Penn women's soccer moving on from Darren Ambrose

It’s never easy to say goodbye.

Nevertheless, after 15 seasons at the helm, three Ivy League championships, a handful of NCAA Tournament berths and an ECAC title in 2000, Penn women’s soccer is in the process of bidding farewell to its all-time winningest coach.

Penn Athletics announced on Jan. 30 that head coach Darren Ambrose was leaving the Ancient Eight to blaze another path, this time at Vanderbilt. In the two weeks since Ambrose’s resignation, the Quakers —- who went 8-5-3 in the fall — have realigned their focus in order to ensure continued success next season.

“It’s characteristic of our program that, even when faced with adversity, we have to be resilient and get on with it,” sophomore Tahirih Nesmith said.

Nesmith, along with her teammates, have been overwhelmingly positive when discussing their time with their former coach while expressing gratitude for the experiences they’ve shared. Still, the Charleston, S.C., native acknowledged the importance of moving forward in order to “begin a new legacy for the program.”

As the Red and Blue attempt to stabilize themselves following Ambrose’s departure, Athletic Director Grace Calhoun has stressed the importance of confidentiality throughout the search for a new coach in order to protect the candidates and athletes involved.

“We are committed to making the best choice for our student-athletes,” Calhoun said. ”[We are looking for] someone with the character and integrity necessary to coach at the highest level of competition at a rigorous academic institution.

“Darren is a major reason Penn is one of the premier women’s soccer programs in the Ivy League today. We will miss him, but we wish him well as he makes the move to another outstanding institution in the SEC.”

The first-year athletic director announced that interviews will likely begin soon and the administration hopes to name Ambrose’s successor within the next five weeks.

While many members of the program played under Ambrose for multiple seasons, it’s clear that even those who played for the three-time Ivy champion for only one year are doing their best to deal with the situation.

“We are still working hard in practices, in the weight room and in the classroom,” freshman Jill Kennedy said. “We know in order to uphold our reputation, we need to prepare now in the offseason, regardless of the changes that have been made.”

Despite Ambrose’s departure, the Quakers do not find themselves completely lost. The Red and Blue will be under the leadership of someone other than Ambrose for the first time this century the next time they take the pitch, but assistant coach Ken Masuhr will lead the program while Calhoun conducts her search.

“We will miss Coach Darren and wish him the best of luck,” junior Paige Lombard said. “But the assistant coaches have done a wonderful job filling in. The team is still working hard as ever in this off season.”

Although it’s unclear exactly who Calhoun and the administration may target to replace the man who went 148-71-35 in his time at Penn, the players’ positive mindset can only help as the program transitions into unfamiliar territory.

Please note All comments are eligible for publication in The Daily Pennsylvanian.