BEN MADSEN

HEAD COACH

ABOUT BEN

Ben Madsen, a former SEC and Big 12 assistant coach and highly-respected defensive mind, has been tabbed as Murray State women's soccer's fifth head coach in program history, it was announced on Tuesday afternoon. The contract is subject to approval by the Murray State Board of Regents and a formal background check. 

Madsen, who spent the last 14 seasons on the sidelines at Auburn University, has guided his teams to eight NCAA Tournament appearances, including runs to the Sweet 16 and Elite 8.



The Tigers made consistent improvements along the defensive front thanks his ability to develop top talent, including a two-time All-American in Kala Faulkner (2014 and 2015) and SEC Defender of the Year and Second Team All-American in Alyssa Malonson (2021).

Madsen coached 16 All-SEC selections, including five first team selections, along with multiple Conference performers of the Year, All-Region selections and All-America selections.

He also coached goalkeeper Maddie Prohaska, who set the program standard with 36 career shutouts before signing a professional contract with the NWSL's Seattle Reign following her standout collegiate career.

Auburn ranked in the top half of the SEC in both goals against average and shutout percentage eight times in Madsen's tenure, including every year from 2013-16. Before Madsen arrived, the Tigers were eighth in defense in 2011.

From 2020-24, his defenses held opponents under 25 goals per year, including 20 or less in three of those campaigns. In that same stretch the defense and goalkeepers secured an impressive .992 Goals Against Average.

Powered by Madsen's coaching prowess, the Tigers turned in five of the top 10 goals against averages as well as five of the top 10 shutout totals in program history.

Prior to arriving at Auburn, Madsen was the recruiting coordinator and goalkeepers coach at Iowa State and helped bring a recruiting class that increased the program's win total for three straight seasons from 2009-11. In 2011, the ISU club tied the program record for shutouts in a season with nine and he coached goalkeeper Maddie Jobe to two Big 12 Player of the Week awards. On the recruiting trail, his 2010 freshman class accounted for 92 percent of the team's points and scored every goal in Big 12 conference play.

Prior to ISU, Madsen was an assistant at the University of South Alabama from 2004-08. During his stay in Mobile, the team made four Sun Belt Conference tournament appearances and finished as the conference runner-up in 2005. He also coached the 2004 First Team All-Sunbelt goalkeeper.

Madsen started his coaching career with the Lincoln College men's team from 2002-03 before moving on to Alabama-Huntsville from 2003-04. At Lincoln he trained the 2002 Collegiate Conference of Central Illinois First Team All-Conference goalkeeper while at UAH he recruited the 2004 Gulf South Conference Freshman of the Year.

The Mt. Horeb, Wisconsin, native earned his bachelor's degree in physical education from Lincoln Memorial University in 2003, where he also played from 1998-01. He has a NSCAA Advanced National Diploma and a NSCAA National Goalkeeper Diploma.

Madsen and his wife, Ann, have a daughter, Margaret Kate (Maggie) and a son, Beckett.

SALSA ANDRADE

ASSISTANT COACH

ABOUT  SALSA

Andrade arrives in Murray after spending the previous two seasons as an assistant coach at Columbus State. During his tenure with the Cougars, Andrade helped develop five United Soccer Coaches All-Southeast Region selections and coached Sarah Hungerford to Second Team All-America honors.

Prior to his time at CSU, Andrade served five years at Shaw University. He spent his final two seasons there as the associate head coach for men's soccer following a three-year stint as an assistant for both the men's and women's programs. While at Shaw, he helped guide the men's team to an appearance in the USCAA Men's Soccer National Championship.

Andrade began his coaching career as a graduate assistant at his alma mater, N.C. Wesleyan, before serving as an assistant coach at Wake Tech Community College.

A native of Angola who moved to the United States in 2001, Andrade began his collegiate playing career at Rhode Island Community College. He later transferred to N.C. Wesleyan, where he earned All-Conference Second Team honors and the Sportsmanship Award. He played a pivotal role in leading the Bishops through the NCAA Division III East Division Conference Tournament.

Beyond the collegiate ranks, Andrade's playing experience includes professional stints in Iceland and the United Premier Soccer League (UPSL).