Longtime Volcano Vista High School girls soccer coach Samantha Lucero surprisingly resigned Monday, and the Hawks wasted little time in naming her replacement.
Lucero, who has led the program since the school opened in 2007, won state championships in 2010 and 2019.
Ashley Nieder, who was a player on the 2010 team (then as Ashley Williams) and an assistant coach on the 2019 squad, was named as the second head coach in the program’s history shortly after Lucero announced her resignation.
“We expect Ashley to bring a lot of energy and excitement to the program,” Volcano Vista Athletic Director Ron McMath said. “She has played at a very high level and has been an assistant coach in our program for several years, so we feel like she is a perfect fit for the Volcano Vista girls soccer program.”
Nieder was New Mexico Player of the Year in 2011 and was named first team all-state three times. She played collegiately at the University of Kansas, where she was named to the 2012 All Big-12 Newcomer Team. She graduated in 2016 and returned to teach at Volcano Vista.
Volleyball
Volcano Vista is still in search of a volleyball coach.
McMath said there are interviews for the position scheduled for next week and he hopes to have a coach in place by May 15.
