GAMBIER, Ohio -- In an announcement made Monday, Jill McCartney, Kenyon College's Director of Athletics, Fitness and Recreation, stated that Sarah McClellan was hired to become the sixth head coach of the Owls women's soccer program, which just completed its 40th season of varsity play.

McClellan, who will commence coaching duties at Kenyon on August 1, comes to campus after serving, for eight seasons, as head coach at Roberts Wesleyan University, an NCAA Division II institution in Rochester, New York.

"The unique combination of exceptional academics, athletics and campus community made Kenyon the place for me," McClellan said. "I believe the most talented students and soccer players in the country will come to the same conclusion when they visit Kenyon. The soccer program has a great reputation and strong foundation to continue to build upon as we grow into a national contender. I can't wait to get to know the players and get started on the pitch."

Justin Newell, Kenyon's Associate Director of Athletics and chairperson of the search committee said, "Coach McClellan stood out during the process as an individual who had an outstanding soccer background, strong organizational skills, and a history for building positive team cultures. We recognize that times of transition can be difficult, but we believe that Coach McClellan is positioned as the right individual to carry Kenyon women's soccer forward."

At Roberts Wesleyan, McClellan's teams went a combined 24-7-5 over the last two seasons and 63-47-15 throughout her eight seasons. Under her watch, the Redhawks were East Coast Conference (ECC) semifinalists four times and the National Christian College Athletic Association (NCCAA) Championship semifinalists twice. McClellan developed 18 all-conference honorees, produced four nationally-ranked teams and won seven straight United Soccer Coaches Team Academic Awards.

This past season, McClellan was named the ECC Coach of the Year and the NCCAA Midwest Region Coach of the Year. She'll look to continue that kind of success at Kenyon, where she'll aim to get the most out of her squad. 

"Our goal will be to develop and achieve as students, athletes, and leaders. It's going to be a fun journey for sure," McClellan said. "We will be recruiting people that want to be challenged as students with an academic passion to excel, athletes that want to improve and compete as players at a national level, and teammates and leaders who value personal growth and service."

Prior to her work at Roberts Wesleyan, McClellan was the head coach at NCAA Division I Binghamton University in Binghamton, New York. While there, she guided 18 all-conference players and steered the 2009 team to the best regular-season record in program history.

McClellan was an NCAA Division I student-athlete at University of Maryland, where she played for two NCAA Tournament teams and graduated with a degree in biochemistry. She obtained a master's degree in education from Drury University and went on to play semi-professional soccer for four years.  

"Throughout the interview process and in getting to know her, I have been impressed by Coach McClellan's commitment to success through her commitment to the women she leads," McCartney said. "I have also been impressed by her breadth of experience and her capacity for learning and growth throughout her career. She has shown that she is attuned to the student-athlete experience and will both support and challenge the women in the program to achieve more than they might think is possible."

McClellan takes the reins of the program from Kelly Bryan, who resigned in June after 21 seasons with a combined overall record of 171-154-36.