CORVALLIS, Ore. – Oregon State women’s soccer Head Coach Lauren Sinacola announced a number of changes to the coaching staff on Friday, officially adding Austin Rios while elevating Grace Labadie to a full-time assistant. Rios is coming off a two-year stint on the staff at Western Oregon while Labadie is coming off her first season at OSU.
Labadie was originally hired prior to the start of the 2023 season and came to Corvallis after spending the previous three seasons coaching on the club circuit. As a player, Labadie played four seasons of collegiate soccer, the final three of which came at Western Michigan – including one season with Sinacola leading the Broncos’ program.
A midfielder, she finished her WMU career with 12 goals and 19 assists and is someone Sinacola prioritized keeping on the staff.
“I am very excited to be promoting Grace to her new assistant position within our staff. In the last year she has made a huge impact with our players and program as a whole,” Sinacola said. “Not only is she great at connecting with our student-athletes and recruits, she also brings a high soccer IQ that will continue to push Oregon State Soccer in the right direction. We’re very lucky to keep Grace in our program and the promotion is very well deserved.”
Rios spent the last two seasons coaching goalkeepers and defenders at Western Oregon. He assisted a nationally ranked Wolves program that finished third in the GNAC and earned a conference playoff berth in 2023, which came one season after he played an active role in helping develop the 2022 GNAC Defensive Player of the Year, Hannah Rispler.
“The addition of Austin to our coaching staff was a no brainer after our first conversation,” Sinacola said. “He has the ability to work with every position on the field, but his main focus will be working with our defensive unit and I’m looking forward to the energy he will bring every day. I am confident that Austin’s abilities will help our program achieve our goals moving forward.”
Prior to Western Oregon, Rios coached for two seasons at Adams State after finishing his playing career, which included stops at Mesa Community College and Adams State before playing one season for the Vancouver Victory (EPLWA) and Sporting AZ FC (UPSL).
“I’m thrilled and deeply grateful for the opportunity to join the women’s soccer program here at Oregon State,” Rios said. “I look forward to working with this exceptional staff and am excited to pour my all into our success both on and off the field.”
As part of the changes to the staff, Sinacola also announced that Beavers assistant Joshua Ross has stepped down from his role to pursue other professional opportunities.
“We will miss having Josh around our program and are greatly appreciative of everything he has done for all of us – he is a great coach and an even better person,” Coach Sinacola said. “I can confidently say that Josh has left Oregon State women’s soccer better than the way he found it two seasons ago. We all wish him the best of luck in his next chapter.”
Beaver women’s soccer returns to action this spring, with the team slated to play five games across April and May. More information about those games will be made available at a later date.
