May 30, 2006
VILLANOVA, Pa. - Head women's soccer coach Ann Clifton announced this week the hiring of B.J. Callaghan as an assistant coach for the Wildcats. Callaghan will serve as Clifton's top assistant and will be involved with all areas of the program. On the field, he will work with the goalkeepers and defense.
"As a young coach, B.J. is extremely confident and knowledgeable about the game and what it takes to be a successful coach," Clifton said. "I am ecstatic to attract someone of his caliber to our program. B.J. has very strong recruiting experience and will add a different dimension to our goalkeeping and defense."
Most recently, Callaghan was an assistant coach at Saint Joseph's University for the past two seasons. He handled recruiting and travel for the Hawks while working with the team's defensive unit. Saint Joseph's totaled 17 victories during Callaghan's two years with the team, while posting a goals-against average of less than 1.50 each year.
Prior to his stint with the Hawks, Callaghan served one year as an assistant coach to the Ursinus men's soccer team after graduating from the school as a four-year letterwinner. He served as team captain in 2002, when he played in 18 games and logged 952 minutes in goal. He collected 60 saves for the season while allowing just 18 goals, and finished the year with a 1.70 GAA for the Bears.
In addition to his experience at the collegiate level, Callaghan has been a staff coach with the Eastern Pennsylvania State ODP team since January 2003 and a Region 1 staff goalkeeping coach since February 2004. Callaghan has worked with the U-15 and U-16 teams for the EPYSA organization. His responsibilities include identifying and selecting the top players in the state, designing and implementing training sessions, and developing each player for selection in regional camps and the national pool. Callaghan has worked with the age-16 and age-17 Region 1 squads.
At the club level, Callaghan has coached the FC Delco Tarheels since January 2004. His team was a Region 1 league finalist in 2005 and advanced to the semifinals of the State Cup in 2004. That year, FC Delco was also a WAGS semifinalist and Super Y-League national finalist, in addition to capturing the championship of the Millennium bracket at the Orange Classic.
"B.J. is a great addition to the staff and we are also happy to have someone that brings with him a family background that includes a Villanova legacy."
Callaghan is the grandson of the University's long-time men's basketball coach, Jack Kraft. In leading the men's basketball program for 12 seasons from 1961-73, Kraft amassed 238 victories and a .715 winning percentage. His teams won at least 20 games seven times and reached the national championship game in 1971.
A 2003 graduate of Ursinus, Callaghan earned a Bachelor's degree in Economics and Business Administration. He is currently working on a Master's of Education at Saint Joseph's University. He was certified with a USSF B License in July 2005 and received NSCAA Goalkeeping Level I and II certification in March 2005.
Callaghan is engaged to Leigh Maggi and resides in Conshohocken, Pa.
