Alex Ng

Volunteer Assistant Coach

Indiana

Division 1

[Alex Ng](https://iuhoosiers.com/staff.aspxstaff=3010) was announced as a Volunteer Assistant Coach for Indiana Women's Soccer by Head Coach Erwin van Bennekom in January of 2020. Ng previously served as the program's Director of Soccer Operations/Video Analyst during 2019. 
 
 "Alex has been a great asset ever since he stepped foot on campus and to have him transition into this position is very important for our women's soccer program," said van Bennekom. "He will be responsible for building a holistic high-performance environment where we integrate and optimize our invaluable sports-performance resources in the best possible way. Besides that, Alex will be responsible for all of our video and data operations, as well as assisting in team training."
 
Prior to Indiana, Ng spent four seasons as a student assistant with Valparaiso Women's Soccer, where he assisted with game day and training sessions, as well as operated the team's video and performance analysis systems. In addition, he created and ran the team's social media accounts. Ng was also a student-athlete at Valparaiso, completing his undergraduate research thesis on a Soccer Injury Movement Screen while serving as the football team's punter all four seasons.  
 
 "I want to thank Erwin for giving me this opportunity to take this next step in my coaching career," Ng said. "The role within the coaching staff that Erwin envisioned for me with this program was a chance that I could not pass up. I can't wait to take on greater responsibility in the development of our athletes, which is my educational background and one of my lifelong passions. I am so excited by the potential of this program and group of players, and I cannot wait to see where this program can go."

In addition to his time with Indiana and Valparaiso, Ng has coached with a variety of club teams such as Valpo Soccer Club and the Royal Palm Beach Strikers. He also spent a summer as assistant coach and game day operations for Detroit Sun FC, who advanced to the National Championship Tournament of the United Women's Soccer League.
 
Ng, who graduated Valparaiso with a degree in Exercise Science, has also earned his United States Soccer Federation "C" License and holds a United Soccer Coaches National Diploma. He also holds his National Strength and Conditioning Association (NSCA) Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist (CSCS) certification.
 
Ng is also an Executive Council Member of NSCA Soccer Special Interest Group (SIG). In this role, he works to bridge the gap between traditional strength and conditioning coaches and soccer coaches by sharing information between industries, and begin to organize an annual conference of Soccer Strength and Conditioning professionals.

Lucas Zicher

Assistant Coach

Stetson

Division 1

Lucas Zicher begins his first season as an assistant coach with the Hatters. He joined Chris Bergmann's staff in March of 2019.
 
Zicher comes to Stetson after spending last season as the goalkeeper coach for the mens program at Florida Southern. Prior to his time there Zicher also coached at Old Dominion, Coastal Carolina, Lake Forest College, and with numerous club and professional teams around the world.
 
Lucas is a fantastic addition to our program, Bergmann said. As a field coach, he has an excellent understating of defensive tactics along with being an outstanding goalkeeper coach; hell help us develop a very strong defense. As a recruiter he has wonderful contacts throughout the world along with all his club coaching connections within the United States. He will help us attract the right student-athletes who will be the right fit for Stetson and the womens soccer program.
 
At Florida Southern, Zicher played a key role in the development of the defensive unit, coaching the goalkeepers, as well as recruiting. During his one season in Lakeland the Mocs enjoyed their best finish since 2001 and were ranked nationally for four consecutive weeks, reaching a high of No. 8 in early October.
 
I want to say thanks to Chris Bergmann and the administration for this opportunity, Zicher said. I am excited to join the Stetson family, and look forward to contributing and being an asset to the program, institution and community.
 
Prior to his time at Florida Southern, Zicher spent two seasons at Coastal Carolina, helping the Chanticleers to a pair of second-place conference finishes. In 2016, Coastal set a team record with 12 shutouts.
 
Zicher has spent the bulk of his coaching career working with a variety of club and professional teams in the United States, Europe and Australia.
 
Zicher is a 2009 graduate of Trinity International University in Deerfield, Ill. He owns an NSCAA Goalkeeping Level 2 Diploma and a USSF D Coaching License.

Daniel Cherbonnier

Assistant Coach

Tulsa

Division 1

Daniel Cherbonnier is in his sixth season with the Golden Hurricane.  He served as a graduate assistant his first four years, but was promoted to assistant coach prior to the 2017 season.
 
Last year, TU had just six wins, including three victories in conference play for a sixth-place finish in the American Athletic Conference.  The Golden Hurricane did defeat #1 Stanford (2-0), who went on to win the 2017 College Cup, as well as #19 SMU (1-0) and tied #25 Wisconsin (2-2). 

TU recorded its third-straight American Athletic Conference tournament title and played in the first round of the NCAA Championship in 2016.  The Hurricane tallied 10 wins, including six shutouts, and faced three top-25 teams for a 1-2 mark.
 
During the 2015 season, Tulsa captured The American tournament championship for the second-straight year, and advanced to the second round of the NCAA Championship.  TU totaled eight wins, three shutouts and faced nine teams ranked in the top-25 for a 1-5-3 mark in those contests, including a 3-2 overtime win over 16th-ranked FIU in the first round of the NCAA tournament. 
 
In 2014, the Hurricane posted an 11-6-3 overall record, including a 5-2-1 mark in the American Athletic Conference, captured The American tournament title and played in the first round of the NCAA Championship.  TU played five top-25 teams for a 3-1-1 mark, including a 1-0 win over then third-ranked Virginia, which claimed the 2014 NCAA Championship, and had seven clean sheets on the season.
 
The Golden Hurricane earned 11 victories in 2013, advanced to the Conference USA title game.
 
Prior to coming to Tulsa, Cherbonnier spent six years as an assistant coach at the University of Texas at Tyler where he assisted in all aspects of the program including coaching, recruiting, goalkeeper training, academic advising, administrative duties and camp organization.
 
While at UT Tyler, Cherbonnier helped the Patriots compile a 72-29-14 overall record and a 50-15-10 mark in the American Southwest Conference.  During the six years, UT-Tyler won three regular season conference championships, three ASC tournament championships, and had a program-best NCAA Elite 8 appearance.  On the field, Cherbonnier helped coach three All-America selections, nine all-region honorees and 38 all-conference performers.  Off the field, he helped produce 52 Academic All-Conference players, while the team earned the NSCAA Team Academic Award.
 
Cherbonnier also had coaching stints with Bishop T.K. Gorman High School, All-Saints Episcopal School, Tulsa Soccer Club and Azzurri Soccer Club.
 
Cherbonnier has earned his NSCAA Advanced National Goalkeeping Diploma.
 
A native of College Station, Texas, Cherbonnier earned his bachelor's degree in psychology with a minor in kinesiology from UT-Tyler in 2012.  He earned his masters degree from Tulsa in December 2016.

Harry Baker

The Citadel

Division 1

Harry Baker serves as an Assistant Coach for The Citadel Women's Soccer Team in Charleston, South Carolina, contributing to the continued development and competitive strength of the Bulldogs' program. Coach Baker plays a key part in enhancing player performance, supporting team operations, and reinforcing the program's mission of disciplined, high-character athletics within the NCAA Division I environment.

The Citadel Bulldogs Women's Soccer Program competes at the NCAA Division I level within the Southern Conference (SoCon). Over the years, the Bulldogs have developed a reputation for leadership, discipline, and resilience, reflecting the broader mission of The Citadel's athletic department to foster excellence on and off the field. Home matches are played at WLI Field in Charleston, SC.

Coach Baker's primary focus lies in Individual Development Plans (IDPs), where he designs and implements targeted training to improve each player's areas for improvement and elevate their overall impact on the field. This individualized approach ensures athletes receive customized pathways for growth. 

In addition to individualized training, Coach Baker is involved with:
Training and on-field player development
Recruiting - helping identify and evaluate potential student-athletes
Planning and Coordination - supporting program organization and preparation

Baker began his collegiate playing career at Young Harris College in Georgia in 2022, appearing during his freshman season before transferring to Chowan University in North Carolina in 2023. Baker played three seasons at Chowan from 202325, making 51 appearances with 49 starts while recording seven assists and one goal from the right back position. During his time at Chowan, Baker was part of a Conference Carolinas Tournament championship team in 2023, advancing to the NCAA Division II National Tournament, and earned CSC All-Academic District honors. In 2024, he helped lead Chowan to the Conference Carolinas regular season title and received multiple accolades, including Conference Carolinas First Team All-Conference honors, D2CCA All-Southeast Second Team recognition, Conference Carolinas Elite 23 honors, and was named the team's Player of the Year. As a senior in 2025, Baker served as team captain and earned Conference Carolinas Third Team All-Conference honors, Conference Carolinas Elite 26 recognition, CSC All-Academic District honors, and USCA All-Southeast Second Team honors. In addition to his collegiate career, Baker competed in the summer leagues, playing for Appalachian FC in the NPSL during the summers of 2023 and 2024, and for Hattiesburg FC in USL League Two during the summer of 2025.

Coach Baker can be reached at:
email - [email protected]
phone - 762-500-3444

Matt Tennyson

Assistant Coach

Drake

Division 1

Matt Tennyson joined the Drake women's soccer staff as an assistant coach in the winter leading up to the 2024 season. Tennyson arrived in Des Moines from Xavier, where he was the Director of Player Performance for the 2023 campaign.

Before Xavier, Tennyson was at Coe College where he worked with both the men's and women's soccer teams as an assistant coach.

Prior to Coe, Tennyson spent a season at Lake Forest College as the goalkeeper coach and recruiting coordinator.

Tennyson spent two years as an assistant coach at his alma mater, Buena Vista University. He was involved in all aspects of the program and worked heavily with goalkeepers.

During his playing career for the Beavers, Tennyson was a team captain and an Honorable Mention All-Iowa Conference selection as a senior. He compiled 147 career saves, including 68 during his senior year.

Tennyson's coaching experience also includes three years with the Minnesota Youth Soccer Association, where he organized, coached and instructed traveling programs. He has his Bachelor of Arts degree in Elementary Education from Buena Vista. He holds a United Soccer Coaches National Diploma and USC GK Level 1 Diploma as well as a USSF C-License.

Tennyson resides in Des Moines with his wife Jamie and daughter Kori.

Kelly Madsen

Assistant Coach

Rice

Division 1

HOUSTON Kelly Madsen has joined the Rice soccer staff as an assistant coach, Owl head coach Nicky Adams announced on Monday (February 5).

Madsen joins Rice from Stephen F. Austin University where she worked the last seven seasons. Off the field she organized the team travel and equipment, served as the programs academic coordinator and was the director of camp operations. Madsens work helped SFA retain its status as the top womens soccer program in the Southland Conference. In her seven years with the Ladyjacks the team won five regular season conference titles and played in the SLC Tournament Final a total of six times.

I am so excited to be adding Kelly Madsen to our staff, said coach Adams, the 2017 Conference USA Coach of the Year. Kelly has proven to be a successful coach at SFA and we are looking forward to have her and husband Patrick join our program. She is so passionate about positively affecting young women, and her competitiveness and love of the game is a perfect fit with the culture of our program.

In her seven seasons Madsen helped the Ladyjacks compile an eye-opening 99-34-7 record with a host of individual honors and statistical records for the student-athletes. She was part of the 2012 coaching staff that saw SFA play in the NCAA Tournament.

Madsen came to SFA after serving two years as an assistant coach at the University of Dubuque (Iowa). She helped lead the Spartans to their first-ever Iowa Conference Tournament title and first NCAA Tournament appearance in 2009. Madsen assisted in all areas of the program, specifically recruiting, scouting of opponents and daily training.

A native of Pensacola, Fla., Madsen starred as a midfielder for the University of South Alabama from 2004-2008. She was a First Team All-Sunbelt Conference honoree and selected to the Sunbelt Tournament Team. Madsen scored 22 goals and added 20 assists over her collegiate career. After graduation, she played professionally in England for Portsmouth Women's Football Club and in the W-League for the London Gryphons (London, Ontario).

Madsen currently holds her NSCAA National Diploma and NSCAA Level III GK Diploma. She obtained her bachelor's degree in communications in 2008 and her master's degree in communications in 2011.

The Rice soccer program hired Madsen after a sensational 2017 season where the Owls went 12-4-2 overall, won the C-USA regular season title and earned an at-large bid to the NCAA Tournament. Coach Adams recently completed her seventh full season at the helm of the Rice program and has been at the University since 2003.

Jason Tenner

Assistant Coach

Skidmore

Division 3

-- Assistant coach for the women's soccer team at Skidmore College

-- Coaching 20+ years

-- Previous experience at varsity HS level (10 years), and all ages and ability of club

-- Multiple licenses, certificates and training programs

Jimmy Castillo

Assistant Coach

Occidental

Division 3

3rd year as AC at Occidental College.

Current EA Coach at LA Surf.

Shannon DeVoe

Assistant Coach

CO School of Mines

Division 2

Assistant Women's Soccer Coach at Colorado School of Mines (2013-present)

Breann Nelson

Assistant Coach

Redlands

Division 3

Breann Puchalski was tabbed the first full-time assistant women's soccer coach for the University of Redlands' highly acclaimed program in August 2016.  She returned to Redlands as a familiar face to the Bulldogs, having competed for Head Coach Suzette Soboti for four years and previously worked as an assistant coach for the Maroon and Gray.

Prior to joining Bulldog Athletics, Puchalski served as the head coach of the Murrieta Surf Soccer Club and successfully led her team to the championship game in seven out of eight tournaments. During the 2015 season, she coached her squad to a second-place finish in Flight 2 of the Southern California Development Soccer League.

Puchalski also brings solid coaching experience from her time as an assistant coach with the Pateadores IER (Inland Empire Region) Club Team and as the head coach of the freshman and junior varsity soccer teams at Redlands East Valley High School. From 2010 to 2013, she guided the Wildcats to the CIF Division II Junior Varsity Championship.

While previously coaching at Redlands, she served as a co-director of the collegiate ID camps in 2012 and 2013, before helping the Bulldogs make their first NCAA appearance since her playing days.

