Fergal Forde joined Laker Nation in 2014 as an assistant coach before being named Head Women’s Soccer Coach in June of 2017. Prior to 2017, Forde served as the Interim Women’s Soccer Head Coach for the 2016 season.
Clayton State Career Highlights
- 31 career wins in five seasons
- Two CoSIDA Academic All-America selections
- Four CoSIDA Academic All-District selections
- Three All-Region selections
- One PBC Tournament Championship appearance
- One PBC Female Scholar Athlete of the Year
- One PBC Player of the Year
- Five All-PBC selections
- 33 Academic All-PBC
Serving as head coach of the women’s soccer program for five years, Forde has compiled a record of 31-33-8 while going 19-26-4 in Peach Belt Conference play.
Playing in one of the most difficult conferences in the country, Forde has recruited several players that have garnered regional and national awards.
After missing out on the fall 2020 season due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Lakers hit the field in the spring of 2021. Clayton State managed to play six of their scheduled 10 games and finished with a 3-3 record. All six games were decided by one goal.
Three of those games were decided in overtime as the Lakers won two of them. Despite losing three games, the Lakers held all opponents to one goal or fewer in ever game.
At the end of the season, Ann-Cathrin Zabel and Isabel Massa were named to the CoSIDA Academic All-District team. Zabel then became the program’s third CoSIDA Academic All-America selection while Massa earned her second All-District Team selection. Zabel joined two-time Academic All-America selection Maria Marti Bartis as the only women’s soccer players to earn this prestigious award.
Massa has been named to the Academic All-District team twice.
The 2019 season saw a magical PBC tournament run for the Lakers. Entering the tournament as the No. 6 seed, Clayton State took down third seeded UNC Pembroke in penalty kicks before upsetting the No. 18 ranked and second seeded North Georgia Night Hawks in penalty kicks.
The Lakers then faced the top-seed and No. 3 team in the country Flagler College in the conference championship game. Clayton State battled the Saints to a 0-0 result after 90 minutes, but saw their tournament come to an end in overtime.
Following the season, Laker senior Manoly Baquerizo was named second-team D2CCA All-Southeast Region, the third selection under Forde.
Adding to individual accomplishments under Forde is Maria Marti Bartis who collected regional and national recognition. In 2016, she earned Academic All-District and Academic All-America honors for the second-straight season. She also was named All-Region and PBC Player of the Year that same season.
The following season, goalkeeper Jessica Charman earned PBC Female Scholar Athlete of the Year, becoming the first Laker to do so in Clayton State Athletic history.
Forde has led the Lakers to three PBC tournaments during his five seasons and has produced 33 Academic All-PBC student-athletes.
Prior to joining Clayton State in 2014, Forde served as the Director of Coaching for the Ballina Town F.C. Irish Senior Men’s Team for four years.
Before making the jump back to Ireland, he was an assistant coach at Christian Brothers in 2010 where he helped the team to the Gulf South Conference championship game.
Forde played collegiately at the University of Memphis from 1993-1997. While playing for the Tigers, Forde scored 30 goals and had 13 assists for a total of 73 points in 73 games. As a freshman, he helped the team to a Great Midwest Tournament Championship.
In 1995, Memphis joined the Conference-USA while Forde was named second-team All-Conference USA before earning a spot on the first team in 1996.
Forde received his bachelor’s degree in international business from Memphis in 1997 and a master’s degree in health administration from Clayton State in 2016.
Fergal Forde's Year-by-Year Coachign Record (2016-Present)
| Season |
Record |
Pct. |
School |
Accolades |
2020 (Spring '21)
|
3-3
|
.500
|
Clayton State
|
One CoSIDA Academic All-America
Two CoSIDA Academic All-District |
2019
|
8-7-3
|
.528
|
Clayton State
|
PBC Tournament Championship Game Appearance
Two PBC All-Conference Selection
One All-Region Selection
One CoSIDA Academic All-District Selection |
2018
|
6-6-4
|
.500
|
Clayton State
|
PBC First Round
One PBC All-Conference Selection
PBC Scholar Athlete of the Year |
2017
|
5-9
|
.333
|
Clayton State
|
One PBC All-Conference Selection
One All-Region Selection |
2016 (Interim)
|
9-7-1
|
.559
|
Clayton State
|
PBC First Round
PBC Player of the Year
One PBC All-Conference Selection
One CoSIDA Academic All-America Selection
One CoSIDA Academic All-District Selection
One All-Region Selection |
| Totals |
31-33-8 |
.490 |
One School |
|
