Butler_Bulldogs_women's_soccer
Butler Bulldogs women's soccer
American college soccer team
The Butler Bulldogs women's soccer team is an intercollegiate varsity sports team of Butler University, an NCAA Division I member school located in Indianapolis, IN. The team played its final season in the Horizon League in 2011; on July 1, 2012, the Bulldogs joined the Atlantic 10 Conference for one season.[2] They currently play in the Big East Conference.
| Butler Bulldogs | |
|---|---|
 2023 Butler Bulldogs women's soccer team | |
| Founded | 1991 |
| University | Butler University |
| Head coach | Tari St. John (18th season) Rob Alman (12th season) |
| Conference | Big East |
| Location | Indianapolis, Indiana |
| Stadium | Butler Bowl (Capacity: 7,500) |
| Nickname | Bulldogs |
| Colors | Blue and white[1] |
| NCAA Tournament appearances | |
| 2015, 2017 | |
| Conference Tournament championships | |
| Horizon League 1996 | |
| Conference Regular Season championships | |
| Horizon League 1995, 1996, 1999, 2010 | |
- As of 28 December 2020[3]
Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.
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Butler University first fielded a varsity women's soccer team in 1991, when they earned a 10–7–1 record under head coach Bryan Blitz, including a 0–3–0 record in the Midwestern Collegiate Conference (now called the Horizon League).[4] Coach Blitz left the program following the 1995 season, the same season as the Bulldogs' first conference championship. The Bulldogs were next coached by George Van Linder, who led the team to its second conference championship and two conference runner-up finishes before departing after the 1998 season.[4] Woody Sherwood served as the Bulldogs' third women's soccer coach and led the team to its third conference championship in 1999; under his leadership the team only once finished lower than third in the Horizon League.[4]
The Bulldogs' current head coach, Tari St. John began serving as head coach in the 2006 season. Aside from the head coach, Butler employs one assistant coach on a part-time basis.[5] This position is currently held by Ric Huffman, who has held the position since 2009.[6] Huffman also serves as the head coach of the Dynamo Football Club, also located in Indianapolis, and is a former member of the Indiana University men's soccer team and the Indiana Twisters of the Continental Indoor Soccer League. He also played on the 1998 National Indoor Championship team.[7] The position was previously held by Greg Miller, who is the current head coach for the Pittsburgh Panthers. All other women's soccer coaches serve on a volunteer basis.
Butler left the Horizon League following the 2011 season when the athletic department moved to the Atlantic 10 Conference. During their time in the Horizon, the Bulldogs earned one conference tournament championship, in 1996, but the team did not qualify for the NCAA tournament because the conference did not have an automatic bid at that time. However, the team was the tournament runner-up six times, in 1994, 1997, 1998, 2001, 2002, and 2010. The team also won four conference season championships, in 1995, 1996, 1999, and 2010.[8]
Joining the Atlantic 10 Conference presented some challenges, including schedule adjustments, because the move came a year ahead of schedule.[9] For example, the Bulldogs were scheduled to play an exhibition game against the defending Atlantic 10 champions, the Dayton Flyers, but the game had to be rescheduled as a conference game later in the season.[10] Other teams had to redo their schedules in a matter of weeks after their previously finalized schedules were already released.[11]
| Season | Coach | Overall | Conference | Standing | Postseason | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bryan Blitz (Horizon League) (1991–1995) | |||||||||
| 1991 | Bryan Blitz | 10–7–1 | 0–3–0 | 4th | |||||
| 1992 | Bryan Blitz | 8–9–2 | 2–3–0 | 4th | |||||
| 1993 | Bryan Blitz | 6–11–3 | 2–3–1 | 4th | |||||
| 1994 | Bryan Blitz | 11–10–0 | 4–2–0 | 3rd | |||||
| 1995 | Bryan Blitz | 10–7–2 | 6–0–0 | 1st | |||||
| Bryan Blitz: | 45–44–8 | 14–11–1 | |||||||
| George Van Linder (Horizon League) (1996–1998) | |||||||||
| 1996 | George Van Linder | 12–7–1 | 5–1–0 | T-1st | |||||
| 1997 | George Van Linder | 12–7–2 | 3–1–1 | T-2nd | |||||
