Scoggins Returns To Soccer Staff

“I’m very excited to welcome Coach Link back to our soccer staff. He brings a positive energy and skilled knowledge from his years of playing and coaching,” said Conner.

SAN MARCOS, Texas – A familiar face will be returning to Texas State soccer pitch sidelines this season with head coach Kat Conner announcing the hiring of Link Scoggins as an assistant coach.

This will be Scoggins’ second stint with the Bobcats after serving as an assistant coach from 2011 through the 2015 season.

In between his stints in San Marcos, he has worked with youth girls’ soccer programs in Austin and most recently in Charleston, South Carolina.

“I’m very excited to welcome Coach Link back to our soccer staff. He brings a positive energy and skilled knowledge from his years of playing and coaching,” said Conner. “In the last two years, he has gained even more experience and returns with a confidence in knowing how he can help out team capture the Sun Belt title. I am confident that Link will continue to be a great asset to the soccer program.”

Since July 2017, Scoggins worked for Global Premier Soccer (GPS) NASA as the Girls Director of Coaching. During his time in the Palmetto state he helped grow participation in the GPS NASA program by 25 percent.

He also coached four teams for the program, including helping the 2001 Maroon Girls team qualify for the Region III Premier League.

This past year also saw Scoggins coach the junior varsity girls’ soccer team at Fort Dorchester High School.

From May 2016 to July 2017, Scoggins worked with the Austin Texans Soccer Club as the 2003, 2004 and 2005 girls age groups coordinator and was the team coach for the ‘98 girls red, ‘03 girls, ‘04 girls red and ‘05 girls’ teams.

He helped guide the 2003 girls team to a third-place finish in the STYSA State Cup and qualify for the Region III Premier League.

Scoggins’ first stint with the Bobcats was from 2011 through the 2015 season. He worked primarily with the field players and saw 10 of them earn all-conference honors.

Both Felicia Leask and Serena Hines had breakout seasons in 2011 with a career-high eight goals apiece.

In 2015, both Lynsey Curry (11) and Lauren Prater (12) surpassed double-digits goals. That season also saw Curry be named the Sun Belt Conference’s Offensive Player of the Year.

The 2015 season saw Scoggins and fellow assistant coach Lauren Frazier serve as interim co-head coaches for the final 15 matches after head coach Kat Conner took a leave of absence to battle ovarian cancer.

He helped coach the Bobcats to seven straight wins, tied for the third longest winning streak, and a third-place finish in the SBC.

Scoggins worked primarily with the field players, helping the Bobcats to have five of them named to the All-Southland Conference team. Both Felicia Leask and Serena Hines had breakout seasons in his first year scoring a career-high eight goals apiece.

The 2013-15 two seasons saw Scoggins work with South Texas State and Region 3 ODP. Also during the spring of 2015, he had worked with the Dynamo Juniors out of Central Texas.

Prior to arriving at Texas State, Scoggins coached on a variety of staffs since graduating from Hardin-Simmons in 2007.

Scoggins, who lettered in soccer at the University of Dallas for three seasons from 2002-04, transferred to Hardin-Simmons for his remaining year of eligibility in 2005 and stayed on board as an assistant coach in 2006.

The Cowboys won the American Southwest Conference championship and advanced to the NCAA Tournament each season.

A four-year starter as a collegian, Scoggins has been the head coach for the Triumph FC Soccer Club ‘96 and ‘99 girls’ programs since August 2008 and has also served on the sidelines in a variety of other capacities over the past several years.

His other stints include being the assistant coach with the Abilene Soccer Club ‘92 girls in 2007 as well as the head coach for the eighth grade and freshman boys’ teams at Cistercian Preparatory School from 2009-11.

Scoggins, a native of Denton, Texas, earned his bachelor’s degree in behavioral sciences, sports fitness and leisure studies from Hardin-Simmons in 2007. He holds a USSF “D” coaching license and currently resides in San Marcos.