John Cossaboon joined head coach Shannon Stiles' staff in January of 2002, bringing with him a wealth of experience.

"I have known John for the past fifteen years and I am very excited about what he brings to Gonzaga women's soccer," Stiles said. "I could not be happier to be adding such a great coach and great person to our staff."

Cossaboon joins the Bulldogs from Southern Methodist University where he maintained the Mustangs excellence. SMU won conference titles all four seasons, including this past season that saw SMU go 17-5-1 overall and 8-1-0 in Conference USA for its seventh straight regular-season title. The Mustangs, tied for 24th in the final SoccerTimes.com poll, lost in the semifinals of the C-USA Tournament but received an at-large bid into the College Cup, advancing to the second round in their sixth straight College Cup appearance. He earned his second straight C-USA Coach of the Year honor.

In his first season at the helm, SMU recorded a 15-5-2 mark, earning votes in the final NSCAA poll. In 2004 the Mustangs earned their fourth straight Western Athletic Conference crown in their final season in the WAC, posting a 15-4-3 mark while finished 22nd in the nation.

Cossaboon made quite an impression in his first year after being named the fourth head coach of the SMU women's soccer program in March, 2003. He led the Mustangs to a 17-3-2 record and their fifth WAC Tournament title.

Cossaboon is no stranger to the West Coast Conference, guiding the University of San Diego for six years prior to going to SMU. During his 6-year tenure at USD, Cossaboon guided the Toreros to four consecutive NCAA Tournament appearances (1999-02) while compiling an overall record of 73-43-6 (.598 winning percentage). Since inheriting the program in 1997, Cossaboon and the Toreros averaged 13 wins per season, totaling a 25-15-2 record in the WCC. Prior to USD, Cossaboon served as the women's head coach at UC Santa Barbara. He also gained international head coaching experience as one of very few Americans to coach abroad professionally in Japan's women's professional league from 1993 through the beginning of 1995. Before his stint in Japan, Cossaboon's coaching experiences included the following positions: top assistant coach for the men's program at Santa Clara (1992-1993), the head men's coach at Cal State Hayward (1991) and assistant coaching jobs at Duke (1978-82) and the North Carolina (1977).

A native of New York, Cossaboon served as the Director of Coaching for the North Texas State Soccer Association from 1982-90, directing and training Olympic Development players and designing and implementing the state's coaching education program. With a United States Soccer Federation "A" License, he has been a National Staff Coach for the National Soccer Coaches Association of America since 1983. From 1983 to 1985, he was a National Staff Coach for the USSF.

A 1977 graduate of State University of New York-Cortland, Cossaboon earned his Bachelor of Science degree in physical education with an emphasis in sports psychology and exercise physiology. During his senior year at Cortland, he garnered first team All-Conference honors as a center midfielder.

Cossaboon earned his Master of Arts degree in physical education in 1978 from the University of North Carolina with emphasis in exercise physiology, coaching, biomechanics and psychology. He received his Intermediate Level Coaching Certificate from the Brazilian Football Academy in Rio de Janeiro.

Additionally, he has authored five soccer publications, has studied soccer techniques in Brazil, Belgium and Holland, and has taught Martial Arts and Self-Defense for Women classes.