| 1998 | George Van Linder | 10–13–0 | 3–2–0 | T-2nd | |||||
| George Van Linder: | 34–27–3 | 11–4–1 | |||||||
| Woody Sherwood (Horizon League) (1999–2005) | |||||||||
| 1999 | Woody Sherwood | 5–11–2 | 4–1–0 | T-1st | |||||
| 2000 | Woody Sherwood | 7–11–2 | 2–2–1 | T-3rd | |||||
| 2001 | Woody Sherwood | 31–7–0 | 4–2–0 | 2nd | |||||
| 2002 | Woody Sherwood | 15–6–0 | 4–2–0 | 2nd | |||||
| 2003 | Woody Sherwood | 8–9–2 | 4–2–0 | T-2nd | |||||
| 2004 | Woody Sherwood | 7–10–2 | 4–3–0 | 3rd | |||||
| 2005 | Woody Sherwood | 8–10–2 | 2–5–0 | T-5th | |||||
| Woody Sherwood: | 63–64–10 | 25–16–1 | |||||||
| Tari St. John (Horizon League) (2006–2011) | |||||||||
| 2006 | Tari St. John | 5–11–3 | 2–4–1 | 6th | |||||
| 2007 | Tari St. John | 10–9–1 | 5–3–0 | 4th | |||||
| 2008 | Tari St. John | 11–11–0 | 4–4–0 | T-4th | |||||
| 2009 | Tari St. John | 7–11–2 | 3–4–1 | 5th | |||||
| 2010 | Tari St. John | 9–11–0 | 6–2–0 | T-1st | |||||
| 2011 | Tari St. John | 8–10–2 | 3–5–0 | 6th | |||||
| Horizon League: | 73–53–5 | ||||||||
| Tari St. John (Atlantic 10) (2012) | |||||||||
| 2012 | Tari St. John | 12–5–4 | 5–1–3 | 4th | |||||
| Tari St. John: | 50–63–8 | 23–22–2 (Horizon) 5–1–3 (Atlantic 10) | |||||||
| Atlantic 10: | 5–1–3 | 5–1–3 | |||||||
| Tari St. John / Rob Alman (Big East Conference) (2013–present) | |||||||||
| 2013 | St. John / Alman | 11–7–2 | 4–5–0 | 5th | |||||
| 2014 | St. John / Alman | 9–8–2 | 3–4–2 | 6th | |||||
| 2015 | St. John / Alman | 16–7–1 | 6–3–0 | 4th | NCAA 1st Round | ||||
| Total: | 204–203–33 | ||||||||
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National champion
Postseason invitational champion
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NSCAA All-Americans
NSCAA Regional (Mideast) All-Americans
NSCAA Regional (Great Lakes) All-Americans
Soccer Buzz All-Great Lakes Team
Soccer Buzz All-American Freshman Team
Horizon League Cecil M. Coleman Award
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In response to the growth of interested youths in the Indianapolis area, where the Butler Bulldogs are located, the soccer program offers several soccer camps for various age groups.[12] The camp is instructed by several members of the women's soccer program, including head coach Tari St. John.[13]
In addition to the camps, the Butler Bulldogs women's soccer program annually wears pink jerseys in support the "fight against breast cancer." The jerseys are sold to the public following the game to raise proceeds for the cause.[14]
- Butler Athletics Visual Identity Guide (PDF). November 29, 2020. Retrieved October 14, 2022.
- "Butler to compete in Atlantic 10 a year ahead of schedule". Indianapolis Star. Gannett. Retrieved May 29, 2012.
- "Fall 2020 / Spring 2021 Women's Soccer Roster". Butler Bulldogs. Retrieved December 28, 2020.
- "Butler Bulldogs Women's Soccer Records" (PDF). Butlersports.com. Butler University. Retrieved August 27, 2012.[permanent dead link]
- "Butler University Women's Soccer Scholarships". AthleticScholarship.com. National Collegiate Scouting Association. Retrieved September 6, 2012.
- "Huffman Joins Women's Soccer Staff". Butlersports.com. Butler University. Archived from the original on January 18, 2013. Retrieved September 6, 2012.
- "Dynamo FC Girls Coaching Staff 2012–2013" (PDF). Dynamofc.org. Dynamo Football Club. Retrieved September 6, 2012.
- "Horizon League Women's Soccer Records" (PDF). Horizon League. Retrieved August 26, 2012.
- Parker, Reed (May 29, 2012). "Butler University Making Move a Year Early". WIBC. Retrieved September 6, 2012.
- "Butler/VCU Added to Dayton Women's Soccer Schedule". DaytonFlyers.com. University of Dayton. Archived from the original on June 27, 2012. Retrieved September 6, 2012.
- "Women's Soccer Announces Changes To 2012 A-10 Schedule". Owl Sports. Temple University. Retrieved September 6, 2012.
- "Butler Bulldog Soccer Camp". ButlerBulldogSoccer.com. Butler Soccer Camps. Archived from the original on August 22, 2013. Retrieved September 6, 2012.
- "Staff". ButlerBulldogsSoccer.com. Butler Bulldogs Soccer. Archived from the original on August 23, 2013. Retrieved September 6, 2012.
- "Pink Soccer Jerseys For Sale". Butlersports.com. Butler University. Archived from the original on March 5, 2016. Retrieved September 6, 2012.