Georgia women’s soccer head coach and 2007 SEC Coach of the Year Patrick Baker resigned abruptly Thursday citing personal, family and health concerns according to an announcement released Thursday by UGA Athletic Director Damon Evans.

PATRICK BAKER

Baker’s resignation from the Georgia head coaching position he has held for the last five seasons is effective April 1.

“It is with great sadness that I resign my position as head women’s soccer coach at the University of Georgia,” said Baker in a press release sent out Thursday afternoon. “I have put my heart and soul into this program for the past five years but at present I need to make family and health my highest priority.”

In his five seasons as Georgia head coach, Baker guided the Georgia soccer program to new heights, becoming the only coach in Georgia history to take the Bulldogs to three straight NCAA Tournaments. Baker also resigns as the winningest coach in school history, leading the Bulldogs to a record of 66-36-6 in his five seasons at the helm.

Former Georgia standout Carrie Patterson, who owns the Georgia records for goals (44), assists (t-23), points (111), and multi-goal games (9), was surprised by the news of Baker’s resignation.

“It was definitely out of the blue,” Patterson said in a phone interview Thursday. “I don’t think anyone really had any idea.”

Patterson, who was selected in January with the second pick in the fifth round of the 2010 Women’s Professional Soccer League Draft, played for Baker for all four of her seasons in Athens.

“I had a great experience playing under coach Baker. He was obviously my coach all four years and he brought me in,” Patterson said. “I’m really thankful to him for bringing me to Georgia because I had a great experience and my career is definitely something I am proud of. I know that I owe a lot of that to him with how he helped me develop as a player and in terms of bringing in great players around me and developing them.”

Baker came to UGA in 2005 after six seasons as head coach at Florida State, where he amassed a school record 80 wins and led the Seminoles to five straight NCAA tournament appearances.

Evans also announced Thursday that assistant coach Robin Confer, who followed Baker to the University after previously serving on Baker’s staff at Florida State, will serve as interim head coach.

Coach Baker has done an outstanding job coaching our team and we’re disappointed,” said Evans in a press release Thursday. “However, we are certainly supportive of Patrick and his family and respect his decision.”

Georgia soccer is scheduled to play its second match of the team’s spring schedule this Saturday, March 20, when they take on Furman at 1 p.m. at the UGA Soccer Stadium.

Georgia Soccer Continues Spring Play Saturday

The Georgia soccer team will play its second weekend of the 2010 spring schedule when it welcomes Furman to the UGA Soccer Stadium this Saturday at 1 p.m.

The Bulldogs opened the spring with matches against Nebraska and Florida State on Feb. 27 in Atlanta.

Following the Furman game, the Bulldogs will remain at home to host an SEC double header with Tennessee and South Carolina next Sat., March 27 at 10 a.m. and 2 p.m., respectively.

On Sat., April 10, Georgia will travel to Orlando, Fla., to take on the U-20 Mexico National Team at 7 p.m., before closing the spring campaign with a meeting vs. Georgia State on Fri., April 16 at 7 p.m. in Athens.

The Bulldogs are coming off a 15-6-1 record in 2009 and a trip to the second round of the NCAA Tournament. The team made history by reaching its third consecutive postseason, doing so for the first time, after mounting the best 12-game start in program history by going 10-1-1 at the outset.

Georgia returns 20 of 28 players in 2010, including eight who made at least 10 starts in 2009.

- Georgia Sports Communications