DePaul Names Erin Chastain Head Women's Soccer Coach
3/1/2007 12:00:00 AM | WOMEN'S SOCCER
CHICAGO – Erin Chastain has been named DePaul’s Head Women’s Soccer Coach it was announced today by Blue Demons Athletics Director Jean Lenti Ponsetto.
“Coach Chastain brings an exceptional amount of high level NCAA Division I experience as both a student-athlete and a coach,” Ponsetto said. “Her Midwestern roots and proven experience, both on and off the playing field, will be a tremendous boost for our women’s soccer program. Needless to say, we are very excited to have Erin join the Blue Demon athletics family.”
Chastain has spent the last five seasons at national soccer power Santa Clara as an assistant coach. During her tenure with the Broncos the program reached the championship game of the 2002 NCAA Tournament, the semifinals in 2004 and the quarterfinals in 2005. She also helped the program to West Coast Conference titles in each of her five seasons. Chastain also spent time during her first three seasons working with several youth teams in the Bay Area, including the DeAnza Strykers and the North Valley Tornadoes.
Prior to heading west, Chastain spent three seasons as Northwestern’s top assistant coach. During her tenure with the Wildcats, she also served as the head coach of the Glenview (Ill.) U-15 Girl's Soccer Club.
Upon completion of her collegiate playing career, Chastain spent time as the head coach of the Wayzata and Edina (Minn.) U-15 Girls' Premier soccer teams and worked as an assistant account executive for the advertising firm Fallon McElligott in Minneapolis.
As a student-athlete, Chastain (then Hussey) was a four-year starter at Minnesota. The three-year captain appeared in each of the Gophers' 82 matches during her career and concluded her career ranked fourth on the school's all-time points list, fifth in goals scored and tied for third in assists. She earned All-Big Ten honors in 1995 (second team) and '96 (first team) and was named Third Team All-Great Lakes Region '96. In addition, she was a three-time Academic All-Big Ten selection from 1994-96, and earned District Academic All-America honors in '96.
A native of Plymouth, Minn., Chastain graduated from Minnesota with a bachelor's degree in Spanish and International Business.