Women's Soccer Southern Conference

Georgia Southern's Norton Announces Resignation

NORTON STEPS DOWN FROM TOP WOMEN'S SOCCER POSITION

STATESBORO, Ga. - Tom Norton, who has served as the only head women's soccer coach in Georgia Southern University history, has resigned his position according to an announcement from athletics director Sam Baker.

Norton, 41, originally joined the Eagle athletics staff in 1987 as assistant men's soccer coach before being elevated to the top position in 1990. When Georgia Southern announced plans to add women's soccer as an intercollegiate sport in 1993, Norton was selected to build the program from scratch and turned in an overall record of 117-90-7 (.563) over 11 seasons. In addition, he was a Southern Conference Coach-of-the-Year selection in 1994 and 1996 and guided the Eagles to seven winning seasons.

"There's no doubt that Tom will be greatly missed," said Baker. "He did an exemplary job building our women's soccer program and his contributions, not only to Georgia Southern, but to the entire Statesboro and Bulloch County soccer community were immeasurable. We sure hate to lose him but we wish him the very best in all his future endeavors."

Norton indicated he will pursue professional and personal interests close to his home in Augusta, from which he endured a daily commute to the GSU campus during the past 16 months.

During the course of his 17-year tenure at GSU, Norton also served two separate stints in an athletic administrative capacity. After acting as a business office staff assistant during the late 1980s, he accepted an assistant athletic director's position in 1999 and headed the department's business efforts until 2002 when returned to coaching on a full-time basis.

For three seasons - 1993, 1994 and 1995 - Norton held dual titles as head men and women's coach before Kevin Chambers took over the top men's duties in 1996. In all, Norton has fashioned a 169-147-21 mark in 17 years guiding the GSU soccer fortunes. He has coached 29 All-SoCon selections, including one league player-of-the-year choice and a pair of freshman-of-the-year performers.

A 1982 United States Olympic Festival participant, Norton earned a bachelor's degree from South Carolina where he was also a four-year starter at striker and as a midfielder.

Baker indicated a national search for Norton's replacement will be initiated immediately.