Christina Sarokon enters her third season as an assistant coach at Gardner-Webb University in 2019 after joining the program in March of 2017.
Last season, Sarokon was instrumental in helping Keely Brown record four additional clean sheets and extend the career record to 20. Brown made 85 stops on the year and worked almost exclusively with Sarokon. The 'Dogs finished Sarokon's third year as an assistant 12-5-4 overall and were the runner-ups in the Big South Conference tournament. Seven players earned All-Conference honors, led by Brown and Stina Kleepe who were First-Team All-BSC.
Last season, Sarokon helped the Runnin’ Bulldogs to a 2-4-3 mark in Big South Conference play and a 4-12-3 overall record. She guided junior goalkeeper Keely Brown to the career shutout record with 16 career shutouts. Additionally, Sarokon also helped four Runnin’ Bulldogs to All-Big South Conference honors. Stina Kleppe earned 2nd team All-Conference recognition, while Samuelle Grove was All-Conference honorable mention team member. Emily Jonas was named to the All-Freshman team, and Jessica Ferguson was a member of the BSC All-Academic team.
Sarokon spent the 2016 season as an assistant coach at McNeese State in Lake Charles, La. In 2016, she helped lead Mcneese State to a semifinal appearance in the Southland Conference tournament for the first time since 2008.
Sarokon is currently a staff coach for US Youth Soccer East Region Girls ODP, North Carolina State Girls ODP U15 assistant coach and a staff coach for Tony DiCiccio’s SoccerPlus Goalkeeper Camp. She formerly served as a U12 assistant coach with Louisiana ODP and worked as an assistant and goalkeeper coach for both boys and girls for New York State West ODP.
In February 2017, Sarokon was selected as the NSCAA Charlotte Moran Memorial Scholarship award recipient by the Charlotte Moran Scholarship Committee.
“We had many high quality applicants for the Charlotte Moran Memorial Scholarship," said Kathy Grant, Scholarship Committee Chair. "Within the group, Christina Sarokon stood out as someone with a passion for coaching and who wants to make the game even better for young females. The committee felt that Christina is exactly who Charlotte intended this scholarship to be for…. a coach or administrator in the beginning of their career who is committed to staying involved with the women’s game for the long term."
The North Tonawanda, N.Y., native was a four-year letter winner at Saint Bonaventure University from 2012-2015, where she made 33 starts and finished her collegiate career ranked fifth in school history in saves (186), fifth in career goals against average (1.36), third in single-season shutouts (5), fifth in career games played in goal (40) and seventh in career shutouts (12). She was named to the Atlantic 10 Conference Commissioner’s honor roll in each of her four years with the Bonnies.
Sarokon displayed her talents on the national level as a member of the Women’s Premier Soccer League (WPSL) team Empire Revolution in 2014.
Prior to her collegiate career, Sarokon was a member of the United States U14 Girls National Team player pool in 2008, and participated in the Nike Friendlies at the Home Depot Center with the U14 Girls National Team. She was a member of the Region 1 ODP team from 2006-09 and played internationally with the Region 1 ODP team in Costa Rica in 2009. She was selected to two US National ODP training camps in 2009 and 2010 and was a six-year starting goalkeeper for NY West State ODP tournament team 2006-12.
Sarokon was named Top Drawer Soccer four-star Regional Top 20 "Player to Watch" in 2012, and was a two time New York West State Champion and Region 1 Tournament finalist in 2010 and 2011 with the Buffalo Soccer Academy Invaders.
Sarokon earned a Bachelor’s of Science Degree in Sports Studies and Human Development from Saint Bonaventure University in 2016. She holds the NSCAA Goalkeeper Levels I, II, and III Diplomas, NSCAA Advanced National Goalkeeping Diploma, United Soccer Coaches (NSCAA) Advanced National Diploma, United Soccer Coaches (NSCAA) Premier Diploma, the United States Soccer Federation (USSF) National "D" License, and the United States Soccer Federation (USSF) National “C” License.
