San Marcos has named new head coaches for girls basketball and girls soccer, Athletic Director Abe Jahadhmy announced Monday.
Tiffany Simms takes over the girls basketball program, replacing Aaron Solis, who stepped down.
The Royals’ new girls soccer coach is Brian “Ziggy” Ziegenghagen. He replaces Jennifer Sotelo.
Simms coached with the JV girls basketball team at San Marcos last season. She previously coached at high schools in Bakersfield. She is also the coach of the Cal Bombers Elite Basketball program Under-17 regional team.
“Tiffany brings years of basketball experience into our program,” said Jahadhmy. “What really impressed me about her coaching at San Marcos last year was her understanding of the game and the relationships she developed with the girls.”
Simms attended Santa Barbara High and played basketball for Andrew Butcher. She made the varsity team as a freshman in 1990.
“She’s real positive and she’s great with the kids, and I think she’ll be terrific” said Butcher of Simms. “I think that’s a great choice.”
In Bakersfield, she served as the head frosh/soph coach from 2012-14 at East Bakersfield High and won the South East Yosemite League in 2014
She then moved over to Foothill High, where she coached the JV team to a league title in 2016. She took the head frosh/soph and varsity assistant coaching jobs at West Bakersfield High, and the varsity won a share of the Southern Yosemite League title in 2019.
She returned to her hometown and was hired at San Marcos.
“It feels wonderful to be back in Santa Barbara,” she said.
Ziegenhagen has coached soccer in the community for several years at the club and high school levels. He also served as assistant coach at SBCC and with the UCSB men’s club team.
He currently coaches with the Santa Barbra Soccer Club.
“He possesses a USSF ‘B’ license with numerous other high-level coaching certifications,” said Jahadhmy.
“Ziggy is inheriting a talented soccer team and I believe he will bring the best out of our girls,” Jahadhmy added. “He is very well respected in the soccer community for his knowledge of the game. He has had success at every program he has coached.”
— Noozhawk sports editor Barry Punzal can be reached at bpunzal@noozhawk.com. Follow Noozhawk Sports on Twitter: @NoozhawkSports. Connect with Noozhawk on Facebook.