Boateng named MVSU women's soccer coach

ITTA BENA, Mississippi – The beginning of a new era for the Mississippi Valley State women's soccer program has begun.

N. Fabio Boateng has been named the third head coach in school history for the Devilettes, succeeding Sonia Curvelo who recently accepted the same position at Cleveland State. Boateng will take over a MVSU soccer program that won a SWAC Tournament championship in 2012 and a berth in the NCAA Tournament, the third in school history.

He arrives at MVSU after a successful four-year stint at Lincoln University in Pennsylvania, where last season he led the Lady Lions to a school-record 8-5-2 finish.

Last season, two Lincoln University student-athletes were named Second Team All-Atlantic. Boateng also coached the 2013 ECAC Division II Women's Soccer Rookie of the Year (Christian Harris) and Tara O'Brien, who was tabbed ECAC All-Star. Not only did the Lady Lions excel on the playing field, but also in the classroom. Three Lincoln University women's soccer student-athlete were selected Honorable Mention to the 2013 NSCAA College Division Women's Scholar All-East Region Team for maintain above a 3.30 cumulative grade point average. Also, the Lady Lions were honored with the 2012-13 Team Academic Award from the National Soccer Coaches of America for accumulating a 3.48 GPA during the 2012-13 academic term.

Prior to his time at Lincoln, Boateng served for two seasons as an assistant coach at Converse College in Spartanburg, S.C. At Converse College, a NCAA Division II institution, he was instrumental in all of the program's operations, including recruiting, game planning, scouting and game-day managing. Converse earned its second All-Converse honor under his guidance.

He also served as the head coach in South Carolina at Boiling Springs High School during the 2010 spring season and led the boy's to their most successful season ever. It included six conference wins and a trip to the second round of the state championships. Four players were named to the all-region team, a first in school history.

Prior to his stint at Converse and Boiling Springs, Boateng served as a graduate assistant for two seasons at Division I Virginia Commonwealth University. During the 2006-07 year, all 15 students he mentored maintained a 2.5 GPA or higher required by the NCAA.

From May 2004 to August 2006, Boateng served both the men's and women's soccer programs at the University of Ghana. While assisting the men, he became the first head coach of the women's program. The women were 23-5-2 and earned two goal medals (2004, 2006) at the Ghana University Sports Association Games, the equivalent of NCAA titles in that country.

During that period, he transformed from player to coach, as he was a four-year starter at the University of Ghana from 2000-2004, which included a gold medal in West Africa's University Games in his freshman season and an appearance in the finals in his senior campaign.

Boateng holds a Bachelor of Arts in political science and a minor in the study of religion from the University of Ghana, a Master's of Science in Sports Leadership from Virginia Commonwealth University and earned a second Master's degree in Business Administration in Risk Management.

COURTESY MISSISSIPPI VALLEY STATE UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION