The top female coaches in women's DI soccer

by Travis Clark

March 18, 2021

In light of Women’s History Month in March, TDS is recognizing some of the top female coaches currently in Division I women’s soccer.

Becky Burleigh, Florida

Three more games remain in the spring 2021 season, which is Burleigh’s final season at Florida, as she announced that the spring would be her last. She started the program back in 1995, and has built it into an SEC powerhouse and won the national title back in 1998. The Gators won 14 regular season SEC titles, the SEC tournament 12 times, and made the NCAA tournament 22 times.

Amanda Cromwell, UCLA

Eight months after she was hired to helm UCLA, Cromwell led a sensational Bruin side to the NCAA championship in December 2013. In seven seasons at UCLA, her teams have made the College Cup three times. Before being hired at the Pac-12 power Cromwell coach UCF, finishing her time there with an overall record of 203-83-26.

Tiffany Roberts Sahaydak, UCF

A star at North Carolina during her playing days back in the 90s, Roberts Sahaydak replaced Cromwell at UCF in 2013, helping the program maintain its status as a perennial power in the American Athletic. She’s earned AAC coach of the year three times, has led the program to four NCAA tournament bids and four AAC titles. Before joining the Knights, she began her coaching career at VCU back in 2007.

Jennifer Rockwood, BYU

This month, the longtime BYU head coach picked up her 400th win in college soccer. Like Burleigh, Rockwood started the women’s soccer program at BYU and is the 11th active Division I coach in wins. An alumna of BYU, she’s led the program to six Sweet 16 appearances and the Elite Eight three times, including back in 2019.

Shelley Smith, South Carolina

During the fall 2020 season, Smith hit the 300-win milestone with a 4-2 win against Burleigh’s Florida for her career. Beginning her coaching career at Rhode Island, Smith moved to South Carolina ahead of the 2001 season, where she’s been ever since. In 2017, she led the Gamecocks to the College Cup and has built the program into a regular NCAA tournament team. In

Erica Dambach, Penn State

Dambach took a good Penn State program from Paula Wilkins (who is also on this list) all the way to a national championship, which the program won during the 2015 campaign. Prior to the 2020-21 season, she led the Nittany Lions to a 219-73-20 record, 10 Big Ten regular season titles and four Big Ten tournament crowns. The head coach has extensive experience as the assistant on various U.S. women’s national teams to got with her stellar career overseeing Penn State.

Carin Gabarra, Navy

One of the longest tenured coaches in the college game, Gabarra took over the Patriot League program back in 1993 and is currently in her 28th season in Annapolis. She built the team from a club level sport to a 10-time Patriot League title winner, made four NCAA tournament appearances and produced 21 straight winning seasons from 1995-2015.

Nikki Izzo-Brown, West Virginia

Another longtime tenured coach, Izzo Brown is in her 25th season in Morgantown. Like others, she’s helped oversee a program’s rise from newly built program to a national power. Prior to the 2020-21 season, her record stood at 352-119-55 at West Virginia, riding 19 straight tournament appearances from 2000 into the current season. After moving to the Big 12 in 2012, the Mountaineers rattled off five straight regular season titles and three conference tournament crowns during that stretch. In 2016, the team finished as NCAA College Cup Runners-up to USC.

Paula Wilkins, Wisconsin

After excelling at Penn State from 2001-2006, including two College Cup appearances in 2002 and 2005, Wilkins was hired as the head coach of Wisconsin ahead of the 2007. Since then, Wisconsin has hit the double-digit win total in 10 of her 13 seasons in Madison, and has made the Sweet 16 in the past two NCAA tournaments. Her combined record ahead of the current campaign is 270-99-49, with 300 a couple of seasons away at most.

Denise Schilte-Brown, South Florida

The Canadian-born head coach has built a strong side in the AAC, tending to rival Memphis and UCF in the American Athletic. She’s lured some of the best talent to the NCAA game from north of the border, with one of the most recent examples Evelyne Viens. Her head coaching career in the college game started at UMBC, ran through VCU before she was tabbed to take over South Florida in 2007. Her South Florida side has made it to the NCAA tournament five times, including a third-round appearance in 2019 after picking up wins against Florida and Washington. The current USF season is off to a strong start with a 4-0-1 record.

Karen Hoppa, Auburn

The third coach on this list to have a stint at UCF, Hoppa preceded Cromwell and Roberts Sahaydak in Orlando before moving to the SEC program ahead of the 1999 campaign. Since then, Auburn has emerged as a consistent contender in the conference for both league honors and a spot in the NCAA tournament. The Tigers have made 16 appearances in total in the Big Dance, including 12 in the last 14 before the 2020-21 campaign. Her overall career record is 308-207-50 in 27 seasons, not including this one.

Kia McNeill, Brown

While McNeill may not have the same lengthy track record as some of the other names on this list, the strides she’s made at Brown in just four seasons lands her a spot on this list. She led the Bears to a sensational 2019 season, posting a 14-2-3 record and the program’s first NCAA tournament bid and Ivy League title since 1994. In her first head coaching stint after assistant coaching stops at Boston College and Northeastern, she has a bright future ahead of her.

Others to Know: Lindsey Martin (VCU), Angela Kelly (Texas), Janet Rayfield (Illinois), Tracey Bartholomew (Columbia), Stefanie Golan (Minnesota), Katie Shields (Saint Louis), Nicole Van Dyke (Washington), Theresa Romagnolo (St. Mary's (CA)), Michelle French (Portland), Jennifer Klein (Michigan), Krissy Turner (Monmouth), Karen Ferguson-Dayes (Louisville), Julie Shackford (William & Mary)