Jenny Anderson-Hammond was looking for a right fit coaching in the Midwest.

The Mission Viejo, Calif., native found it at Eastern.

Anderson-Hammond started her job today as the Eastern women’s soccer assistant coach.

The position was open since former Eastern assistant coach Beth Liesen left in November to take a teaching job in the Chicago suburbs. Liesen was the assistant coach from 2005-07.

Anderson-Hammond said she was interested to stay in the Midwest when she saw the job opening. She was a volunteer assistant women’s soccer coach at Kansas last season.

“During the interview process I felt it was a place I needed to be, with (Eastern head coach Tim Nowak) and his experiences for my future and to learn from him and have him to be a mentor to me,” Anderson-Hammond said.

She said by staying in the Midwest she knows the recruits and clubs, and she has some of the same contacts.

“She’s going to bring a lot of playing experience,” said Eastern head women’s soccer coach Tim Nowak. “She’s been exposed at playing at high level.”

Anderson-Hammond was the director of soccer operations for Kansas women’s soccer for two years from August 2005 to July 2007.

Anderson-Hammond played four years at Clemson from 2001-04 and helped the Tigers reach the NCAA Tournament all four years. Clemson reached the Sweet 16 during Anderson-Hammond’s freshman year. She was a four-year starter as a defender and a two-year captain.

She was a member of the 2001 All-Atlantic Coast Conference team and made the 2001 soccerbuzz.com Freshman All-American team.

Anderson-Hammond has played with various clubs in the W-League, which is the highest level of women’s soccer in the United States.

She has played with the Charlotte Eagles, the Asheville Splash and the Boston Renegades.

“I can adapt and relate to a lot of different people,” Anderson-Hammond said.

Nowak said Anderson-Hammond’s has a passion for soccer.

“It’s going to be great to see her bring that enthusiasm here,” Nowak said. “Hopefully some of that excitement will rub off onto (our players).”

And Nowak said Anderson-Hammond could translate the passion of being a player into being a successful coach.

Eastern finished 8-11-1 and 4-5 in the Ohio Valley Conference last season. The Panthers made the OVC Tournament semifinals for the ninth-straight time.

Anderson-Hammond said the fact Eastern won four straight OVC Tournament Championships from 2001-04 and made four consecutive NCAA College Cup appearances drew her to the program.

Other former recent Eastern assistant women’s soccer coaches include Kristin Boeker and current Eastern head men’s soccer coach Adam Howarth (on an interim basis).

Boecker is now an associate head coach at Texas-San Antonio under former Eastern head coach Steve Ballard.

Kevin Murphy can be reached at 581-7944 or at kjmurphy@eiu.edu.