BATON ROUGE – The LSU Soccer program proudly announces the addition of assistant coach Antony Blackburn to the program this upcoming fall.
Blackburn, a native of Derby, England, initially joined the Tigers in Fall 2023 as an analyst and will transition to an Assistant Coach position, effectively immediately. He will primarily assist with session planning and delivery, individual development plans, and opposition preparation.
“Antony has been a fantastic addition to our staff. From his role as an analyst in the fall, to taking the coaching reigns this spring, it has been evident from day one that his eye for detail, ability to relate to the players and his aptitude to execute every role he is given at the very highest level is a foundation of who he is as a person,” said head coach Sian Hudson
“His knowledge of the international game from his coaching roles at the professional level in both England and Spain will also give us a competitive advantage as we look to not only bring international talent from overseas, but more importantly provide professional pathways for our players to go on and play at the highest level after LSU. This hire will allow us to forge ahead in college athletics with our vision of getting our players into the professional ranks all across the world.”
Prior to LSU, Blackburn served as Head Coach of Valencia C.F. U14’s (Valencia, Spain), one of the most prestigious academies in the world of professional soccer. Blackburn led a technical staff and had a successful season both in the league and cup, reaching the final of the Madrid Cup against Atletico Madrid and winning the Crevillent Cup beating Villarreal CF. Along the way, Blackburn’s U14 team beat Spanish powerhouses FC Barcelona, Sevilla FC, and Levante UD.
Whilst in Spain, Blackburn also served as the Assistant Coach of UD Vall D’Uxo. He played a key role in opposition analysis and game preparation that helped lead the team to the league title for the first time in 28 years.
Upon Blackburn’s move to Valencia, Spain in 2019, he became the head coach of the U19s at the International Development Academy. In only his second season, Blackburn became the Technical Director and led a team of staff including the coaching staff, education staff, medical, S&C and analysis. Whilst Blackburn’s primary responsibilities included developing new methodology for the academy, he also led the U23 age group, oversaw the strategic direction of the academy, and managed worldwide recruitment. In 2019, Blackburn was instrumental in the recruitment and development of Jeremy De Leon, who recently signed for Real Madrid C.F.
From 2015-2019 Blackburn was an Academy Coach at Sunderland AFC, a Category 1 Football Academy in the United Kingdom. Blackburn coached the Academy U9, U10 and U13 boys and U16’s girls. Additionally, Blackburn served as the Premier League Coordinator of Physical Education at Sunderland AFC.
Blackburn not only has experience at the coaching level, but he played at the collegiate level as well with the St. Scholastica Saints, in Duluth, Minnesota. As a team captain for the Saints, Blackburn won the UMAC Conference Regular Season four times, the Conference tournament three times, and made three NCAA tournament appearances in four years.
Excitedly, Blackburn will use his prior experiences to help lead LSU to success in his first season as an assistant coach this upcoming fall.
“I’m extremely grateful for the opportunity to join the coaching staff at LSU. From day one, Baton Rouge has felt like a home to me, thanks to the amazing staff and wonderful people in this community,” said Blackburn. “For me, there’s no bigger brand in college athletics than LSU, and I’m excited for what the future holds for LSU soccer. I’m ready to get to work and be part of this winning culture.”
Blackburn earned his B.A. in Business Marketing and Management from St. Scholastica (Duluth, MN) in 2014, and completed his MSc. in Professional Practice in Sport Coaching from Northumbria University (2016). He currently holds his UEFA B License with both the English and Spanish Football Associations.
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