Eric Schoenstein
Head Coach
emschoenst@usi.edu
Southern Indiana
Division 2
Head Coach
emschoenst@usi.edu
Southern Indiana
Division 2
Eric Schoenstein '93 became the fourth head coach in the history of the women's soccer program in February of 2016. He has steadily built the Screaming Eagles into a regional power since being elevated from the program's first ever assistant coach.
The 2019 campaign was the Eagles best under Schoenstein as the program won its first ever Great Lakes Valley Conference Tournament championship that propelled the program into the NCAA II Tournament for the first time since 1998. USI concluded the 2019 season with a 12-7-2 overall record, 8-6-1 in the league's regular season, and was ranked as high as fifth in the United Soccer Coaches Midwest Region poll.
During the third season under Schoenstein's direction, the 2018 Screaming Eagles entered new territory. USI captured a share of the GLVC regular season championship for the first time in program history with a 9-3-1 league record; reached the GLVC Tournament semifinals for the first time since 1999; and was ranked in the NCAA Division II Midwest Region for the first time since 2010 after finishing the year with a 12-5-3 mark.
The 2017 campaign saw the Eagles finish above .500 for the first time in four seasons with an 8-5-5 overall mark. USI also finished the GLVC schedule with a 6-4-4 record and above .500 for the first time since 2012.
The 6-4-4 mark in the GLVC earned Schoenstein and the Eagles a second-straight appearance in the conference tournament clinching the number five seed.
During his first season at the helm, Schoenstein rebuilt the Eagles into a player in the GLVC. USI was 9-9-1 during 2016, going 6-8-1 in the GLVC and earning a spot in the league tournament for the first time since 2012.
No stranger to the USI soccer program before joining the Athletic staff in 2014, Schoenstein playing a pivotal role during the Screaming Eagles' dominance of the Great Lakes Valley Conference with the Eagles winning league titles in 1988, 1989, 1990, and 1991. He was a senior captain in 1991, earned All-Region honors 1988, was a three-time All-GLVC award winner (1988, 1990, 1991), and finished his career on the 1991 Academic All-GLVC squad. The Evansville, Indiana, native is still among the all-time leaders at USI, ranking third in goals scored (34); fifth in assists (22); and third in total points (90).
Schoenstein has been a mainstay in the Evansville soccer community since the 1980s. He became a part of the USI coaching staff after serving as the Sporting Southern Indiana (formerly Southwest Indiana Soccer Association) Director of Coaching and Player Development since 2002. He was named the 2013 Indiana Girls Travel Coach of the Year and was the 2008 Indiana Director of Coach Award winner.
During his tenure with Sporting Southern Indiana, Schoenstein enlarged the club from 12 to 32 teams, growing the recruiting base from 200 to 600 players.
Schoenstein's Sporting Southern Indiana U18 team won the state championship in 2017, marking his 11th state championship. He compiled a record of 269-80-60 as the head coach of the SWISA Rush U-18 Girls, earning a number one ranking in Indiana, and the SWISA Crush U-17 Girls. Schoenstein, who was named the 2006 Indiana High School Coach of the Year while leading the Bosse High School program, also directed the U-18 squad to four state finals, to the 2012 Midwest Region 2 semifinals, and the 2009 Midwest Regional League championship.
The U-17 team earned a number two ranking in Indiana under Schoenstein's direction and won the 2013 Indiana State Cup title.