Texas Tech University Athletics
Texas Tech Tabs Neil Payne As Assistant Soccer Coach
May 13, 2015 | Women's Soccer
Gibbs Keeton, pictured here during the 2014 season, was promoted to the role of recruiting coordinator Wednesday afternoon. He will be joined on staff by new assistant coach Neil Payne.
May 13, 2015
LUBBOCK, Texas - Texas Tech head soccer coach Tom Stone completed his coaching staff for the 2015 season Wednesday with the hiring of Neil Payne as an assistant coach and the promotion of Gibbs Keeton to recruiting coordinator.
Payne, a native of Liverpool, England, arrives at Texas Tech following 11 years as the Technical Director for Real Colorado, one of the premier girls youth soccer clubs in the country. He replaces Todd Shulenberger, who accepted the head coaching position at Washington State in April.
During his tenure in Colorado, Payne has helped produce several collegiate standouts, including a pair of Red Raider All-Americans in Jaelene Hinkle and Janine Beckie along with current director of operations Bri Young. Real's impressive player development record also includes 38 players with U.S. Youth National Team experience during Payne's tenure.
"Neil Payne has had a huge hand in Real becoming one of the nation's premier girls programs and has consistently produced nationally acclaimed teams and players," Stone said. "Neil's knowledge of the game and coaching style are a great fit for the culture and playing style here at Texas Tech.
Payne led his U-17 Real Colorado team to the United States Youth Soccer Association (USYSA) National Title in 2006 and in 2014 returned the national championship game before finishing second in the Elite Clubs National League Final (ECNL). The Real Colorado program, as a whole, was ranked No. 6 nationally in the ECNL in 2014.
In Payne's last nine years with Real Colorado, eight of his teams have qualified for the national finals. The club has sent over 450 players to the college level during his tenure while winning 44 state cups and seven regional championships.
"I am excited to be entering this new cycle of the women's soccer program," Payne said. "Tom and his staff have worked diligently over the past eight years in establishing themselves as a nationally-recognized top-20 program. Tom is a forward-thinking coach who likes to play creative soccer. We are very similar in our philosophies and I am determined to represent him and the university to the best of my ability.
"I would also like to thank everyone associated with Real Colorado. Lorne Donaldson and Jared Spires have assembled one of the best staffs in the country and I personally want to express how grateful I am to all of them for their support and guidance. I leave a club that is progressive and is fully committed to the betterment of the game."
This will be Payne's second stint in college soccer as he previously spent three seasons as an assistant men's coach at his alma mater, Coastal Carolina, from 1998-2000. The Chanticleers claimed back-to-back Big South regular season titles in his final two years thanks to a 23-9-2 record during that span.
Payne remains one of the top players in Coastal Carolina history as his 123 career points, 46 goals and 31 assists from 1992-95 still rank in the top five all-time in the school record book. He also ranks among the top 10 for career starts and shot attempts and eighth for single-season assists and points.
Keeton, meanwhile, earns the promotion to recruiting coordinator after six seasons with the program, including two years in the role of assistant coach. He has coached a pair of All-Big 12 goalkeepers during that time, helping the Red Raiders win a total of 34 matches and advance to at least the second round of the NCAA Championship in both seasons.
"Gibbs has become an integral part of all facets of our program,' Stone said. "His recruiting network is outstanding and he is more than ready to be more involved in team development and to take on the very important role of recruiting coordinator. I am as excited as ever for the upcoming season and to let our new staff make their mark with this group."
