University Southern California Trojans
P.J. Woolridge Joins Women's Soccer Staff
January 24, 2011 | Women's Soccer
Jan. 24, 2011
USC women's soccer welcomes a new assistant coach to the staff for the coming season, as head coach Ali Khosroshahin has announced the hiring of P.J. Woolridge to join the Trojan coaching corps. Woolridge comes to Troy from the University of San Diego, and also spent eight seasons at Cal Poly.
"I've been competing against P.J. and his teams on the field and off since 2000," Khosroshahin said of Woolridge. "I have a great deal of respect for what he was able to accomplish as a part of the staff at Cal Poly and at USD. P.J. is one of the hardest working assistants in the country. He has an excellent eye for talent and understands how we go about our business at USC because of his interaction with me over the last decade."
Woolridge spent three seasons as an assistant at San Diego after serving as an assistant at Cal Poly for eight seasons. The Mustangs won four straight Big West championships during that time, and reached the NCAA Tournament five times. It was at Cal Poly that Woolridge and Khosroshahin first began their competitive coaching clashes, as Khosroshahin was at the helm of another Big West power, Cal State Fullerton. During Woolridge's three seasons at San Diego, he continued to face off with Khosroshahin's teams at USC, and the Toreros made runs to the NCAA Tournament all three seasons that Woolridge was there.
"I am extremely excited and thankful to be named the assistant women's soccer coach at the University of Southern California," Woolridge said. "Having the opportunity to work with this athletic department and coaching staff is truly an honor, and I look forward to contributing to the success of the student-athletes on and off the field."
As a player, Woolridge was a four-year starter at Cal Poly, where he helped lead the Mustangs to the 1995 Division I playoffs and also was a two-time first-team all-conference honoree. He still holds CAl Poly program records with career matches played (72) and started (72) as well as game-winning goals in a season. He is a 2000 graduate of Cal Poly with a degree in psychology.
"P.J. was an excellent defender as a player and has been primarily responsible for the defensive side as a coach for both schools. So he has a great ability to create an environment where the players are extremely comfortable and can excel," Khosroshahin said.
Woolridge grew up in San Jose, Calif., and is a 1995 graduate of Leland High School, where he lettered four times in soccer as a midfielder and forward and served as team captain for two seasons. His four teams posted a combined 70-15-5 record and Woolridge was named All-City four times and All-Santa Clara County twice as he scored 55 goals and 68 assists in his prep career. He also was a two-time High School All-American (1994, 1995) and played on the Youth National Team in 1991 and 1993.
Woolridge replaces Harold Warren, who has taken a head coaching job at Alabama-Birmingham.
