KALAMAZOO -- The Western Michigan women's soccer team and head coach Nate Norman have announced the hiring of Kyle Roelke to the position of assistant coach on Monday.

Roelke comes to the Broncos after spending five seasons with the women's program at Belmont University, where he helped produce four All-Conference goalkeepers in four seasons. In 2008 he helped the team to the program's first Atlantic Sun Conference Championship. In 2009 he helped Belmont to its first Atlantic Sun regular season title with 10 conference wins, a program record. In total he has helped the Bruins to a 21-12-5 conference record in his time at Belmont with 14 All-Atlantic Sun Conference performers and a NCAA Tournament appearance.

“I am very excited to have Kyle on our staff,” said Norman. “Kyle has great experience as a player having played in college at Belmont and overseas post-college. He possesses a great knowledge of the game and will add a ton of positive qualities to our team. Most of all though, he is a great person and will be a fantastic influence on all of our student athletes. We are very lucky to have him as part of our staff.”

Roelke himself played goalkeeper at Belmont and was a three-year starter. He led the Atlantic Sun in shutouts during his senior season and still holds several goalkeeping records for the Bruins. He later played professionally  in Scotland, Iceland, Guatemala, Puerto Rico and the United States.

“I am very excited to come work for Nate as the head assistant at Western Michigan,” added Roelke. “I am thankful for the opportunity to coach with him in a conference like the MAC. I know we will work very well together to keep the program at the level Suzie (Grech) had it and hopefully take it further. After working with the team and seeing the university I am really excited to be here.”

The Broncos open the 2012 regular season on Saturday at No. 19 Illinois.