Minnesota Soccer: Gopher Alum Erin Chastain Named New Soccer Coach

Friday morning the University of Minnesota announced that former Minnesota Gophers star and current DePaul Blue Demons head coach Erin Chastain has been hired as the new women’s soccer head coach. Chastain starred for the Gophers as a four-year starter from 1993-96 and was a three-year captain. She played in all 82 matches during her career and ranks seventh in program history in points with 83, eighth in goals with 29, is tied for seventh in assists with 25, is tied for sixth in game-winning goals with 10 and is tied for tenth in shots (178).

Chastain comes to Minnesota from DePaul where she was the coach of the Blue demons for the past 14 seasons. Over the past eight seasons Chastain’s teams were 78-44-26. The Blue Demons won the Big East regular season championship in 2014 and 2016, claimed the Big East tournament title in 2014, qualified for seven straight conference tournaments and earned berths in the NCAA tournament in 2013 and 2014. The Blue Demons were ranked for the first time in program history under Chastain (No. 20 in 2009) and climbed to a program record No. 7 in 2014.

Prior to leading DePaul, Chastain spent time as an assistant at both soccer power Santa Clara and Northwestern. During her tenure with the Broncos, the program reached the NCAA championship game in 2002, the semifinals in 2004 and the quarterfinals in 2005. She also helped guide the program to West Coast Conference titles in four of her five seasons. As the lead recruiter, she landed three classes from 2002-06 that ranked in the nation’s top four by Soccer America. Prior to that she was the lead assistant for the Wildcats for three seasons.

Erin is married to Brad Chastain, the brother of US Soccer great Brandi Chastain.

Mark Coyle released the following statement on the hiring of Chastain:

“I am excited to welcome Erin and her family back home to Minnesota. Erin has a proven track record of success when it comes to recruiting, developing and coaching student-athletes, and I am thrilled for her to lead her alma mater. She is one of the pioneers of our program and as a former captain and Gopher student-athlete, she understands Minnesota soccer and its importance to the community. I know she is ready to get to work, and I am looking forward to seeing her team compete in a few months.”