Bowling Green State University Athletics
Basalyga Names McDonald a Full-Time Assistant Coach
July 27, 2016 | Women's Soccer
Bowling Green, Ohio – Fourth year BGSU women's soccer head coach Lindsay Basalyga is excited to announce the hiring of Cian McDonald as a full-time assistant coach effective immediately.
"I'm thrilled that we are able to reward Cian by hiring him full-time with our program. He is a bright soccer mind who wants to continue to learn and grow as a professional at Bowling Green. He has been extremely loyal over the past year which is rare in our business. We are excited to continue growing as a staff and moving forward as a program this fall," stated Coach Basalyga.
Cian McDonald joined Coach Basalyga's coaching staff as a volunteer assistant coach in 2015.
In his first season on the BGSU women's soccer staff in 2015, the Falcons posted seven overall wins on the year, which is more than the previous two years combined, and finished tied for eighth overall in the Mid-American Conference, improving from 10th-place in 2014 and 12th place in 2013.
"I am extremely proud and excited to be a part of the BGSU women's soccer program as a full-time assistant and I can't thank enough, everybody who has made it possible. This past year has taught me so much and has brought me many fantastic memories," McDonald commented. "I am delighted to be a part of a University that has surrounded me with nothing but great people and who have helped me progress within my profession in such a short amount of time. I am also thrilled to continue to learn from Coach Basalyga, who has been such a great mentor for me this past year in all aspects of the game."
The Falcons registered a number of key wins in 2015. Bowling Green snapped two series' losing streaks in 2015, recording its first wins over Buffalo, the 2014 MAC Champions, and conference foe Eastern Michigan since 2011. BGSU's victory at home on Aug. 21 against Chicago State was the team's first win in a season opener since 2004. The Orange and Brown also had a record-setting crowd of 803 at the season opener against Chicago State.
BGSU notched 29 goals in 2015, more than the last two seasons combined, after scoring 15 in 2014 and nine in 2013. The 29 goals scored is the most in a single season since 2008 (38). The Falcons' 28 assists on the years is more than the previous two years combined (21).
The Falcons also scored 12 goals in MAC play in 2015, the most conference goals since 2010 when the team scored 16, and only allowed 30 goals overall, which is the least allowed since 2009 (28).
The Falcons finished with 18 home goals, the most since 2008, while BGSU netted a goal in seven straight contests, spanning from Aug. 21 against Chicago State to Sept. 13 against Valparaiso, for the first time since that same 2008 season.
McDonald came to BGSU after playing for four years on the pitch at Northern Kentucky University under head coach John Basalyga, a former BGSU student-athlete and the father of BGSU women's soccer head coach Lindsay Basalyga.
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"I'm thrilled that we are able to reward Cian by hiring him full-time with our program. He is a bright soccer mind who wants to continue to learn and grow as a professional at Bowling Green. He has been extremely loyal over the past year which is rare in our business. We are excited to continue growing as a staff and moving forward as a program this fall," stated Coach Basalyga.
Cian McDonald joined Coach Basalyga's coaching staff as a volunteer assistant coach in 2015.
In his first season on the BGSU women's soccer staff in 2015, the Falcons posted seven overall wins on the year, which is more than the previous two years combined, and finished tied for eighth overall in the Mid-American Conference, improving from 10th-place in 2014 and 12th place in 2013.
"I am extremely proud and excited to be a part of the BGSU women's soccer program as a full-time assistant and I can't thank enough, everybody who has made it possible. This past year has taught me so much and has brought me many fantastic memories," McDonald commented. "I am delighted to be a part of a University that has surrounded me with nothing but great people and who have helped me progress within my profession in such a short amount of time. I am also thrilled to continue to learn from Coach Basalyga, who has been such a great mentor for me this past year in all aspects of the game."
The Falcons registered a number of key wins in 2015. Bowling Green snapped two series' losing streaks in 2015, recording its first wins over Buffalo, the 2014 MAC Champions, and conference foe Eastern Michigan since 2011. BGSU's victory at home on Aug. 21 against Chicago State was the team's first win in a season opener since 2004. The Orange and Brown also had a record-setting crowd of 803 at the season opener against Chicago State.
BGSU notched 29 goals in 2015, more than the last two seasons combined, after scoring 15 in 2014 and nine in 2013. The 29 goals scored is the most in a single season since 2008 (38). The Falcons' 28 assists on the years is more than the previous two years combined (21).
The Falcons also scored 12 goals in MAC play in 2015, the most conference goals since 2010 when the team scored 16, and only allowed 30 goals overall, which is the least allowed since 2009 (28).
The Falcons finished with 18 home goals, the most since 2008, while BGSU netted a goal in seven straight contests, spanning from Aug. 21 against Chicago State to Sept. 13 against Valparaiso, for the first time since that same 2008 season.
McDonald came to BGSU after playing for four years on the pitch at Northern Kentucky University under head coach John Basalyga, a former BGSU student-athlete and the father of BGSU women's soccer head coach Lindsay Basalyga.
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