COLLEGEVILLE, Pa. – Ursinus Director of Athletics Erin Stroble announced Thursday the hiring of Jeannine Calhoun as the new head Women's Soccer Coach. Calhoun comes to Ursinus after serving a 13-year stint as the head coach of Hunterdon Central Regional High School in Flemington, New Jersey.
"We are very excited to welcome Coach Calhoun to Team Ursinus," Stroble said. "We spoke to many qualified candidates during our search process and Coach Calhoun stood out based on her proven success building programs, her excitement about the opportunity at Ursinus, and her commitment to developing players along with providing a positive, competitive experience."
Calhoun compiled an overall record of 201-66-13 during her time at Hunterdon Central and led the team to a pair of New Jersey Group IV State Championship titles in 2016 and 2019. The 2016 title was the first state championship in the program's 25-year history. In addition to her state championships, Calhoun's teams won four Group IV Central Jersey Sectional Championships and eight Hunterdon Warren Sussex County Championships. Among her accolades, Calhoun was named the 2016 Top Drawer Soccer Regional Coach of the Year, the 2019 NJGSCA State Coach of the Year, and the 2019 Central Jersey Sectional Coach of the Year. In May of 2021, she was selected to coach the top seniors in the country in the Senior All-American Game in St. Louis Missouri. She also served as an English Teacher at Hunterdon Central since 2011.
This will be her second collegiate coaching stint as she spent five seasons as the head coach of the LaSalle University Women's Soccer team. Calhoun went 44-45-1 in her five seasons as the coach of her alma mater and guided the team to their first three winning seasons in the 16-year history of the program. Her 2000 squad ranked as the 11th most improved team in NCAA Division I and made the program's first appearance in the Atlantic Ten Tournament, which earned her Atlantic 10 Coach of the Year. In addition to her coaching duties, Calhoun worked as LaSalle's Senior Woman Administrator and NCAA Compliance Director.
Calhoun's women's soccer leadership has also extended into the community and club levels as she is the Founder and Director of FAST Camps (Female Athlete Soccer Training), a leadership development and soccer program, since 2007. Additionally, Calhoun has coached for the Eastern Pennsylvania Olympic Development Program and local clubs in Hunterdon and Bucks Counties.
She replaces Aileen Ascolese, who spent the past five seasons as the Bears head coach.
"I am thrilled to join Team Ursinus as the head Women's Soccer Coach," Calhoun said. "I give my thanks to the search committee for its faith in my ability to lead this program and the fantastic young women here at UC. I look forward to contributing to this vibrant community and getting on the field with the team to start the work necessary to compete and excel in the Centennial Conference."
Calhoun, who earned a bachelor's degree from La Salle in 1993 in Secondary Education with tracks in English and Latin, graduated Summa Cum Laude. She also completed a master's degree in Education from Walden University. She was a four-year member of the La Salle Women's Soccer team and served as team captain during her senior season of 1992. Calhoun holds a United States Soccer Federation (USSF) 'A' license as well.