By Rachel Gonzalez, Girls Soccer Network Author
Women’s soccer in the United States—and, by extension, around the globe—would look exceptionally different without Title IX. Honestly, it might not exist at all. With the 51st anniversary of the landmark decision that changed the face of the nation, we wanted to highlight some of the best and brightest coaches to come to women’s soccer.
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What is Title IX?
Title IX is an extension of the 1964 Civil Rights Act, which outlawed discrimination in employment and housing based on race, religion, color, national origin, or sex. Title IX intended to fill the gaps in legislation, like Title VI, that attempted to protect education from discrimination but excluded sex as a protected class. Thanks to a very misguided amendment by Congressman John Tower that tried and failed to maintain sex discrimination in athletics departments, Title IX took on a reputation as a notion for sports equality.
Title IX was made effective on June 23, 1972, and opened a whole new world for women in sports.
While this was a historical move for women’s athletics, particularly at the collegiate level, there were a few drawbacks. What was meant to open up the sporting world to women created more room for men at the coaching level. Even though women’s sports were still seen as less desirable at the time, being the head coach of a women’s team was still a step up for those working as assistant coaches. So, while more women could play their chosen sports, fewer could occupy coaching positions. So let’s spotlight some women who led the way and carried on the meaning of Title IX.
Jill Ellis
Starting this list off with a bang, Jill Ellis is a prime example of the power of this legislation. Ellis came over from the UK—where there was no organized soccer for girls then—and went on to win a state championship in 1984 with Robinson Secondary School in Fairfax, Virginia.
But we all know Ellis better by her coaching prowess. Her first big splash in the coaching world was her historic time as the UCLA Bruins head coach with eight NCAA Women’s College Cups, six consecutive Pac-10 Conference titles, and the 2000 United Soccer Coaches (formerly NSCAA) National Coach of the Year.
Ellis has been involved in the United States Soccer Federation since 2000 and serves as the Development Director.
Most know her for her work as head coach of the US Women’s National Team from 2014-2019. Ellis is the only US coach to have two FIFA World Cup gold medals to her name; add the fact that these are consecutive titles, and it’s an even bigger deal. She stepped away from coaching in 2019 but is the current president of San Diego Wave.
Aliceann Wilber
Aliceann Wilber has a career that expands too long for us to recount everything she’s done. For starters, she single-handedly built the William Smith College program from the ground up to become one of the best programs in the country, and she’s been with them the whole time.
Since 1988 Wilber has been head coach and has racked up several perfect seasons, a few championships, and has been inducted into three different halls of fame: United Soccer Coaches Hall of Fame (2018), the Heron Hall of Honor (2002), and the Brockport Hall of Fame (2022). Wilber has been integral in bringing William Smith from the Liberty League into the NCAA tournament.
Wilber’s legacy is one that can’t be beaten. Serving this long at the same institution is incredible and a testament to the dedication of someone born to coach. Wilber made her own opportunities with William Smith College. She’s seen thousands of players come and go on to great things.
Paula Wilkins
Paula Wilkins produces winning programs. There’s no doubt about it. A former player, Wilkins began her coaching career at Penn State in 1994, where she was the right hand of then-head coach Patrick Farmer. After Farmer’s departure, Wilkins was promoted to head coach, earning 100 wins in women’s college soccer faster than almost anyone before her. At Penn State, Wilkins made six consecutive NCAA Tournament appearances and earned Big Ten regular season championships and two Big Ten tournament championships.
As for coaching accolades, she received United Soccer Coaches (formerly NSCAA) Coach of the Year once and Big Ten Coach of the Year five times.
In 2007 Wilkins moved on from Penn State and joined the coaching staff at the University of Wisconsin as head coach. Now in her 17th season as head coach Wilkins is the winningest coach in the program’s history and has worked hard and tirelessly to rebuild the culture of this women’s team.
One of her most remarkable success stories from the UW program is the USWNT’s Rose Lavelle. And in a little blast from the past, her former Penn State head coach Patrick Farmer came to be her assistant for four seasons at UW.
Julianne Sitch
You might remember Julianne Sitch from her time in the NWSL as a player and a coach. Sitch played for Chicago Red Stars both as an NWSL team and a WPS team, and she was part of the coaching staff for the Red Stars from 2020-2022. With all of Sitch’s coaching credits from Chicago, her love for the game and the city runs deep.
Sitch has coached twice for the University of Chicago, first as the assistant and lead assistant coach for the women’s team for several seasons before becoming the head coach for the men’s team in 2020. During her first season as head coach, Sitch became the first female coach to lead a men’s soccer team to the national championship with a near-perfect record.
Their one loss came from another historic match-up against the NYU Violets, a team coached by Kim Wyant. This match turned out to be the first game between two women-led NCAA men’s soccer teams.
On June 7th, Sitch was named the next head women’s soccer coach at the University of Denver.
The Door Has Been Opened
These coaches are pillars of the soccer community. Title IX opened this door, and these women busted right through and have been taking the game by storm ever since. The decision that came down over 50 years ago created a whole new world of sports, and we wouldn’t be where we are now without it. These women and the women like them are proof that women belong in every level and every position of soccer.