MARTIN, Tenn. - New University of Tennessee at Martin head soccer coach Phil McNamara has turned to a familiar face to add to his coaching staff, as he has announced the hiring of Leslie Marcouiller as a full-time assistant coach.

Marcouiller has spent the last three seasons as an assistant coach to McNamara at Carson-Newman, helping the Eagles to a 40-14-2 record (including a school-record 20 wins in 2009), three consecutive NCAA Division-II Tournament appearances and two South Atlantic Conference regular-season and tournament titles. At Carson-Newman, she was responsible for the organization of practices, ongoing recruitment, workouts, administrative duties such as travel and scheduling, player development and team preparation, among other things.

"I am absolutely thrilled Leslie came with me here to UT Martin," McNamara said. "She's a very good recruiter and she has a great eye for talent. More than anything, being an assistant coach at Carson-Newman gave her a good head start with regards to helping the players understand their roles."

Not only did Marcouiller coach with McNamara at Carson-Newman, she also finished out her collegiate playing career for him from 2004 through 2006 before graduating with a bachelor's degree in applied psychology in 2007. In those three seasons, she led the team to a 53-10-3 record, including an 18-3 conference slate. A forward and outside midfielder, she led the team to back-to-back NCAA Division-II Tournament Final Fours, as well as two regular-season SAC titles and two SAC Tournament titles. Perhaps the most impressive feat is that as a player, she was part of the three most winningest seasons in Carson-Newman history at that point in time, including a then-school-record 19 wins in 2004.

Before playing at Carson-Newman, Marcouiller spent two seasons playing in Conference-USA for head coach Paul Harbin at the University of Alabama at Birmingham. As a true freshman, she logged 203 minutes and scored her first career point on an assist against Jackson State on Oct. 25, 2002. The next season, she saw limited action because of an injury. In her two years at UAB, the Blazers went 22-14-2 with a 13-7 league record.

A Marietta, Ga. native, Marcouiller was a four-year letterwinner at Sprayberry High School, where she was an all-star selection in the state of Georgia. She scored 56 goals - including a team-high 21 her junior season - in her career and led the Yellow Jackets to a state 5A quarterfinalist berth in 2001, as well as a 6AAAA Sub-Region championship and pair of 6AAAA Sub-Region runner-up appearances.

For Marcouiller, the opportunity to continue learning under McNamara at UT Martin was just too good to pass up.

"It's real exciting to officially be on board," Marcouiller said. "This is my first full-time assistant coaching job and I can't wait to bring a lot more to the table."

The fact that Marcouiller was a former player and staff member under McNamara was an attractive choice he factored in when building upon his first staff at UT Martin.

"Being a former player of mine, Leslie has good insight as to what the girls will experience under my guidance," McNamara said. "She is very qualified as a former Division-I player and that gives us an edge with her knowledge and experience required to be successful at the Division-I level."

Marcouiller has hit the ground running, and expects big things out of the Skyhawks this coming fall.

"The roster here is full with great players and there are so many exciting things going on here at UT Martin," Marcouiller said. "Just in my short time here the players have made great strides and I've really been impressed with their level of play."

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