Erin Chastain - WOMEN'S SOCCER Coach - DePaul University Athletics

Erin Chastain

Title:
Head Coach
Email:
echastai@depaul.edu

Erin Chastain was named the third coach in DePaul Women’s Soccer history in 2007.

She kicks off her 13th season at the helm of the DePaul Women’s Soccer program in 2019. Since her arrival in 2007, Chastain has garnered a 66-30-23 record in the last six seasons with an overall 100-108-31 record. Under her lead, the team has clinched seven consecutive berths to the BIG EAST Championship, as well as the best season in program history - 2014 Regular Season Champions, BIG EAST Tournament Champions and a berth to the NCAA Tournament.

Chastain’s 12^th season saw the Blue Demons earn their seventh winning season with an overall 8-6-5 record and a 4-3-2 BIG EAST Record. DePaul notched victories against Seton Hall and Creighton before ending the season on a high note, beating Villanova on Senior Day and securing their seventh consecutive berth to the BIG EAST Championship. DePaul battled Xavier this time, coming up just short in the shootout.

The Blue Demons fought to a 7-7-5 finish in Chastain’s 11th year, with a 3-2-4 conference record. The final game and win of the season advanced DePaul to the BIG EAST Championship and gave Chastain her 100^th career victory. The Blue Demons took on Providence in the first round, falling to the Friars on penalty kicks.

In her 10th season at the helm in 2016, DePaul coach Erin Chastain guided the Blue Demons to a share of the BIG EAST Conference regular-season title, their second BIG EAST title. In the BIG EAST semifinals, DePaul battled No. 7 Georgetown to a 1-1 tie in Washington, D.C., but the Hoyas advanced to the BIG EAST title game on penalty kicks.

Chastain led her side to a 10-6-3 overall record including 7-2-0 in conference. This was the program's fourth consecutive winning season dating back to 2013. In that span, Chastain's coaching record is 51-17-13 with two BIG EAST regular-season titles, one conference tournament title and two NCAA tournament appearances.

In the middle of the 2016 season, the Blue Demons went on a seven-game winning streak including victories over BIG EAST adversaries Xavier, Creighton, at Seton Hall, at Butler and Villanova. After a 1-0 setback at St. John's, DePaul won two straight highlighted by its biggest success of the season, a 4-1 triumph at No. 7 Georgetown.

That seven-game winning streak totally reversed a slow start that saw the Blue Demons open the season at 1-4-2. They played six of their first eight matches away from Wish Field. The team finished with 45 goals, the second-highest season total in program history. DePaul also had the third-best season mark in total points and assists.

Chastain entered her ninth season leading the women's soccer program in 2015 after being named the program's third head coach on March 1, 2007.

DePaul was ranked No. 21 in the NSCAA coaches poll and No. 12 by Soccer America in the preseason---the first time in program history the Blue Demons were nationally ranked entering the season. Chastain led the Blue Demons back to the BIG EAST Championship in 2015 with a conference record of 6-1-2, and the program was 12-4-4 overall. Over the last three seasons, DePaul is 41-11-10 under Chastain's leadership with a pair of NCAA tournament appearances, a BIG EAST tournament title and conference regular-season title.

The 2015 season saw DePaul rack up an impressive 11-2-2 record by the halfway point of the BIG EAST season that included a five-game conference winning streak. At that point, the Blue Demons had outscored their overall opponents by a whopping 36-7 and would finish the season with a 40-13 margin. They tied St. John's for fewest goals allowed and wound up with a 146-57 advantage in shots on goal.

Chastain guided the Blue Demons on a record-breaking ride in 2014 with a program-best 16-1-4 overall record that was the fifth-best winning percentage in the country. DePaul set a school record with a 20-game undefeated streak, and by the end of the regular season was one of only two programs (No. 1 UCLA) to remain unbeaten. The Blue Demons attained their highest national ranking when Soccer America ranked them at No. 7. DePaul's high-powered attack was No. 21 in the nation in assists, No. 29 in points and No. 34 in scoring offense on the way to winning its first BIG EAST regular-season and tournament titles.

The Blue Demons led the BIG EAST in scoring offense, fewest goals allowed and goals-against average (GAA) while finishing second in assists and points. Their 130 points was the second-highest single season total in school history while the 44 goals and 42 assists were also second in program history. Chastain, associate head coach Michele O'Brien and assistant coach Sarah Stanczyk were honored as the BIG EAST Coaching Staff of the Year. Chastain repeated as NSCAA Northeast Region Coach of the Year.

Chastain directed DePaul to a 13-6-2 record in 2013, the second-best winning percentage in program history. It was the third-most wins behind the 2014 team and 2003 team that went 14-7-2. DePaul earned a berth to the NCAA tournament for the first time since 2003, falling 1-0 at Indiana in the first round. Chastain was named NSCAA Northeast Region Coach of the Year.

In 2012, Chastain guided the Blue Demons to their third BIG EAST Championship in the last four years, qualifying for the conference tournament on the last day of the season. They made the most of that opportunity by stunning Villanova 3-0 in the BIG EAST opener---the first BIG EAST playoff road win in program history.

Chastain's first season in 2007 saw the Blue Demons go 5-13-1, and in the process she was able to implement her style of play. DePaul opened the season by winning the Cleveland State Fall Classic and proved to be a difficult opponent in BIG EAST play as nine of the final 10 matches of the season were decided by one goal. Her efforts on the recruiting trail are paying off already as DePaul's incoming class was ranked No. 21 in the Great Lakes Region by Soccer Buzz.

Prior to arriving in Chicago, Chastain spent 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 Championship, the semifinals in 2004 and the quarterfinals in 2005. She also helped the program to West Coast Conference titles in four of her five seasons. As the lead recruiter, she landed three classes from 2002-06 ranked in the nation's top four by Soccer America. The 2002 recruiting class was the top-ranked in the United States followed by a No. 4 slot in 2004. Her final recruiting class for Santa Clara, which began play in 2007, was ranked third among all NCAA Division I programs.

Chastain also spent time during her first three seasons at Santa Clara working with several youth teams in the Bay Area, including the DeAnza Strykers and the North Valley Tornadoes. She also coordinated the Santa Clara Soccer Camps from 2002-05. The five-week camp served over 1,000 campers each summer.

She returns to the Chicagoland where she started her collegiate coaching career. 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 second team All-Big Ten honors in 1995 and was a first team honoree in 1996. Chastain also picked up third team All-Great Lakes Region honors in 1996 by the NSCAA. Minnesota claimed the 1995 Big Ten Championship and qualified for the NCAA Championship in 1995 and 1996.

Off the field, she was a three-time Academic All-Big Ten selection from 1994-96, and earned District Academic All-America honors in 1996. A native of Plymouth, Minn., Chastain graduated from Minnesota with a bachelor's degree in International Business/Spanish in June 1997. Having spent six months studying abroad at the University of Seville, Spain, Chastain is fluent in Spanish.

Chastain and her husband, Chad, live in the north suburbs with their daughters Harper and Brooklyn. Chad's sister, Brandi, is one of USA Soccer's all-time greats as she led the American side to the 1999 FIFA Women's World Cup.