University of Charleston Women's Soccer

Sarah Leiby enters her second season as the head coach of the Golden Eagles Women’s Soccer program. During her first season with the program, the team were regular season MEC champions, runner’s up in the conference tournament, and advanced to the NCAA tournament. The team had the 4th best scoring offense in the country and had 3 players rank in the Top 20 for individual statistics categories. Six players received All-Conference Honors, with Juliette Lucas and Lina Jaime both receiving All-Region and All-American Honors. Leiby was also named by her peers as the 2024 MEC Women’s Soccer Coach of the Year. She came to UC after spending one season as the Assistant Coach and Recruiting Coordinator at the College of Charleston. Prior to CofC, Leiby served in the same role at Dartmouth College from 2021 to 2023. She helped several players receive post-season accolades and was tasked with identifying and recruiting the best and brightest to join Big Green Women’s Soccer. Leiby aided in the development of all players during their careers through film sessions and creating periodized season plans. Before her time at Dartmouth, Leiby served as the Associate Head Coach at Saint Leo University from 2019 to 2021. She was instrumental in improving nearly every aspect of Saint Leo’s program, from managing equipment, budgets, travel accommodations and compliance to helping implement new academic guidelines that saw the team’s grade point average jump nearly half a point to 3.61 during her tenure. It was also in 2019 that Leiby was tabbed as one of the nation’s top 30 coaches under 30 years old by United Soccer Coaches. She also graduated from the NCAA WeCOACH Women Coaches Academy in 2020 and the NCAA Academy 2.0 in 2025. Prior to her time in the Sunshine State, Leiby was an assistant at Montana State in Billings from 2017-19, helping develop three all-league players and mentoring Amanda Hemmen, who would become the program’s first two-time First Team Academic All-American. Her first full-time foray into coaching came in 2016 when she joined the staff at Black Hills State in South Dakota for the inaugural season in program history. Additionally, Leiby has coaching experience with several club soccer organizations, state Olympic Development Programs, and is on the East Region Girls ODP staff. Leiby is a 2014 graduate of the University of Vermont where she received her bachelor's in environmental science and earned her masters degree in sport coaching from West Virginia University in 2024. She holds a United States Soccer Federation National B License and United Soccer Coaches Goalkeeping 2 & 3 Diplomas. She is also involved with USSF as a C License educator and the SheChampions Mentor Program. She resides in Charleston with her fiancé, Jake, and their dog Velvet.

Salma enters her first year as a Graduate Assistant coach for the Golden Eagles Women’s soccer program. She brought college experience to UC after spending 4 years as the assistant and then as the Associate Head coach for the Lady Bears of Shaw University in Raleigh, NC.  Salma was an integral part of the Lady Bears success both on the pitch and sidelines. First taking part as a player of the inaugural season team for Shaw U, as a Division II NCAA team in 2017. She helped lead the team on the field to their first winning season in 2018 with a record of 12-4-1. After graduating she joined the coaching staff as an assistant coach in 2021 and then becoming the associate head coach in 2022.  Luevano then coached the Lady Bears to a new program best beating the previous one when she was a player of 16-4 in 2023. She helped coach the Lady Bears to their first titles in program history. Winning the United Small College Athletic Association (USCAA) national championships in back-to-back years, 2023 & 2024.  Prior to Shaw, Luevano played two years at Otero Junior College where she helped the Rattlers to their first Region IX title in 2014 and going to the national tournament for the first time in program history.  A graduate from Shaw University, where she received her Bachelor of Science in Exercise Science: Fitness and Wellness degree. She is now working towards her master's in business administration and management at the University of Charleston. She holds a USSF D License.  A native from Zacatecas, Mexico, raised in Aurora, Colorado. Daughter of Victoriano Luevano and Maria Zambrano. Now residing in Charleston, WV. 

Coach Kirk is entering his ninth season as Assistant Coach for the University of Charleston women’s soccer program. Coach Kirk served as the assistant coach with the men’s soccer program for three years prior to joining the women’s soccer program. During his time with the men’s soccer program, the men won three consecutive regular season conference championships, three consecutive conference tournament championships and advanced in the NCAA tournament twice reaching the Sweet Sixteen and Elite Eight rounds. The women’s program has made the conference tournament five out of the last six years, advancing to the finals and semi-finals most years. During this period the women’s program has competed in the NCAA tournament twice. Jim has coached youth soccer winning at the state, regional and national levels for the last sixteen years. He has had the privilege of coaching several players named to the All-Conference team, NSCAA All-Region team, Freshman-of-the-Year, Daktronics All-Region and Daktronics All-American. Jim holds a Bachelor of Science in Business Information Systems from Bellevue University and a Chemistry degree from West Virginia State University. Jim is certified through the ISSA Strength and Conditioning Association and serves as a strength and conditioning coach and goalkeeper coach within the women’s soccer program. Coach Kirk has been a long standing member of the United Soccer Coaches Association and holds Goalkeeper Certification.