SAN DIEGO – Head women's soccer coach Mike Friesen has announced that Chassion Griggs has been promoted to associate head coach. Griggs has spent the past four seasons as an assistant coach at San Diego State, and additionally was the teams volunteer assistant during the 2014 and 2016 seasons.
"Chassion has been an integral part of our success over his time here," head coach Mike Friesen said. "I couldn't be more excited to move him to Associate Head Coach. He has continued to grow in his role as a coach in every aspect. This is a well-deserved recognition to the value he adds to our program."
Prior to the promotion, Griggs was an assistant coach at San Diego State from 2017-2021 and was the teams volunteer assistant in 2014 and 2016. In those seven seasons the Aztecs posted a 68-53-14 record, and had 50 conference wins. During those seven seasons the Aztecs advanced to the NCAA tournament in 2014 and 2017, won the Mountain West Conference Tournament in2014 and 2017, advanced to the Mountain West Tournament finals in five of those seven seasons, and won the Western Division of the Mountain West Conference during the COVID shortened 2020 season that was played in the spring of 2021.
"I am very appreciative of the promotion to associate head coach," Griggs said. "I'm looking forward to continuing to work with Coach Friesen and the amazing group of women that we have on our team. I am just as excited to be a part of this team as I was eight years ago when I first stepped foot on the San Diego State campus. One of our team values is 'big dreams' and I can't wait to see what big things this current group accomplishes."
Sophomore keeper Alexa Madueno, under Griggs' tutelage, was a 2020 second-team All-Mountain West honoree and a member of the Mountain West All-Newcomer team in her initial collegiate campaign. She was on the field for every minute of the season and posted a 8-3-0 record, recorded three shutouts, had a 1.25 goals against average and a .714 save percentage. Madueno was the first true freshman keeper to start every game in a season for SDSU since Aubree Southwick in 2007 and is the third player, and only true freshman, to play every minute in a season for the Aztecs since Stephanie Pearson in 2003.
In 2019, he guided Brooke Lisowski to inclusion on the Mountain West All-Newcomer Team. The graduate transfer posted a 10-9-1 overall record but was 8-3-0 in conference play. She recorded five shutouts, four in league play, with a 1.72 goals against average.
As an official member of the coaching staff in 2017, Griggs helped the Aztecs win their first Mountain West tournament title since 2014, and return to the NCAA tournament for the first time in three years. Working with the keepers, Griggs mentored a group that posted eight shutouts and allowed one goal or less in 12 of SDSU's final 15 games in 2017. Starting keeper Gabby English blanked a pair of foes in the conference tournament to help lead the Aztecs to the title. She earned MW all-tournament recognition for her efforts. He tutored four-year letter-winning goalkeeper Melanie Vaughn, who ended up being a three-time all-MW tournament performer and an all-conference second-team goalkeeper her senior campaign.