As a student-athlete, Puchalski made significant contributions to the program that resulted in a conference title in 2008 and a pair of NCAA appearances in 2008 and 2010.  As a sophomore, she landed on the All-Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SCIAC) First Team, before earning First-Team All-Region honors. In 2010, she was instrumental in the Maroon and Gray's exciting run that resulted in Redlands' best postseason finish in program history with a third-round showing at the NCAA Division III Championships.  She graduated with a degree in Biology and a minor in Physical Education.

Puchalski entered college competition having gained more than 10 years of experience while playing at Redlands East Valley High School and with Los Gauchos Soccer Club.  

She brings an abundance of knowledge of soccer techniques, game strategy, and leadership skills. Puchalski prides herself on her ability to develop customized training sessions for a single player or the entire team. She strives to pinpoint a players strengths and weaknesses, and will work to develop and improve their game to produce better results in the future.

Outside of her soccer knowledge, she also offers two years of experience of working at Physiotherapy Associates in Loma Linda as a rehabilitation aide.

Puchalski currently resides in Angelus Oaks with her dogs Cyan and Rylee. 

Luke Meadows

Assistant Coach

Regis (CO)

Division 2

Luke Meadows enters his 5th season as the Regis University Women's assistant women's soccer coach in 2026. As the head of recruiting, Meadows has seen the previous 4 years at Regis rack up 42 victories and moving in the direction the program has been pursuing.

Outside of Regis, Meadows also currently serves as a head coach in the ECNL program with the Colorado Rush U15 team, along with heading up the Rush College Advisory Program helping student athletes find their pathway to the collegiate ranks. 

Prior, Meadows also served as the head coach of multiple teams in the Colorado Rapids ECNL program and then separately with the Legacy High School girls program for 6 seasons. One of Colorado's largest public high schools, garnering a near .700 winning percentage with 24 All-Conference players, 6 All-State players and 1 All-American among countless All-Academic performers.

A 2006 Connecticut Coach of the Year, along with being a 2017 Colorado Coach of the Year and a past member of Region IV ODP staff, Meadows will help to head up recruiting, along with many on and off field duties necessary to continue the success of the Regis Women's Soccer Program. Luke is a Colorado native, this is a dream job for someone like me.

Margi Osmundson

Assistant Coach

Sonoma State

Division 2

Starting second year as the head assistant womens soccer coach at Sonoma State University (CCAA). Previously at Holy Names University as a grad assistant for 1 season (2016-2017). At Sonoma State in my first year, helped guide and lead the team to a 3rd place conference finish and an overall record of 15-5-1. Appeared in the CCAA conference championship as a runner up, and competed in the NCAA D2 soccer championship. 

Michelle Smith

Head Coach

Saint Thomas (FL)

NAIA

Smith has produced for the Bobcats on the field and is now sharing her knowledge and guidance for a new generation of Bobcats.  Each season the team has gotten better with her as coach.

Wendy Espejel

Head Coach

Soka University

NAIA

Wendy brings a great deal of expertise to Soka University, recently bring promoted to head coach.  Additionally, she is currently on staff for the Cal South Olympic Development Program as a Head Coach. She has traveled to a five ODP National Championships and many Regional Tournament both as an assistant coach and Head Coach and has won various regional titles. 
 
She was also formerly a goalkeeper for the U-20 Mexican National Team as well as the Mexican University Olympic Team where she competed in various international Tournaments.  
 
She currently holds her USSF B National License.

Anna Hardin

Assistant Coach

Union (TN)

NAIA

Anna Hardin (pronounced AH nah) is entering her second season after being named the Union University women's soccer program assistant coach in June 2019. Hardin came to Union having served two seasons as the assistant women's soccer coach and three seasons as the assistant men's and women's tennis coach at Oxford College of Emory University. 

During her time at Oxford College of Emory University, the worked in many areas of coaching in both soccer and tennis. She planned and ran practices, helped develop skills of players, helped with game preparation, statistical analysis, recruiting, and team management. 

Hardin's career also includes being an instructor within the Center of Healthful Living at Oxford College of Emory University. She holds a goalkeeping diploma from the United Soccer Coaches Association of America and is also certified in CPR and AED with the American Heart Association. 

As a tennis coach, Hardin coach the men's team to four consecutive national tournaments, while helping lead the women's team to three national tournaments. 

Hardin is a 2015 graduate of Valdosta State University where she earned a BFA degree in art education. She was a goalkeeper for the Blazers' inaugural season in 2011 and second season in 2012.

She is a 2011 graduate of South Forsyth High School. She started three years as varsity keeper, was named all-county twice, Best Defender twice, and earned the Iron Eagle Award. She led her team as captain to the quarterfinals of the state championships. 

