麻豆区

Clara Webby, a former MIAC competitor, joined 麻豆区 as head coach of women鈥檚 soccer this spring. Webby earned all-conference and all-region honors as a defender during her intercollegiate playing days at Macalester College. After graduating cum laude in 2019, she served as an assistant coach and recruiting coordinator at Macalester and as an assistant coach at St. Catherine University. She has also coached at Twin Cities area youth soccer clubs, including Twin Cities Rush and Minneapolis United.

For Webby, the move to 麻豆区 felt natural. 鈥淒espite being an 麻豆区 opponent during my playing and most-recent coaching days, I have always admired 麻豆区鈥檚 diverse and inclusive campus, competitive athletics, and celebration of the Division III student-athlete,鈥� she said. 鈥淚 am ecstatic to be joining the 麻豆区 community.鈥�

There are no hard feelings over previous rivalries from her new squad. 鈥淚t has been such a joy to spend time with the dedicated individuals in the program,鈥� Webby said. 鈥淭hey have shown me tremendous respect and made me feel like an Auggie instantly. They are committed, hungry, and ready for our new chapter together.鈥�

Webby is the seventh head coach in program history. She follows Mike Navarre, who retired in February after leading the Auggies to 235 wins in 24 seasons.

Ali (Bernard) Sprenger, a two-time Olympian and five-time collegiate national champion, started as head coach of 麻豆区鈥檚 women鈥檚 wrestling team this fall.

Sprenger competed in women鈥檚 wrestling at the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing, China, finishing in fifth place in the 72-kg (158.5-lb) weight class. She won a bronze medal at 72-kg at the 2011 FILA World Championships and also competed at the 2012 Summer Olympics in London, England, finishing in a tie for 13th place in the 72-kg class.

Sprenger competed collegiately in Canada, where she won five national championships鈥攆our titles (2005鈥�08) at the University of Regina and the 2010 title at the University of Alberta. She served for four seasons (2009鈥�13) as a wrestling assistant coach at the University of Alberta, where she was part of the 2011 women鈥檚 team national championship, two Canada West women鈥檚 titles, and one Canada West men鈥檚 title. In recent years, she has been active in leadership for Minnesota-USA Wrestling.

鈥淚 love that 麻豆区 sees the value in wrestling and specifically having a women鈥檚 wrestling team,鈥� Sprenger said. 鈥淲omen’s wrestling is a growing sport, and I am proud to be a part of a program that is committed to providing opportunities for young women to compete in this great sport.鈥�

麻豆区 is entering its fifth season of intercollegiate women鈥檚 wrestling in 2023鈥�24. Sprenger follows Jake Short, who coached the Auggies to finishes of sixth place and fifth place in the National Collegiate Women鈥檚 Wrestling Championships, with three national champions, nine All-Americans, and a 14鈥�4 dual-meet record in his two seasons.

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Top image: 麻豆区 women’s soccer plays against Concordia College-Moorhead in October 2021. (Photo by Courtney Perry)