Erica Walsh
- U.S. National Team: WNT
- Position: Assistant Coach
- Date Of Birth: Nov. 16, 1975
- Hometown: Huntington Valley, Pa.
Erica Walsh has served as an assistant coach for the U.S. Women’s National Team since December 2007 and was part of the staff that led the USA to the 2008 Olympic gold medal.
Walsh has served in various coaching capacities in the U.S. Women’s National Team program, including head coach of the U.S. U-17 Women’s National Team in 2005 and 2006, after assisting Mark Krikorian on the U.S. Under-19 Women’s National Team in 2004. As the U-19’s top assistant, Walsh helped guide the team to a third place finish at the 2004 FIFA U-19 Women’s World Cup Thailand.
In January 2009, Walsh was appointed as a member of the Panel of Instructors and Lecturers for FIFA Courses. In addition, she was appointed as the Chairman of the Women's Technical Committee for CONCACAF for the period of Jan. 1, 2009 to June 30, 2011.
Walsh is currently the head women’s soccer coach at Penn State, and has guided the team to its 10th, 11th, 12th and 13th consecutive conference titles during the last four seasons. She coached her first season in Happy Valley in 2007, leading the team to an 18-4-2 record, including 9-1-0 in conference play, and into the third round of the NCAA Tournament. In 2008, Penn State compiled a record of 16-7-0 while advancing to the NCAA tournament once again. In 2009, her Nittany Lions went 13-6-2 including 8-1-1 in Big 10 action while advancing to the second round of the NCAA Tournament and she was named the Big 10 Coach of the Year. In 2010, the team rebounded from a slow start to win nine of its last 12 regular season games to finish at 11-9-1, including 8-2-0 in Big 10 play to share the conference title. The Nittany Lions advanced to the second round of the NCAA Tournament.
She came to Penn State after serving as the head coach at Harvard for one season. Prior to her time with the Crimson, she was an assistant coach at Florida State under Krikorian.
Walsh spent two seasons (2003 and 2004) as the assistant women’s soccer coach at Lehigh in Bethlehem, Pa., helping the team to the best season in program history before taking a position as the top assistant coach at Florida State University for the 2005 season. During 2005, Walsh helped coach the Seminoles to a record-breaking season, a 20-4-1 record and a berth in the NCAA Final Four. The Seminoles scored the most goals in a season in school history, allowed the fewest and defeated 11 ranked teams along the way.
Prior to moving to Lehigh to pursue her MBA, which she received in 2004, Walsh was the head women’s soccer coach at Dartmouth from 2000-2002. She compiled a 37-15-2 overall record, including 16-4-1 in the Ivy League. The Big Green won Ivy League titles in 2000 and 2001 and earned a national ranking as high as No. 16 in 2000, No. 13 in 2001 and No. 25 in 2002. She led Dartmouth to NCAA Tournament appearances in all three of her years and made two Round of 16 appearances.
Prior to becoming the head coach at Dartmouth, she served as the assistant for two seasons, helping the Big Green to an Ivy League title in 1998, a national ranking of No. 8 and an appearance in the Final Eight of the NCAA Tournament.
Walsh played college soccer for William & Mary from 1993-1997, helping the Tribe to four NCAA Tournament appearances and three Colonial Athletic Association championships. She captained the squad and was a two-time team MVP, All-Conference and All-Region selection. In 2010, she was inducted into the William & Mary Athletics Hall of Fame. She graduated with a degree in Biology. As a youth player, she participated in the U.S. U-17 National Team program and was an NSCAA All-American.
Walsh has served in various coaching capacities in the U.S. Women’s National Team program, including head coach of the U.S. U-17 Women’s National Team in 2005 and 2006, after assisting Mark Krikorian on the U.S. Under-19 Women’s National Team in 2004. As the U-19’s top assistant, Walsh helped guide the team to a third place finish at the 2004 FIFA U-19 Women’s World Cup Thailand.
In January 2009, Walsh was appointed as a member of the Panel of Instructors and Lecturers for FIFA Courses. In addition, she was appointed as the Chairman of the Women's Technical Committee for CONCACAF for the period of Jan. 1, 2009 to June 30, 2011.
Walsh is currently the head women’s soccer coach at Penn State, and has guided the team to its 10th, 11th, 12th and 13th consecutive conference titles during the last four seasons. She coached her first season in Happy Valley in 2007, leading the team to an 18-4-2 record, including 9-1-0 in conference play, and into the third round of the NCAA Tournament. In 2008, Penn State compiled a record of 16-7-0 while advancing to the NCAA tournament once again. In 2009, her Nittany Lions went 13-6-2 including 8-1-1 in Big 10 action while advancing to the second round of the NCAA Tournament and she was named the Big 10 Coach of the Year. In 2010, the team rebounded from a slow start to win nine of its last 12 regular season games to finish at 11-9-1, including 8-2-0 in Big 10 play to share the conference title. The Nittany Lions advanced to the second round of the NCAA Tournament.
She came to Penn State after serving as the head coach at Harvard for one season. Prior to her time with the Crimson, she was an assistant coach at Florida State under Krikorian.
Walsh spent two seasons (2003 and 2004) as the assistant women’s soccer coach at Lehigh in Bethlehem, Pa., helping the team to the best season in program history before taking a position as the top assistant coach at Florida State University for the 2005 season. During 2005, Walsh helped coach the Seminoles to a record-breaking season, a 20-4-1 record and a berth in the NCAA Final Four. The Seminoles scored the most goals in a season in school history, allowed the fewest and defeated 11 ranked teams along the way.
Prior to moving to Lehigh to pursue her MBA, which she received in 2004, Walsh was the head women’s soccer coach at Dartmouth from 2000-2002. She compiled a 37-15-2 overall record, including 16-4-1 in the Ivy League. The Big Green won Ivy League titles in 2000 and 2001 and earned a national ranking as high as No. 16 in 2000, No. 13 in 2001 and No. 25 in 2002. She led Dartmouth to NCAA Tournament appearances in all three of her years and made two Round of 16 appearances.
Prior to becoming the head coach at Dartmouth, she served as the assistant for two seasons, helping the Big Green to an Ivy League title in 1998, a national ranking of No. 8 and an appearance in the Final Eight of the NCAA Tournament.
Walsh played college soccer for William & Mary from 1993-1997, helping the Tribe to four NCAA Tournament appearances and three Colonial Athletic Association championships. She captained the squad and was a two-time team MVP, All-Conference and All-Region selection. In 2010, she was inducted into the William & Mary Athletics Hall of Fame. She graduated with a degree in Biology. As a youth player, she participated in the U.S. U-17 National Team program and was an NSCAA All-American.
