-ASUN honors
All-ASUN Second Team: Washida Blackman, Lauren Gassie
ASUN All-Tournament Team: Washida Blackman, Rachel Buffalo
Program earned its 12th consecutive NSCAA Team Academic award
Brianna Stampler earned ASUN Academic All-Conference Team honors
2012
Set a then-program record for most wins in a single season after guiding Bears to a 13-5-3 record in his first season as Mercer head coach
Advanced to ASUN Championship title match for fifth time in six seasons after finishing second in conference’s regular season standings
Past Coaching Accolades:
Georgia Southwestern
Guided team to program’s conference wins record in 2010
Set GSW program record for most wins over a three-year span (2010-12)
Saw his 2011 team earn NSCAA Team Academic Award & NSCAA Ethics Sportsmanship Silver Award, the first time in program history for each award
Oklahoma State University
Helped guide Cowgirls to two consecutive NCAA Tournament appearances (2007, 2008) and a program-best No. 7 national ranking in 2008
Team claimed its first-ever Big 12 Conference regular season championship (2008)
Mentored & trained four 2008 All-Big 12 players, including three All-Big 12 First-Team selections
The 2008 team set program record with 18 wins while leading nation in goals per match and ranking third nationally in goals scored (74)
Bowling Green State University
Served as the program’s top assistant for four seasons
Also served as the program’s recruiting coordinator
Was the National Soccer Coaches Association (NSCAA) All-Great Lakes Regional Chair
Helped BGSU reach the Mid-American Conference Tournament title match in first year on staff
Briefly served as Interim Head Coach in 2004, helping Falcons earn recognition as one of the most improved NCAA Division I women’s soccer teams in the country
Western Illinois University
Nominated for the AFLAC Insurance National Assistant Coach of the Year Award in 2002 after helping lead WIU to the 2002 Mid-Continent Conference Tournament title match
Coaching Awards/Licenses
2019 Southern Conference Coach of the Year
2002 AFLAC Insurance National Assistant Coach of the Year nominee
USFF National “B” License
USFF National “C” License
Professional Playing Experience
USISL
Oklahoma City Slickers
Oklahoma City Warriors
Greek Super League
Olympiakos F.C. (Trials)
A.E.K. Athens (Trials)
Collegiate Playing Experience
1993-96 – Oklahoma City University
Education
2004 – Western Illinois University (M.S., Sport Medicine)
1997 – Oklahoma City University (B.A., Communications)
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