UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. -- Penn State head coach Bob Warming has announced the addition of former Nittany Lion Drew Cost (2007-10) to his coaching staff as a volunteer assistant.
"We are really pleased to have Drew with us for the rest of the season," said Warming. "At Penn State, he was a leader, an outstanding student, an excellent player, and a man of character. He will be important to the team because he has experienced Penn State and Penn State soccer and knows the path players need to take during their time here. He will be playing with the guys every day and continuing to hone his own game for his professional soccer career while at the same time helping our guys improve."
A team co-captain in his senior season of 2010, Cost was instrumental in leading Penn State to 14 wins, a second consecutive Big Ten Tournament title game appearance, and to the third round of the NCAA Championship.
Cost, a central midfielder, was also a major factor in the unprecedented success of the Penn State offense in 2010. Starting all 21 games in which he played, missing two games only due to a foot injury, he helped the Nittany Lions emerge as one of the nation's top offenses, totaling 45 goals and a Big Ten-best 54 assists for 144 points. Cost finished 2010 ranked fourth on the team with a single season career-high five assists and fourth in points with 11.
A starter of 70 of 79 career games at Penn State, the 2009 and 2010 Second Team All-Big Ten selection compiled 30 points on 10 goals and 10 assists.
In January, Cost was selected by Real Salt Lake in the Major League Soccer Supplemental Draft with the No. 14 pick (32nd overall) in the second round. After spending training camp with the defending MLS Champions, he signed with the Rochester Rhinos of USL PRO. Appearing in 19 games, Cost scored two goals in his first professional season.
A three-time Academic All-Big Ten honoree and a 2010 CoSIDA/ESPN Second Team Academic All-District selection, Cost graduated in December 2010 with a degree in economics.
"It's great to be back," said Cost. "There's nothing like coming back to State College; a place full of so many familiar people and great memories. Being back here reminds me of why I came here in the first place - first class people, age-long traditions, and absolute passion for all things blue and white."
"As for becoming the volunteer assistant, I've been very fortunate. I asked Coach Warming if I could come back here to train with the team to stay in shape in the offseason. He welcomed me back and decided to make me the volunteer assistant so I could have more of a role within the squad. It's been a blessing. I feel that I have gained a ton of knowledge in the past year being at Salt Lake and Rochester so I'm excited to be able to share some with this year's team to help make them better. I believe it's mutual in that these guys are helping me become a better player by testing me each day in training in my offseason, and hopefully I am making them better players by offering knowledge, experience and another place to direct questions."
Cost will be on the sidelines on Saturday for No. 19 Penn State's Big Ten home opener when the Nittany Lions welcome Michigan (2-7-1, 0-1-0) to Jeffrey Field for a 7 p.m. contest.