Va. Tech names Brizendine soccer coach

Virginia Tech yesterday promoted assistant men's soccer coach Mike Brizendine to replace Oliver Weiss, who resigned earlier this month after seven seasons as the Hokies' head coach. Brizendine had been Weiss' top assistant for the past five seasons.

Brizendine came to Tech from Bridgewater College, where he was the men's and women's assistant in 2000 and the men's head coach from 2001-03. In 2003, he was named Old Dominion Athletic Conference coach of the year after leading Bridgewater to a 12-6 record, its best ever.

Before working at Bridgewater, Brizendine was a men's assistant at Ferrum in 1999. He played at James Madison from 1995-98 and ended his career as the school's sixth all-time leading scorer.

As he enters his first season at Tech, he faces the challenge of returning the Hokies to the prominence they recently enjoyed. They advanced to the national semifinals two seasons ago, losing to eventual national champion Wake Forest, but were 5-13-1 and 0-8 in the ACC last season.

"Mike Brizendine possesses the skills we value in our head coaches," Tech athletic director Jim Weaver said in a press release. "Mike is respected as an outstanding recruiter and is proven to be an effective communicator."

Said Brizendine: "I am both humbled and exhilarated for the opportunity that has been presented to me. I am completely dedicated to continue building men's soccer at Virginia Tech into the national power it deserves to be."