Peach Tree Times

University of Georgia head women's soccer coach Keidane McAlpine has hired longtime friend and coaching ally Jason Lockhart as associate head coach.

Lockhart and McAlpine coached together for 10 years at Washington State University and USC, taking their teams to the NCAA tournament each year and winning the title at USC in 2016. Their USC teams won tournament games in six of the last seven seasons and finished fourth or better every year.

"Jason has a very good ability to simplify the game for players," McAlpine told the school website Jan. 18. "It's special to have a friend and such a quality teacher of the game come with us from USC."

Known for developing players' offensive skills, Lockhart helped USC produce three consecutive Pac-12 Forwards of the Year, one Pac-12 Midfielder of the Year, one Pac-12 Freshman of the Year and a MAC Hermann Trophy finalist. The Trojans averaged 4.5 goals per game over the past six seasons. His Washington State players set or tied 27 individual school records and established the team season-wins standard.

Early in his career, Lockhart coached and directed at the club level with Vestavia Soccer Club and the Birmingham United Soccer Association, which won multiple girls' state championships during his tenure. Alabama natives McAlpine and Lockhart were childhood friends and worked together at Birmingham.

Lockhart is the second USC coaching alum to rejoin McAlpine at Georgia. Sammy Towne was named assistant coach in December. The three were United Coaches' Pacific Region Staff of the Year members in both 2018 and 2021.