Al Alvine enters his second season as head coach of the California University of Pennsylvania women’s soccer program in 2008. He holds a proven track record of turning his programs into winners, especially in his second year.
Last year, the Vulcans struggled to a 4-15-1 overall record with a 1-8-1 mark in Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) play after Alvine was hired in July. Sophomore goalkeeper Erin Cook posted a 154 saves – the highest total in recent program history – in a total of 1,682 minutes, which ranks fifth in school history.
Prior to his arrival at Cal, Alvine served as head coach for two years at Saint Anselm College, a NCAA Division II program in Manchester, N.H. In each of two seasons with the program, he led the Hawks to 10-win campaigns after the program failed to post a winning season in six years prior to his arrival.
In 2005, Saint Anselm posted an upset road victory over No. 24 College of Saint Rose before finishing the season with a 10-7-3 mark and ranking among the most improved teams in the country. The Hawks offensive attack was led by Jocelyn Savastano, who led Division II with 1.53 goals per game and 3.53 points per game.
The following year, Alvine guided Saint Anselm to a 10-7-3 record and its first post-season win in more than a decade with an upset victory against University of Massachusetts-Lowell. The squad also posted its highest regional (No. 3) and national (No. 24) rankings in program history.
Alvine, a native of Wayne, N.J., started his head coaching career at Castleton State College (Vt.) in 2002. The Spartans, who had suffered nine-straight losing seasons prior to his arrival, posted a 15-5-1 mark in 2003. The following year, Alvine guided Castleton State to its best record in program history at 16-4-1 with the team ranking among the national leaders in scoring (No. 17), winning percentage (No. 19) and fewest goals allowed (No. 19).
In addition to his positions within the college ranks, he has coached numerous other teams at various levels. Alvine served as head coach of the New Hampshire Lady Phantoms of the W-League, rated as the top women’s soccer league in the country and the second-ranked league in the world. At the youth level, he has served as head coach of the under-17 girls Olympic Development Program (ODP) girl's program in Vermont and New Hampshire, Director of Coaching for the Rutland County Soccer Club in Vermont and as a staff coach for the NH Classics, a premier soccer organization in New Hampshire. In 2006, Alvine's U-16 NH Classics team captured the New Hampshire state championship.
A 1992 graduate from Robert Morris University in Pittsburgh, Pa., Alvine was a four-year starter and senior captain on the men's varsity soccer team During his scholastic career at DePaul High School in Wayne, N.J., he was a four-year starter, three-year all-state selection and two-year captain. He was also a three-year member of the New Jersey ODP program and a player within the Sportfriends S.C. and Union Lancers youth organizations. Other playing experience include stints with the Staten Island Vipers of the USISL and the Brooklyn Italians of the Cosmopolitan Soccer League.
Alvine holds an "A" license from the United States Soccer Federation.
ALVINE YEAR-BY-YEAR COACHING RECORD
| Year |
Overall
Record |
Win Pct. |
Conference
Record (Finish) |
| 2007 |
4-15-1 |
.225 |
1-8-1 (6th) |
| 2008 |
12-5-3 |
.675 |
7-5-2 (5th) |
| TOTALS |
16-20-4 |
.450 |
8-13-3 (.396) |
