UCLA Announces Women's Soccer Coaching Staff Additions
January 17, 2020 | Women's Soccer
UCLA women's soccer head coach Amanda Cromwell has promoted Jane Alukonis from volunteer coach to assistant coach and added 1999 World Cup champion Saskia Webber as a volunteer goalkeeping coach.
Alukonis has been on staff with UCLA for the past two seasons. She has a UEFA B Coaching license and served as head coach of the Space Coast United U-10, U-11 and U-16 girls and as an assistant coach of the U-15 boys team from 2014-18. She also coaches the 2006 ECNL LA Breakers team and the 2009 Blue and 2010 White LA Breakers teams, as well as the Harvard-Westlake middle school girls team. Prior to coaching, Alukonis taught for three years in Baltimore City as part of the program Teach for America.
A four-year starter at Duke from 2006-09, Alukonis started 76 of her 84 matches and tallied five goals, including one game-winner, and 11 assists for 21 points. She was an ESPN The Magazine Academic All-District III and All-ACC Academic Team selection as a senior team captain with the Blue Devils and finished her standout career as a four-time ACC Honor Roll selection. Alukonis received the ACC Top Six for Service Award as a senior for her volunteer efforts at Duke. She returned to her alma mater in 2015 and 2016 as the Director of Operations.
Alukonis, who is a native of Cocoa Beach, Fla., received a Master of Philosophy in social and developmental psychology with honors at the University of Cambridge in 2011. She graduated from Duke in 2010 with a degree in political science and sociology along with a minor in psychology.
"Jane is very deserving of her promotion to assistant coach," Cromwell said. "She has a great mind for the game and has already had a lasting impact on our program the last two years."
Alukonis replaces Jenny Bindon, who is now the head coach at Loyola Marymount University. She joins the full-time coaching staff of Cromwell and assistant coach Sam Greene.
Webber was a member of U.S. Soccer's legendary 1999 World Cup championship team. She was also teammates with Cromwell on the 1995 World Cup squad and 1996 Olympic team. She was a member of the USWNT for eight years and was a founding member of the Women's United Soccer Association, playing for the Philadelphia Charge in 2001 and for the New York Power in 2002. Additionally, she played professionally for three years in Japan for Oki FC, where she was named the top goalkeeper of the league.
A four-year starter at Rutgers University, Webber was an All-American, Honda Award finalist and winner of the Missouri Athletic Club Goalkeeper of the Year Award in 1992. She finished her collegiate career with a school-record 34 shutouts, a record that stood for 17 years. Webber was selected by Soccer America to the Team of the 90s, and in 1998, she became the first female soccer player to be inducted into the Rutgers Athletics Hall of Fame.
Webber is currently the director of goalkeeping for the Los Angeles Bulls.
"I'm excited to be reunited with my former U.S. Women's National Team teammate Saskia Webber," Cromwell said. "I feel very fortunate that Saskia was able to join our staff and take over the goalkeeper training. They are in great hands with her."