She also played club soccer for AFC Lightning Elite 93 in Fayetteville, Ga. for three years. She led her team to multiple Atlanta Cup Championships, Nike Norcross Cup Championships, and a Georgia State Cup finalist. 

Hardin is from Alpharatta, Georgia.

Andy Kohel

Assistant Coach

Johnson & Wales (CO)

Division D3

Andy Kohel was named head men's soccer coach at Johnson & Wales University in January 2018. Kohel comes to JWU after serving as an assistant coach at Colorado College for the last three seasons.

While a member of the Tiger's coaching staff, Kohel helped coach the squad to a 41-10-9 record over three years and saw numerous players recognized for Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference (SCAC) and United Soccer Coaches (USC) honors. As an assistant for Colorado College, Kohel was charged with video analysis, scouting, planning trainings and coordinating on-campus visits for recruits among other tasks. He has also worked with Rush Pikes Peak Soccer Club since January 2016, overseeing youth player development as part of the coaching staff.

Before joining the CC coaching staff, Kohel spent four seasons as an assistant at his alma mater, University of Wisconsin Oshkosh. During his tenure, the Titans went 48-18-11 and captured the 2014 Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WIAC) championship and earned a spot in the 2013 NCAA Division III Championship.

Alongside his work with the Titans, Kohel also worked with FC Green Bay Soccer Club as a member of the coaching staff.

Kohel played his undergraduate career at UW-Oshkosh and was a four-year starter for the Titans. UW-Oshkosh went 52-16-11 in his career and as a senior advanced to the national semifinals of the NCAA tournament after going 20-1-3.

He holds a USSF 'B' Coaching license and earned his bachelor's degree in History.

Courtney Stull

Assistant Coach

Gettysburg

Division 3

Courtney Stull enters her first season with the Gettysburg College womens soccer and tennis programs in 2021-22.

Stull joins the Bullets after serving as an assistant coach at Hood College during the 2020-21 academic year. Before spending two seasons as a graduate assistant coach at Goucher College, Stull served as an assistant coach at Susquehanna University from 2015-17. Some of her responsibilities included scouting, assisting goalkeeper training, analyzing and breaking down game film, and recruitment. During her time at Susquehanna, she helped the team post one of their best seasons in program history as they finished with an overall mark of 14-5-1 in 2017, matching the record for most wins during a season. The River Hawks also earned an at-large bid to the NCAA Division III Tournament, which was the first trip to the national stage in program history.

As a player, Stull was a four-year letter winner on the womens soccer team at Shenandoah University. She helped the Hornets appear in four consecutive conference tournaments, claiming the 2011 USA South Conference title, and an automatic bid into the NCAA Division IIII Tournament. Stull racked up 20 points as a midfielder and served as the team captain her junior and senior seasons. Her first collegiate coaching position was at her alma mater during the 2014 season.

During her undergraduate career, Stull assisted in the Shenandoah womens soccer program annual summer camp, while also serving as an assistant coach for the Manchester United Club Team in Frederick, Md. For the past couple of years, Stull has been an assistant director/soccer coach at Level 5 Athletics.  

Stull graduated from Shenandoah with a degree in kinesiology and a minor in biology in 2014 and earned her masters in education degree in 2019 from Goucher.

Jesse Olivas

Assistant Coach

La Sierra

NAIA

Coach Olivas enters his seventh year as Head Men's Soccer Coach at La Sierra University in Riverside, California after serving a year as Associate Head Coach for the Golden Eagles. Prior to coming to La Sierra he served as the assistant Men's and Women's soccer coach for three years at his alma-mater, University of the Southwest (Hobbs NM). Olivas helped lead the Mustangs to three straight Conference tournaments, and the women's program to the national tournament (2006). Coach Olivas is a member of the National Soccer Coaches Association of America and is licensed through the United States Soccer Federation.

Jesse Olivas graduated with a B.S. in Psychology and a minor in Human Development from the University of the Southwest. He currently is a candidate for a Masters in Mental Health Counseling.

As a player he Captained the Mustangs to their first playoff appearance in school history, he also received a number of awards including Red River All-Conference and Honorable mention All-American.

Kat Crump

Assistant Coach

Georgia

Division 1

Kat Crump joined the Georgia staff in 2022, serving as a volunteer assistant coach in her first season before being promoted to assistant coach for the 2023 season.
 
Working primarily with the goalkeepers for her first two seasons, Georgia received its first NCAA Tournament bid since 2014 and hosted a home postseason match for the first time since 2007. The Bulldogs also upset Tennessee in the SEC Tournament, reaching the semifinals for the first time since 2010 before falling in penalties to eventual champion South Carolina.
 
