Deb Biche-Labbe helped lead the Plymouth State University women’s soccer team to one of the most successful four-year runs in program history from 1988-91, which saw the Panthers post an overall record of 62-10-1 on their way to four NCAA tournament appearances, which included three regional finals (1988, 1989, 1991) and two berths in the Final Four (1989, 1991).
Biche-Labbe garnered numerous accolades during her four years, including being named the first-ever Little East Conference (LEC) Player of the Year in 1990 as a junior, which was the first year of women’s soccer in the Conference. She led Plymouth State to an overall record of 13-3-0 that year, while leading the team in scoring with seven goals and three assists for 17 points, and was named a Second Team All-Region selection by the National Soccer Coaches Association of America (NSCAA, now the United Soccer Coaches). PSU won the first-ever LEC women’s soccer championship that year, and would repeat in 1991.
Biche-Labbe’s senior campaign was her most decorated, as she repeated as LEC Player of the Year on her way to being named a First Team All-Region and First Team All-America selection by the NSCAA. She recorded career-high totals of eight goals, four assists and 20 points in her final collegiate season, while leading PSU to a NCAA regional title with wins over Kean (3-1) and SUNY Cortland (1-0), sending the Panthers to the Final Four for the second time in three years. She was later named the New Hampshire Woman of the Year, winning out over nominees from all NCAA Division I, II and III instructions in the state.
The Waterville, Maine native has never left the sport, going on to a successful coaching career following her graduation that has seen her amass over 220 victories. Biche-Labbe has been the head women’s soccer coach at Thomas College since 2011, after leading the programs and Saint Joseph’s (Maine) College (1993-95) and St. Lawrence University (1998-2007). She first arrived at Thomas as its director of athletics (2008-11) before returning to coaching. Biche-Labbe also serves as the Terriers’ associate director of athletics for operations and facilities.
Biche-Labbe earned her bachelor’s in psychology from Plymouth State in 1992 before earning her master’s in sport psychology from Ithaca College in 1993. She was inducted into the Plymouth State Athletics Hall of Fame in 2000.
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