Black Hills State athletics has announced the hire of Andrew Conniff as Head Women's Soccer Coach.

"I am so thankful to be given an opportunity to work in BHSU athletics and to be given the trust of administration to lead the women's soccer program," said Conniff. "I believe this program can provide real value to the Spearfish community and the campus community. Having met with some of the players, I could feel how eager they are to improve and show their worth. We are ready to get to work."

Prior to BHSU, Conniff has most recently been the Assistant Director of Coaching with the Black Hills Rapids Soccer Club where he coaches multiple teams including the U19 Girls Team, which currently has three NCAA DI commits and three NCAA DII Commits.

Before that, Conniff was the Head Men's Soccer Coach at Colorado Mesa during the 2019-2020 season where his team was ranked as high as No. 17 in the nation. The team finished the season with double-digit wins and hosted an RMAC Tournament game.

The program also had 12 players acknowledged as RMAC Academic Honor Roll that year, while four players earned All-RMAC and two were named Academic All-American and All-Region.

Conniff served as the Head Men's Soccer Coach at South Dakota School of Mines before that from 2017-2019. While there, the soccer program broke nearly every program and individual record, including most wins in a season, longest winning streak, most goals scored, and best goals against average.

Before moving into the head coaching role with the Hardrockers, he served as the team's assistant coach from 2015-2017. Conniff also worked as the Director of Player Development with Black Hills Rapids Soccer Club from 2016-2017, as well as the Director of Soccer Operations at the University of Central Arkansas in 2014.

Conniff played soccer collegiately from 2010-2012 at the DIII level at Benedictine University (IL) where he graduated in 2012 with a degree in Communication Arts.

He also played internationally as a member of Eccleshill United in Leeds, England from 2013-14 where he earned his master's degree from Leeds Beckett (UK) in sport law and society, and then with Wolves FC in Brisbane, Australia in 2015.

Conniff currently holds a United States Soccer Federation 'C' License as well as both a United Soccer Coaches Director of Coaching Diploma and United Soccer Coaches National Diploma.