Jamaica, N.Y.  Suzy Strazzulla was named assistant coach for the St. Johns womens soccer team, it was announced today by head coach Ian Stone.

We are very please to announce the addition of Suzy Strazzulla to the womens soccer coaching staff, Stone said. Her knowledge and experience of the womens game at all levels, and nationwide, will prove to be an invaluable asset to our program.

Strazzulla comes to St. Johns after serving as an assistant coach at Manhattan College for the 2001 season. Manhattan advanced to the semifinals of the MAAC Tournament and finished the year with an 8-9-1 overall record and 5-4 in the MAAC, tying the school record for conference wins. Strazzullas other Division I coaching experience came as an assistant coach at Long Beach State from 1998-99.

Strazzulla also played professionally last season as a goalkeeper for the New York Power of the WUSA.

In 2000, Strazzulla played for the San Diego Womens Football Club and helped lead the team to the Womens Premier Soccer League title. She also played four years with the Southern California Womens Blues team, which were semifinalists at the Amateur Regionals in 1999. Strazzulla was a member of a U.S. traveling team which played in Italy, Cuba, Costa Rica and Guatamala during 1999 and 2000.

Strazzulla played at California State-Fullerton from 1995-96 and is the Titans all-time career shutout leader (9), goals against average leader (1.42), and all-time saves leader (183). She recorded 13 saves against Pacific on September 22, 1995, the second most in school history.

A native of Southern California, Strazzulla graduated from Cal State-Fullerton in 1998 with a degree in kinesiology and a minor in coaching.