Langley Girls' Soccer

Langley Hires New Coach
Tuesday, January 22, 2008; E05

Gretchen Hamm has been hired as the girls' soccer coach at Langley High School.

Hamm, 32, led Annandale's junior varsity girls' soccer team to a 2-10-2 record last season.

She was a standout at Washburn High School in Minneapolis, where Hamm said she set the state's public school career scoring record with 111 goals before playing at Providence College in Rhode Island.

Hamm, who replaced Melissa Bibbee, takes over one of the Liberty District's premier programs.

Bibbee's record at Langley was 115-38-13 and she led the Saxons to four district titles, one region title and a state runner-up finish (2001) in 10 seasons before taking the same position at Chantilly in August.

"I think there is a real opportunity in Northern Virginia," said Hamm, a director of marketing for a nonprofit organization in the District. "With lots of programs losing lots of seniors and several coaching changes, there is a real opportunity to go deep into the playoffs."

-- B.J. Koubaroulis