Bronx, N.Y. – Fordham women's soccer coach
Jessica Clinton announced the hiring of
Shannon Neely Noel and
Ally White as assistant coaches today.
"I am extremely excited to welcome Shannon and Ally to the staff. Shannon has a terrific coaching background as she has been part of multiple championship teams at different college levels. Shannon is also extremely intelligent on and off the field and I believe will be a terrific influence on this program as we continue to establish Fordham as a dominating team within the region and the Atlantic 10," said Clinton.
Neely Noel joins the Fordham staff after a five-year stint as an assistant coach at Northwestern University (2012-2016), as well as three seasons at Grand Valley State University, where she helped guide the Lakers to two NCAA Division II National Championships.
During her time with the Wildcats, Neely Noel worked with the Northwestern goalkeepers and defense. She was instrumental in developing Lauren Clem into one of the best keepers in team history and the country. In 2016, Clem helped the Wildcats set a number of school records, including fewest goals allowed in a season (7) and most shutouts in a season (17). After just three years at Northwestern, Clem set records for goals against average in a season (0.290), best save percentage (0.927), and most career shutouts (39).
Neely Noel helped lead Northwestern to back-to-back NCAA Tournament appearances in 2015 and 2016. In 2016, Northwestern won the program's first Big Ten Regular season title. The squad's NCAA Sweet 16 run marked just the second appearance for the Wildcats in program history and the first since 1998. Northwestern finished the season 16-3-4 overall to tie the 1998 team for most wins in a single season. The Northwestern coaching staff was selected as the Great Lakes Regional Staff of the Year, after finishing the season 18th in the country and setting the 2016 NCAA single season records for GAA (0.290), team save percentage (0.927), team shutouts (17), and fewest goals allowed (7).
The Wildcats' tournament bid was bolstered by the stalwart play of the Northwestern defense, led by Clem, the program's first NSCAA All-American and Big Ten Goalkeeper of the year. She anchored a backline that saw a program-best and NCAA-leading 17 shutouts as well as a goals-against-average of 0.271 to lead the country.
While at Grand Valley State, Neely Noel helped coach the Lakers to a 64-2-10 overall record and three trips to the Division II National Championship game, which resulted in two titles and a runner-up finish. Neely worked specifically with the goalkeepers, coaching two NSCAA All-Americans, an NSCAA Scholar All-American and three Midwest Regional first team honorees.
GVSU had a stellar defense with Neely Noel on staff. In 2010, the Lakers set an NCAA record of 21 shutouts, allowing only five goals during the regular season and shut out all of its opponents in the NCAA tournament. In 2011, the team allowed just 11 goals and posted 16 shutouts.
Neely Noel also has significant experience in the Big Ten as a former player at Ohio State. During her time in Columbus, the Buckeyes made three NCAA tournament appearances, including a trip to the Elite Eight in 2004, and won Big Ten titles in 2002 and 2004. Neely earned a number of academic distinctions as she was a five-time Ohio State Scholar-Athlete and three-time Academic All-Big Ten selection.
After graduating from Ohio State in 2008 with a double-major in art and industrial design, the Dublin, Ohio, native obtained her masters of education from Grand Valley State University in 2011. She has an NSCAA Advanced National License as well as an NSCAA Goalkeeping Diploma.
Neely Noel was also a NSCAA Rising Star Selection in 2014. She participated in the 2015 NCAA Women's Coaches Academy as well as the 2011 Emerging Leaders Seminar, and she is also a member of the NSCAA, NSCAA Women's Committee and the Positive Coaching Alliance (PCA).
White is no stranger to the Fordham women's soccer program, having played for the Rams from 2011-14, and graduating with a degree in Visual Arts. She started 40 games over her career, which ranks fourth among all Fordham goalkeepers, and made all 18 starts during her senior season. In 2014, she set a personal-best with a 1.09 goals against average, which rates sixth all-time at Fordham.
Following her time at Fordham, White played overseas in France for Evian Thonon Gaillard from August 2015 until May 2016.
Following her playing career, White began her coaching career, serving as an assistant coach at Convent of the Sacred Heart High School in Greenwich, Connecticut, as well as an assistant coach at Sarah Lawrence College in Bronxville, New York. She also worked as a youth goalkeeper specialist at the club level with the Long Island Rough Riders and just finished working with the DeAnza Goalkeeper Program in California.
White holds an NSCAA Level 6 coaching license, as well as National F and E licenses, and earned an ECNL H.E.R. Scholarship.
Aside from her coaching, White has worked as a graphics designer for the Staten Island Yankees, and most recently for the San Jose Quakes of MLS.
"During the last few months of Ally's time in France (playing for ETG), she began to think about coaching as a potential next step. Since Ally's arrival back, she has been pursuing coaching in an ECNL club, high school and college level. Recently, Ally received the H.E.R. Scholarship from the ECNL that recognizes ECNL alums making a difference in youth/college soccer. It's always great to have an alum on staff, as Ally bleeds the maroon and white. She has a passion for coaching and I am thrilled to have her back," said Clinton.
