LIVONIA, Mich. (MadonnaCrusaders.com) - - After an extensive national search, Madonna University Athletics Director Bryan Rizzo announced Wednesday (Feb. 3) that Jeff Hodgson has accepted an offer to become the new head women's soccer coach at Madonna University. Hodgson's appointment is effective immediately.

"We are very excited to have Jeff as our new women's soccer coach," commented Rizzo after introducing Hodgson to the team. "Getting someone with his knowledge of the game, experience and work ethic will only benefit our program moving forward.  We feel he will be an outstanding addition to Madonna Athletics."

Following his prep days at Windsor's Riverside High School, Hodgson moved on to Western Michigan University where he was a three-year captain for the Broncos and was an All-Mid American Conference selection in 1993. That same season Hodgson picked up his second of back-to-back team Most Valuable Player awards at WMU.

"I'm excited about this but also realistic of what I'm getting myself into," added Hodgson after meeting the Crusaders. "I want to make sure that I can provide the best soccer education to the players going forward. The opportunity to coach collegiate athletes is very intriguing to me. The team lost a lot of scoring from last year and we need to find players in the program or bring in new blood to help replace that loss and make the program stronger."

Following his graduation Hodgson moved onto the professional ranks, first in 1995 with the Tucson Amigos of the USISL before moving to the Arizona Sandsharks of the CISL in 1996-97. In 1998 Hodgson returned to the Midwest and started a four-year run with the Detroit Rockers of the NPSL.

Hodgson joined the coaching ranks during his professional career, first as an assistant coach with the men's program at Western Michigan during the 1994 and 1995 seasons before taking over the WMU women's club program for the 1995 season. In 1999 Hodgson founded the Michigan Gators Football Club (Gators FC). Hodgson ventured into the professional ownership ranks in 2003 when he founded the Windsor/Detroit Borderstars.

The Gators are currently ranked as the No. 21 club according to NationalSoccerRating.com, having won four state cup championships and sending over 50 former players onto the collegiate ranks. In addition to his duties with Gators FC, Hodgson has been a coach for the Michigan Olympic Development Program since 2002.

Madonna returns 14 letter winners from the 2009 club and will kick off the 2010 season in late August.

Contact: Patrick Moore (734) 432-5834