During the season, Georgia went unbeaten on the road in conference play and finished the regular season with six straight results against league opponents, including the first three-game SEC shutout streak since 2010. The Bulldogs tied a program record with 12 shutouts during the year, all while tallying the second-lowest goals against average rate in program history. Goalkeeper Jordan Brown assumed the starting role late in the season and tallied a program-record .872 save percentage, earning a spot on the SEC All-Tournament Team. Fellow keeper Liz Beardsley allowed the third-fewest goals in a season in program history and accumulated an 0.89 goals against average.

In her second season, she helped lead Georgia to a 13-4-6 record and No. 13 final national ranking, the highest in program history. During the season, Georgia won its first SEC East Division title, followed by the first SEC Tournament championship in school history, before reaching the Round of 16 for only the second time in program history. Brown was named to the SEC All-Tournament Team after tallying 22 saves over three matches, including seven in a 1-0 shutout of No. 10 Arkansas in the final. For the year, the Bulldogs posted eight shutouts with Brown notching a .767 save percentage.
 
Prior to joining the Georgia staff, Crump served as an assistant coach for four seasons at Furman. In the 2020-21 season, Crump coached goalkeeper Addison Corn to the United Soccer Coaches All-Southeast Region Second Team and the Southern Conference All-Freshman Team as the Paladins finished 8-1-2 and reached the NCAA Tournament. The Paladins posted a winning record in each of her four seasons, with goalkeeper Kellsey Weaver also earning All-SoCon honors in 2019.
 
Prior to Furman, Crump served as an assistant coach at Jacksonville in 2017 and worked with the goalkeepers for Jacksonville Armada FC. The Huntsville, Alabama native played collegiately at Regis University in Denver, Colorado, starting 60 games in goal and posting 35 wins, a 1.15 goals against average, and 19 shutouts for the Rangers. She also coached with multiple club programs in the Denver area during her collegiate career. She graduated from Regis in 2017 with a degree in Health and Exercise Science.

Katie Smith

Xavier (OH)

Division 1

Xavier womens soccer head coach Dean Ward announced the addition of Katie Smith as an assistant coach in February 2025.

Smith came to Xavier from Pittsburg State in Pittsburg, Kansas, where she was a foundational piece to the creation of the womens soccer program. In the teams inaugural season, Smith helped lead the Gorillas to an overall record of 8-8-2. Smith has also served as head coach of the newly founded Marshall Islands Womens National Team since May 2024, with the team set to have its first fixture in 2025.

Smith joined Pittsburg State from Arkansas State, where was an assistant coach for the Red Wolves in 2023. Prior to her time at Arkansas State, Smith served as an assistant coach at Northwest Mississippi Community College during the 2022 season, helping lead the program to a final four appearance at the NJCAA national tournament.

In 2022, Smith also coached Collierville High School, with the team finishing the season ranked third in the state of Tennessee, and at the mens USL 2 level with Tri-Cities FC, helping lead the team to the most points in a single season in club history.

Smith began her coaching career leading both the boys and girls varsity soccer programs at Fayette Academy in Tennessee. During her time at Fayette Academy, she led the girls varsity team to one of the most successful seasons in the programs history. Smith also coached Collierville Middle School boys soccer, leading the Dragons to regional and sectional championships and finishing the season with the best record in TSMAA history.

During her coaching career, Smith has earned several awards, including back-to-back TSMAA Coach of the Year, United Soccer Coaches Regional Staff of the Year, United Soccer Coaches Youth Coach of Excellence Award, and was selected as a 2024-2025 United Soccer Coaches 30 Under 30 Class Member.

As a student-athlete, Smith served as the inaugural captain at Southwest Tennessee Community College, where she helped lead the program to a TCCAA Conference Championship in the second year of the programs existence. She went on to Louisiana State University at Shreveport, where she was a dual-sport athlete, playing soccer and tennis.

Smith earned a Bachelors Degree in Special Education from Freed-Hardeman University in May 2023 and graduated with a Masters Degree in Soccer Coaching Education from Ohio University in May 2024. She is currently pursuing her PhD in Global Sports Leadership from East Tennessee State University.

Smith holds her UEFA C License, United Soccer Coaches Advanced National License, and currently pursuing her USSF B License. She is an active member of the soccer community and has been featured in many podcasts and articles and has presented at various educational workshops.

Chris Allen

Assistant Coach, Recruiting Coordinator

Saint Louis U.

Division 1

Chris Allen, who served as a volunteer assistant with the Billikens in 2016, is in his first season as a full-time assistant coach.
 

I am thrilled to have Chris join our staff as a full-time assistant coach, head coach Katie Shields said. Weve already had the privilege of working with him for a year, so we know his exceptional qualities on and off the field. His positivity and passion for Saint Louis University, our program and our student-athletes made him the obvious choice for this position.

 

Since his arrival at SLU, Chris has been relentless in finding ways to improve and grow every facet of our program, Shields said. I look forward to having him on board full time as we continue to educate our student-athletes, compete for and win championships on the field, and grow our presence in the community.

