Sue Willard Named Women’s Soccer Coach

April 25 - (PITTSBURGH, Pa.) Carnegie Mellon University Interim Director of Athletics, Dr. David Belowich, named Sue Willard head coach of the women’s soccer program on Tuesday, April 25. Willard replaces Heather Kendra who resigned in December after seven years at the helm.

Willard has been an assistant at Division I Bucknell University for the past two years. During her tenure, the Bisons posted a 14-14-4 record. Willard's responsibilities while at Bucknell included recruiting, developing the goalkeepers and team defense, preparing scouting reports, organizing community programs and contributing to the team's summer camp.

In 1999, Willard took her first college coaching position as the graduate assistant at Washington College in Maryland . After a two-year stint, she returned to her alma mater, William Smith College, as assistant women's soccer coach. During the two years as an assistant with the Herons, she helped guide them to the NCAA quarterfinals in 2001 and the national semifinals in 2002.

A four-year starter in goal for a William Smith program that has made more NCAA Tournament appearances than any other in the Division III ranks. Willard led the Herons to four straight NCAA showings, including a run to the national championship game in 1997 and the national semifinals in 1995. She broke the school record for career shutouts (45) and was an all-region, all-conference and all-state pick as a senior. Following her final year she was the recipient of the William Smith Soccer Coaches Award and the Joseph N. Abraham Memorial Training Award, given for perseverance, heart and performance.

Willard was also an academic all-region selection as she earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in history while participating in the school's education certification program.

Willard was the recipient of the Helen Heath Award for Academic Excellence in 1996, and she studied in Bath, England, in the spring of 1997, where she taught and coached soccer at a British secondary school.