Texas State Soccer completes new coaching staff

Staff Reports

SAN MARCOS – Texas State soccer head coach Steve Holeman announced the hirings of Hannah Smith, Nathan Stockie and Henry Zapata to the staff. Stockie will serve as an assistant coach primarily working with the goalkeepers, Zapata joins as the associate head coach and Smith will be the team’s director of operations.

“I’m excited to finally have our staff in place and all here in San Marcos working together,” said Holeman. “I believe the qualities each of us brings is the perfect blend that will propel this program to big accomplishments. We have a dynamic within our staff that is very special and I am fortunate to be a part of it.”

Zapata comes to San Marcos from Iowa State where he was the Cyclones assistant coach and recruiting coordinator since January 2021. After he joined the program, ISU went undefeated in its final five games of the season for the longest streak since 2010.

“I’m very excited to be able to work at an amazing institution and join this incredible staff. Being able to work with Steve again is a privilege. He is a fantastic person, leader and coach,” said Zapata. “I am looking forward to working with this team and help them grown on and off the field.”

Prior to working with the Cyclones, Zapata served as the associate head coach at Lamar for four years under Holeman. He helped guide the Cardinals to a pair of NCAA Tournament appearances and the three winningest seasons (2017, 2018, 2019) in program history, including a historic 18-win campaign in 2017.

Zapata was tasked with implementing the tactical and technical training for his defenders with the Cardinals. Under his watch, his defense had the best goals against average in program history at 0.90 during the 2017 campaign. His work with defenders Marie Lund and Amelia Fullmer, as well as goalkeeper Lauren Lovejoy, helped the trio earn All-Southland Conference honors.

Before arriving in Beaumont, Texas, Zapata worked at Elon where he served as an assistant coach in 2015. With the Phoenix, he was responsible for the training for all goalkeepers that led to 421-scorless streak and four consecutive shutouts for the first time in the program’s Division I era.

Zapata spent two years as an assistant coach at Georgia, helping the Bulldogs post a 22-15-3 record in that time and advancing to the NCAA Tournament in 2014 that saw the team ranked as high as No. 14 in the nation. With UGA, he worked with forwards and midfielders in 2014 on technical and tactical concepts that led to three attacking players receiving All-SEC accolades. The previous year saw Zapata train the goalkeepers in which the Bulldogs recorded 11 shutouts including eight straight.

Zapata has also served on the staffs at the College of Charleston and Illinois. He coached club soccer in South Carolina and Illinois as well.

Zapata earned his bachelor’s degree in broadcast journalism in 2008 and a master’s degree in sport management in 2011, both from Illinois. He holds a USSF National “B” coaching license.

Stockie arrives in Central Texas after serving the past five years on staff at Lamar. The 2021 season saw him take over the tactical and technical training of the defense which led to the Cardinals posting a 0.56 GAA in conference play.

“I’m very excited for the chance to work at Texas State. The opportunity to continue to work with such a great staff was something I could not pass up,” said Stockie. “I am looking forward to the challenge of helping to take Texas State to the next level.”

He was primarily responsible for the training of goalkeepers which led to the best GAA (0.90) and shutouts (10) in program history in 2017. Stockie’s coaching led to four all-conference honors for Lauren Lovejoy (2017), Sandra Nygaard (2018) and Nichole Paris (2020 & 2021).

Stockie’s coaching was integral in seeing Lamar reach the NCAA Tournament for the first-time ever in 2017. That squad finished with an 18-4-1 record, set a program record with a 12-match winning streak and highest RPI ever at 70. He helped guide the Cardinals to a 16-7 record and tie the program record winning streak during the 2019 season.

Stockie played professionally in Finland for Jippo Joensuu and PEPO Lappeenranta. He appeared in 50 matches over three seasons.

He played collegiately at Long Island University. For the Blackbirds, Stockie appeared in 20 matches between the post. His senior season saw him finish fourth in the nation with 6.2 saver per match and he recorded 15 saves against Quinnipiac, which were the most in a single match during the 2012 season.

Stockie graduated from Long Island with a bachelor’s degree in sport science. He was a member of the LIU honors program and earned NEC Academic Honor Roll accolades. While at Lamar, he received his master’s degree in kinesiology.

This past year saw Smith serve as an assistant coach at Lamar in which she helped the team record a 10-win season and reach the semifinals of the WAC Tournament.

“I am very grateful for this amazing opportunity to continue working with this staff at Texas State,” said Smith. “I’m excited to learn from coaches who have created and fostered a winning culture and environment at prior universities. I cannot wait to see how that translates here with a new team!”

Smith was previously on staff at Iowa Western Community College. She was a graduate assistant at fellow Sun Belt Conference member Georgia Southern beginning in 2019. While in Statesboro, she was the team’s interim head coach for the 2020 season.

Prior to her coaching career, Smith had a stellar playing career at Georgia Southern where she tallied 20 starts and started each game of her senior season at center back. She was a standout midfielder at Iowa Western CC and led them to an appearance in the NJCAA National Championship. Her sophomore season saw her help the Reivers stay in the Top 5 of the NSCAA Top 25 polls while being named a NSCAA Second Team All-American and was an all-conference selection.

Smith completed her bachelor’s degree in 2018 from Georgia Southern and is currently working towards her master’s degree in sports management from the Statesboro, Georgia based school.

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