 

I feel incredibly blessed and am so grateful to be given this opportunity, Allen said. After spending last year as a volunteer assistant, I have grown to appreciate just how special SLU and the Billiken women's soccer program are. To be able to join the Billiken family in a full-time capacity is a dream come true.

 

Prior to his one-year stint as a SLU volunteer assistant, Allen spent nine seasons as girls soccer head coach at Webster Groves High School.

 

Allen transformed Webster Groves into a perennial power in Missouri. During his tenure, the Statesmen achieved a No. 4 national ranking and finished third in the Class 3 state tournament in 2015; enjoyed six 20-win seasons; won numerous conference and tournament titles; and produced more than 30 players who went on to compete at the collegiate level. Allen tallied a 164-71-5 record at the helm.

 

Allen was tabbed Missouri Class 3 Regional Coach of the Year the past two seasons and was selected to coach in the 2015 Missouri Athletic Club High School Soccer All-Star Game. He garnered five conference Coach of the Year awards.

 

Allen spent two seasons as boys head coach at Gonzaga Prep and one season as girls head coach at Mead High School, both located in Spokane, Washington. He served as an assistant coach of boys teams at Webster Groves (six seasons), Rockwood Summit (two seasons) and Gonzaga Prep (two seasons). Allen was a girls assistant coach at Webster Groves (one season) and Gonzaga Prep (two seasons).

 
Also the technical director of Four Rivers Futbol Club in Union, Missouri, Allen was a three-year starter at Kirkwood High School before playing one season at Calvin College, where he earned second-team All-Conference plaudits. He transferred to Truman State and graduated with a bachelors degree in exercise science/sports management in 2002.

Isabella Zanzini

Graduate Assistant

Smith

Division 3

With a career in Long-Term Athletic Development and Athletic Performance Consulting with women's soccer in Brazil and the U.S., brings Exercise Physiology as determining factor for high-level performance. Passionate not only about holistic athlete education, but also about empowering young coaches on their own journeys in the world of sports science.

Andrew Gamarra

Head Coach

North Central (IL)

Division 3

Gamarra joins the North Central women's soccer coaching staff in 2016 as the Cardinals head coach.  Previously, Andrew was the head women's coach at the Sage Colleges in Albany, New York.  
In his two years as head coach, Gamarra has helped the women's soccer program achieve new levels of success. In his first season, he led the team to a record of 12-6-2, while the squad earned post-season play in both the Skyline Conference Tournament and the ECAC Division III Metro Tournament. By season's end, Gamarra had earned Skyline Conference Coach of the Year honors after leading the team to the semifinals of both the Skyline and ECAC tournament.
Most recently, Sage's women's soccer team finished the 2015 campaign with a share of the program's first Skyline Conference regular-season championship after an 8-1 record. Sage fell in the Skyline Conference semifinals in penalty kicks and capped the record-setting season with a 14-4-1 mark. The 14 wins is a new standard for success for the team, while also strung together a seven-game win streak and had the Skyline Conference Rookie of the Year, while three players earned Skyline First Team honors another pair earned second team citations, and the Gators produced the team's first NSCAA All-East Third Team performer. 
In just two seasons, he already boasts a career record of 26-10-3, posting a .705 win percentage with the Gators.
Gamarra is very knowledgeable about the College Conference of Illinois & Wisconsin (CCIW) as he spent five seasons as an assistant men's soccer coach at his alma mater, Carthage College. Gamarra initially attended the University of Wisconsin-Parkside and was part of the program's first NCAA Division II Tournament appearance in 2006. He added two game-winning goals as a member of the 2007 team that capped the season with an 11-7-1 record and a quarterfinalist showing in the league tournament. He transferred to Carthage in fall 2008 and played for two years before graduating in 2010 with a bachelor's degree in business administration. He later earned a master's degree in education from Carthage in 2013. 


