Women’s Soccer
Youngstown, Ohio –Youngstown State has named former Mercyhurst head coach Rich Wall to lead the Penguins women’s soccer program, Executive Director of Intercollegiate Athletics Ron Strollo announced.
The 2023 PSAC West Coach of the Year, Wall is a 13-year college coaching veteran with experience at the NCAA Division I and Division II levels as well as the semi-professional level. He also has experience in the American Athletic Conference, Mid-American Conference, and the Sun Belt Conference.
"Rich brings to our program a variety of experiences that we feel will help our program become a perennial contender for Horizon League soccer championships," Strollo said. "We are confident that his head coaching experience and history of coaching in our region will enable him to lead our program to the heights we all expect.
"Most importantly, Rich and his staff will provide a great opportunity for our current and future student-athletes develop their soccer skills and their overall development off the field. We look forward to helping Rich and his staff as they take over the reins of this important program."
Wall expressed gratitude for the opportunity to lead the Penguins women’s soccer team.
"I want to thank President Johnson, Ron Strollo, Rebecca Fink, and everyone involved in my recruitment process to Youngstown State University," Wall said. "From the initial conversations with the search committee it was clear that YSU Athletics has ambitions that align with my goals to build and lead a competitive YSU soccer program within a challenging Horizon League.
"We will meet every moment of adversity head-on and do it in a way that our soccer alumni, family members, and the greater YSU community will be proud of our performances. Lastly, I want to thank my wife, Jessica, and others within my amazing support system that have helped me throughout my career."
Wall spent the last two seasons at Mercyhurst where he accumulated a coaching record of 20-15-5, including a 16-4-1 mark in 2023. Last season, he successfully transitioned the Lakers from NCAA Division II to their first season at the NCAA Division I level. During his time at Mercyhurst, Wall coached two all-Americans, four all-region picks, and a total of eight all-conference selections.
Prior to Mercyhurst, Wall was the associate head coach at Coastal Carolina for the 2022 campaign.
Wall spent two seasons at Cincinnati as the director of recruiting, and he coached a two-time AAC Defensive Player of the Year and seven all-conference performers while leading the Bearcats to the 2020 American Athletic Conference Championship game.
During the 2019 season, Wall helped Ball State to a conference regular-season runner-up finish and tied a program record for most wins in a season with 15.
Wall spent four seasons as the men’s soccer head coach at Lees-McRae College from 2015-18. He compiled a record of 35-33-5 with the Bobcats and led them to a pair of 11-win seasons while climbing as high as No. 12 in the national rankings. During his tenure, he coached two Conference Carolinas Players of the Year, the 2017 Conference Carolinas Freshmen of the Year, and the 2015 Conference Carolinas Defensive Player of the Year.
He also spent time in the National Premier Soccer League as the head coach with the Erie Commodores FC. Earlier in his career he coached in the USL League as an assistant coach with the Tri-Cities Otters and as the head coach of West Virginia United. He helped West Virginia reach the second round of the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup during one of his two seasons with the team. Wall has also been a youth soccer head coach with the Ohio Elite ECNL Girls and the North Carolina Olympic Development Program.
Wall played collegiately at Gardner-Webb and Wingate and saw action in 70 matches. He graduated from Gardner-Webb in 2012 with a bachelor’s degree in sport management.
Wall has also earned the United States Soccer Federation A-Senior License, and the United Soccer Coaches Premier Diploma. In 2018, he was named to the United Soccer Coaches 30-Under-30 Program.
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