The Portland State women’s soccer team has hired Rochelle Hearns as their new assistant head coach.
Hearns worked with the PSU women’s soccer team from 2009-12 as a volunteer assistant coach. She left the program to become the head coach of Clark College in Vancouver, Wash., where she led the team to its first ever post-season appearance and was named South Region Coach of the Year.
Despite her success at Clark, Hearns decided to return to PSU.
“I really like what Portland State has to offer academically,” she said. “I also was drawn back to the women’s soccer program; it has continued to be such an amazing and successful program both on and off the field that I just knew I wanted to be a part of its continued success. Laura [Schott] has done an amazing job here, and I believe in the direction she wants to take the program and the steps she wants to take to get there.”
Last year the Vikings were 12–4–3 overall and a nearly perfect 8–0–1 in the conference, making it the first unbeaten Big Sky Conference regular season in school history. Laura Schott was named Coach of the Year and PSU finished behind only Weber State, who they lost to in the championship match by a score of 3–0. That is what Hearns means by success.
The coaching at PSU has been a large reason for this success. By adding Hearns, the Vikings are adding yet another dynamic component to an already established system. Hearns, after all, understands the value of having a cohesive coaching unit.
“The wins, the losses, the coaching staff—all of it relies on you,” Hearns said, referring to her head coaching experience. “With that I have learned how important it is to have a good staff around you and how important it is for myself as an assistant to work hard and help improve the team and [the] program, because it affects more than just myself.”
One of the ways in which Hearns will improve the team is through her recruiting expertise. In fact, along with regular coaching duties such as developing players, this will be one of Hearns’ main priorities.
“I am always looking at identifying talent in individuals…looking for tendencies within the game that will help improve our overall team and also looking for players that will fit into the team’s dynamics.”
Six new recruits have been signed to play this upcoming season to join a stable PSU squad, which saw only two starters leave over the offseason. One of the departed starters, however, was last year’s leading scorer, Eryn Brown. Still, the Vikings remain confident.
“We feel the girls are on the right track for the season,” Hearns said.
And with yet another talented person joining the team, one has to feel that indeed they are.
The PSU women’s soccer team is scheduled to kick off their season April 5 at the Concordia Tournament. The tournament is hosted by Concordia University and will be played at Tuominen Yard in Portland.