Andrew Gamarra
Head Women's Soccer Coach




Andrew Gamarra joins the North Central women's soccer coaching staff in 2016 as the Cardinals head coach.  Previously, Andrew was the head women's coach at the Sage Colleges in Albany, New York.  
In his two years as head coach, Gamarra has helped the women's soccer program achieve new levels of success. In his first season, he led the team to a record of 12-6-2, while the squad earned post-season play in both the Skyline Conference Tournament and the ECAC Division III Metro Tournament. By season's end, Gamarra had earned Skyline Conference Coach of the Year honors after leading the team to the semifinals of both the Skyline and ECAC tournament.
Most recently, Sage's women's soccer team finished the 2015 campaign with a share of the program's first Skyline Conference regular-season championship after an 8-1 record. Sage fell in the Skyline Conference semifinals in penalty kicks and capped the record-setting season with a 14-4-1 mark. The 14 wins is a new standard for success for the team, while also strung together a seven-game win streak and had the Skyline Conference Rookie of the Year, while three players earned Skyline First Team honors another pair earned second team citations, and the Gators produced the team's first NSCAA All-East Third Team performer. 
In just two seasons, he already boasts a career record of 26-10-3, posting a .705 win percentage with the Gators.
Gamarra is very knowledgeable about the College Conference of Illinois & Wisconsin (CCIW) as he spent five seasons as an assistant men's soccer coach at his alma mater, Carthage College. Gamarra initially attended the University of Wisconsin-Parkside and was part of the program's first NCAA Division II Tournament appearance in 2006. He added two game-winning goals as a member of the 2007 team that capped the season with an 11-7-1 record and a quarterfinalist showing in the league tournament. He transferred to Carthage in fall 2008 and played for two years before graduating in 2010 with a bachelor's degree in business administration. He later earned a master's degree in education from Carthage in 2013.

Natalie Freeman

Graduate Assistant Women's Soccer Coach

Illinois Wesleyan

Division 3

Natalie Freeman joined the Illinois Wesleyan womens soccer coaching staff prior to the 2019 season. She works primarily with the Titans goalkeepers.

Freeman graduated from Southern Illinois University-Edwardsville with a bachelors degree in psychology, emphasizing in sports psychology in the spring of 2019. A three-year letterwinner in goal for the SIUe womens soccer team, she served as a student assistant coach during the 2018 season.

Freeman brings several years of experience, having coached at the youth, high school, and collegiate levels.

The Normal, Ill. native holds US Soccer Federation National D and Grassroots licenses, as well as a Goalkeeper Level 3 license from the United Soccer Coaches Association.

Zac Reichert

Assistant Coach

Brenau

NAIA

First year Assistant coach at Brenau University. Had been a local High school coach at countryside and Largo high as well as a local club coach. Has US D license, USC GK License, English FA Talent Identification License, DFB-Akademie training center certification. 

Tony Leblanc

Head Coach

Westminster (UT)

NAIA

LeBlanc has compiled a 96-66-13 overall record (.586) and led the team to six straight seasons with a double-digit win total.   Making the transition to the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference in 2015, LeBlanc guided the Griffins to a 10-6-1 mark. They finished 5-5-1 in conference action to place sixth in the final standings. Two Griffins were chosen as an all-conference selection with three others named honorable mention. Seven student-athletes were also named to the RMAC Womens Soccer Honor Roll.   During the Griffins time in the NAIA and Frontier Conference, LeBlanc guided the Griffins to a 25-18-4 record (.571) in the Frontier Conference games with six postseason berths. Westminster made three trips (2011, 2013, 2014) to the NAIA National Championships and they won the Unaffiliated Conference Tournament those same years.   Westminster had five players receive honorable mention NAIA All-American honors under LeBlanc. The Griffins also had 24 players named All-Frontier Conference, including 2013 Frontier Conference Player of the Year Nicole Carter. LeBlanc added Unaffiliated Coach of the Year the last two seasons to his Frontier award in 2011. There have been 31 Griffins named a Daktronics-NAIA Scholar-Athlete under LeBlanc while 94 were named Academic All-Frontier Conference.   The final two seasons in the NAIA saw the Griffins make consecutive trips to the NAIA National Championships after winning the Unaffiliated Conference Tournament. Westminster set a school record with 15 wins in 2014 and they won a second regular season conference title by going 4-2 in league games. LeBlanc earned the Unaffiliated Coach of the Year award in both 2013 and 2014.   LeBlanc is a Westminster alumnus, graduating with a bachelors degree in international business in 2005. While a student-athlete at Westminster, LeBlanc played for the mens soccer program for four years under Chris Dorich, being named a two-time scholar-athlete and serving as a team captain his senior year. He finished his Griffin career with three goals and six assists for a total of 12 points. LeBlanc attempted 34 shots during his 63 games played while making 38 starts.   Prior to playing at Westminster, LeBlanc was a two-time member of the Utah State Select team and a three-year varsity letterman at East High School. He was a part of the first Utah Select team to capture the Western Regionals and ultimately finished 3rd at the 2005 State Select National Championships.   LeBlancs coaching experience varies from the collegiate, high school, and youth levels; he served time as the boys Varsity Assistant/JV Head Coach at East High School and helped them into the state finals and win the State Championship in 2006 for the first time in school history. During the 2006 season, LeBlanc served as Assistant Womens Soccer Coach at BYU-Hawaii where he was instrumental in forming and organizing a first year NCAA Division II womens soccer program that finished second in the Pac West Conference with a 12-4 record. LeBlanc also has coached club soccer for the girls Rush 93 premier soccer team and currently holds a D license.