Camp Staff

Brandon Tucker - Assistant Coach

Brandon Tucker enters his first season as the top assistant for the Presbyterian College men’s soccer team.

Tucker returns to PC after playing for the Colorado Rapids in the MLS and the Denver Dragons of the Premier Arena Soccer League. Both teams were at the highest level of soccer in the country, with the PASL being in the indoor league and MLS in the outdoor league. In January 2010, Tucker was inducted into the Colorado Soccer Hall of Fame.

Since 2002, Tucker has coached “Coerver”, the No. 1 skills teaching method in the world. He has attended conventions on coaching tacticsand has assisted with registration of camps. Tucker gave support on day-to-day operations while constantly gaining knowledge of the coaching side of soccer.

In 2003, he formed the Brandon Tucker Soccer Academy in Englewood, Colo. He managed and operated the daily functions. He also marketed it to local clubs, schools and other teams. Tucker negotiated contacts with clubs, schools teams and parks for future soccer camps.

Tucker, a 2007 graduate of PC with a degree in business administration and a concentration in management, was a four-year starter for the Blue Hose. A three-time all-conference selection, the all-region performer graduated in a mere three and a half years.

Daniel Hanks - Assistant Coach

Assistant Coach Daniel Hanks begins his third season as a member of the Presbyterian men’s soccer coaching staff.

Hanks currently holds a pair of positions at PC. In addition to his duties as assistant soccer coach, he has also served as the Freshman Biology Coordinator since 2005 and teaches science classes in the biology department.

A former Blue Hose player, Hanks played under coach Ralph Polson from 1996-1999, after beginning his collegiate soccer career at Clemson University in 1995. He was an All-South Atlantic Conference selection in 1997 and 1999. His ability to teach and lead were discovered on the pitch as he was selected a team captain for both the 1998 and 1999 seasons.

Hanks also spent time as an assistant varsity and head junior varsity coach at Wando High School in Mt. Pleasant, S.C.

In 1999, Hanks graduated from Presbyterian with a Bachelor of Science degree. He added an M.S. from Western Carolina in 2003.

Hanks is married to Sara Mitchener whom he met here at Presbyterian. The couple currently resides in Clinton, S.C. and were wed on Oct. 15 of 2006.

Samar Azem - Assistant Coach

Samar Azem joins the Presbyterian College women's soccer staff in 2010 as assistant coach. She will work primarily with training the goalkeepers, she will have an impact on every facet of the program.

Azem worked the previous two seasons at Mercer University. The Bears earned the program's first regular season league championship and first regional ranking during her tenure. She had a goalkeeper ranked 11th in the nation for Goals Against Average as well as the sixth ranked team defense nationally.

Prior to joining the staff at Mercer, Azem worked as an assistant coach at Brevard College during the 2007 season. The tenure came in Brevard's transition from NAIA to NCAA Division II play. She also has extensive club and camp coaching experience.

Collegiately, Azem played at Campbell University and helped the Camels to an Atlantic Sun Conference championship in 2004. In 2005, she was named to the All-Atlantic Sun Conference Tournament Team for her performance in goal.

Azem competed at Hillcrest High School in her hometown of Jos, Nigeria where she was a three-sport standout. During her final three years at Hillcrest, Azem was the team captain for the soccer, basketball and volleyball squads. She also earned the soccer team's MVP award in 2001 and was voted as the Senior Class President in 2003.

Azem has also been involved in community endeavors as she was part of the Mashiah Foundation. This foundation volunteered with the National Honor Society to create an HIV/AIDS awareness program for high schools across Northern Nigeria. Twelve high schools implemented the plan and over 1,000 guests attended the seminar.