Tom Saxton Position: Head Coach Experience: 16th Year

Tom Saxton, who is entering his 17th season at the helm of the Michigan State women's soccer program, has spent more than half of his life involved in Spartan soccer.

A 1983 graduate of Michigan State, Saxton earned three letters as a player. In 1986, he returned to help assist legendary Spartan soccer coach Joe Baum with both the men's and the then-fledgling women's program before being appointed the second head coach in the history of the women's program on June 1, 1991.

In total, Saxton has guided 143 players to Academic All-Big Ten honors since women's soccer was incorporated into the Big Ten in 1994, the second-most out of any school in the conference. He has also helped 26 players earn All-Big Ten honors, including the first Conference Player of the Year, Karen Winslow in 1994.

He has helped the team transition seamlessly into the fabric of one of the toughest conferences in the NCAA, helping the Spartans to two NCAA Tournament appearances, 10 Big Ten Tournament trips and four winning campaigns in the conference's 13 years.

Saxton, a two-time Big Ten Conference coach of the year, earned his 150th victory in the opening-round of the 2006 NCAA Tournament. It was MSU's first-ever NCAA Tournament win. Saxton's Spartans posted a 12-6-5 record last season, their sixth-straight season with double-digit wins, including a 6-2-2 mark in conference action, the team's best-ever Big Ten mark.

Under Saxton's watch, Emma Harris and Erin Konheim enjoyed record-breaking seasons in 2005. Harris finished her career tied for fourth in career goals (29), tied for second in career assists (21) and third in career scoring (79), while Konheim set a new school standard for career assists (23) and finished her career 12th all-time in scoring at MSU (53).

Saxton led Michigan State to its first-ever NCAA Tournament appearance in 2002, guiding the Green and White to a 12-7-2 overall record, including a 5-3-2 mark in the Big Ten. Thanks to their fourth-place finish in the tough Big Ten, the Spartans earned an at-large bid to the tournament.

In 2000, Saxton coached MSU to a six-game improvement; the Spartans finished the season 12-6-2 and Saxton was named the Big Ten's Coach of the Year.

Saxton also won the Big Ten Coach of the Year Award in 1994, the conference's first season. That year, the Spartans finished with an overall mark of 12-5-2 and a 5-1-1 league record to take home the soccer program's only Big Ten Championship.

In all, Saxton has coached all 10 of the career leaders in goals and assists at Michgian State, serving as head coach during six of 10 of their careers. He also was a tutor for all five of the top goalkeepers in school history, serving as head coach diring four of their careers.

Prior to his arrival at Michigan State, Saxton was the head men's soccer coach at Delta College for three seasons. Following the 1984 campaign he was recognized as the National Junior College Athletic Association's Region XII Coach of the Year.

Saxton also served two seasons as the head coach of the Flint Central High School girls soccer team. He also directed the Flint Community School's Soccer League for four years. In addition, Saxton was a staff coach for Michigan Olympic Development State and Regional teams.

Saxton played collegiately at Michigan State University under legendary coach Joe Baum, earning three letters (1980-82). During his career, Saxton led the team to a 33-16-2 overall record.

He graduated from MSU in 1983 with a bachelors degree in social science. In 1991 he returned to earn a masters degree in physcial education and exercise science.

A member of the 1993 NCAA Tournament Selection Committe, Saxton owns a national USSF License. Saxton and his wife, Sue, have three sons, Noel (18), Nicholas (15) and Kellen (11).

                         Overall                                   Big Ten
Year	G	W	L	T	Pct. 	W	L	T	Pct.
1991	20	14	6	0	.700	-	-	-	n/a
1992	18	10	6	2	.611	-	-	-	n/a
1993	20	12	8	0	.600	-	-	-	n/a
1994	19	12	5	2	.684	5	1	1	.786
1995	18	8	8	3	.500	1	3	3	.357
1996	20	3	17	0	.150	0	7	0	.000
1997	20	9	10	1	.475	3	5	0	.375
1998	20	6	12	2	.350	0	8	1	.056
1999	21	6	12	3	.357	3	6	1	.389
2000	20	12	6	2	.650	5	4	1	.550
2001	20	10	8	2	.550	4	5	1	.450
2002*	21	12	7	2	.619	5	3	2	.600
2003	20	12	8	0	.600	4	6	0	.400
2004	20	12	7	1	.625	3	6	1	.350
2005**	23	12	6	5	.630	6	2	2 	.700
2006	18	8	9	1	.472	4	6	0	.400
Total	319	158	135	26	.536	43	62	13	.419