Becks Young is returning to Gannon University Athletics as an assistant coach for both the men's and women's soccer teams, Director of Athletics Lisa Goddard McGuirk announced on Monday.
Young served as a volunteer assistant coach for the Gannon women's team during the 2021 season before becoming the head coach of the Erie Commodores of the United Women's Soccer League and later the Lake Erie College women's team.
Young will join the coaching staffs of the highly successful Gannon men's and women's teams, both of which advanced to the NCAA Division II Elite Eight in 2023 and have multiple all-PSAC and All-America players returning in 2024.
"We are very excited to have Becks Young join our staff. Becks was a volunteer coach with us a few seasons ago and did a terrific job," Gannon women's soccer coach
Colin Petersen said. "Becks has gained invaluable experience in the interim, and I am one hundred percent sure she will be an asset to both the men's and women's programs."
"We are excited to have Becks join the coaching staff," Gannon men's soccer coach
Billy Colton said. "She has experience of being a head coach and has the work ethic and knowledge that will be an asset to the program."
Young was the Lake Erie College coach from February 2023 to June 2024 and led the Storm to multiple wins in the Great Midwest Athletic Conference for the first time since 2019. She also helped Lake Erie triple its win total in 2023 from the previous season. Young coached one player to All-Ohio First Team honors and another to All-Academic Ohio First Team status. Her team had a 3.67 grade-point average.
With the Commodores, Young helped establish Erie's first women's senior team and served as the head coach from December 2021 to July 2023. She led the Commodores to an 8-6-4 record over their first two seasons. She also coached Gannon standout
Brooklyn Respecki (McKean, Pa./General McLane) to All-Star honors with the Commodores.
In Young's one season as a volunteer assistant with the Gannon women's soccer team, the Knights posted a 12-4-3 record.
Young also has experience as an assistant coach for the General McLane High School boys' soccer team (August 2021-November 2023), a women's assistant coach and developmental team head coach at Adrian College (July 2020-July 2021), and a graduate assistant for the Mercyhurst University women's team (August 2018-May 2020).
"I am thrilled to be here and can't wait to work with our male and female student-athletes as two of the best programs in Division II soccer," Young said. "I am grateful to AD Lisa Goddard McGuirk as well as head coaches Colin and Billy for giving me this opportunity. I am excited to be at an institution of this magnitude, and I'm ready to positively impact the Gannon community as we look to compete at the highest level possible."
The native of Carrickfergus, Northern Ireland attended Mercyhurst University where she received her bachelor's degree in Early Education and Special Education in May 2018 and earned her master's degree in Organizational Leadership in May 2020.
Formerly Becks Craig, she began her college career at the University of West Alabama in 2013 before transferring to Mercyhurst and playing for the Lakers from 2014-2016. She was a student assistant at Mercyhurst during the 2017 season.
