Earlier this month, when Coker College athletics announced the all-time women’s and men’s soccer teams, Salem College Athletic Director Patricia “Trish” Hughes’ name was at the top of the list for the Women’s Soccer First Team.

A graduate of Coker College in 1993, Hughes was a two-time NAIA All-American, an NSCAA/Adidas All-American and named to the All-District team four times.

Her spot at the top of the list may have had something to do with the fact that she was the all-time scoring leader, male or female in Coker College soccer history, and she was also named First Team NSCAA All-East three times, the team’s leading scorer and team captain four years and team MVP and best offensive player twice. In the spring of 2001, Hughes became the first women’s soccer player to be inducted into the Coker College Athletic Hall of Fame.

Hughes also played internationally, making twenty appearances for the Republic of Ireland National Team from 1985-90, and also played with the Alabama Angels, a women’s semi-professional league from 1995-98.

Prior to coming to Salem, Hughes served as the second coach in the 17-year history of the Montevallo women’s soccer program, took over the program in the fall of 2001. She led the team to its first-ever conference championship back in 2007 when the Falcons captured the Gulf South Conference crown. In her 11 seasons at UM, Hughes has developed 15 GSC First Team members, 12 GSC Second Team members, eight NSCAA All South Region Team members, 13 GSC All-Academic team members, 11 PBC-All Academic team members, three CoSIDA Academic All-Americans, six Peach Belt Conference Second Team athletes and an All-Southeast Region Third Team member.

A native of Dublin, Ireland, she was a member of the coaching staff on the first University of Montevallo women’s soccer team in 1995. She was formerly head coach at Belmont University in Nashville, Tenn. for the 1999 season before returning to UM as an assistant coach in the fall of 2000. Hughes was also an assistant and interim head coach at Auburn University from 1997-1999.