Wittenberg University has announced the hiring of Katie Robinson as head coach of the women's soccer program.
Robinson arrives in Springfield after spending the past three seasons at Ohio Northern University as an assistant coach under head coach Mark Batman. As ONU's top assistant, the Polar Bears went 37-18-4 and held an OAC record of 21-5-1 in her three-year stint with the team including the 2016 OAC regular season crown.
ONU was ranked in the top four of the Great Lakes Region each week in their 2016 campaign, and became nationally ranked by the NCAA in September. Robinson and the Polar Bears made it to the conference tournament semi-finals in 2014, as well as the OAC Conference Tournament Finals in 2015 and 2016.
"I am extremely honored and excited to take this position and become part of the Wittenberg community. I'd like to thank Gary Williams, Paco Labrador and the entire search committee for this amazing opportunity and for entrusting me to lead the women's soccer program," said Robinson.
"Throughout this process, Wittenberg felt like home and I was very impressed with the administrations commitment to the success of the program and athletics in general. I'm looking forward to getting on campus, building relationships with student-athletes and continuing on the path of tradition at Wittenberg."
While at ONU, Robinson saw her student-athletes produce on the field with accolades including: the 2016 OAC Freshman of the Year and Goalkeeper of the Year, the 2015 OAC Midfielder of the Year and Goalkeeper of the Year, the 2014 OAC Forward of the Year, as well as five NSCAA All-Great Lakes Region Honorees.
In the classroom at ONU, student-athletes under Robinson's tutelage combined for a 3.4 cumulative team GPA with a fall 2016
team GPA of 3.53. Individually, Robinson coached and guided a 2016 NSCAA Scholar All-American in 2016, and also guided countless student-athletes who earned Academic All-OAC honors and Ohio Collegiate Soccer Association Academic All-Ohio Honors.
"We have a very special group of young women who represent our women's soccer program. Our athletes possess amazing commitment, passion, and competitiveness on and off the field. Katie embodies each and every one of these qualities and showed us that she has the ability as a leader and role model to take our women to even greater heights," said Director of Athletics Dr. Gary Williams. "We are excited to have Katie join our staff and I very much look forward to the positive impact she will make for the women in our program and on our campus community."
Robinson's coaching career began with a two-year stint as the top assistant at Goucher College in Baltimore, Maryland in July of 2011. In 2012, Robinson helped guide the Gophers to tie the best record in program history: 12-4-2.
During her time at Goucher, she helped produce five All-Landmark Conference and two NSCAA All Mid-Atlantic Region selections.
In addition to her coaching duties at Goucher, Robinson earned her master's in athletic administration & leadership and a certification from the National Board of Certification as an athletic trainer. Robinson also coached for the Maryland State ODP program.
Before her arriving at ONU, Robinson served as an assistant at Capital for one season and helped the Crusaders make a run to the NCAA Final Four.
Robinson was a three-year letter winner for Capital, as a player from 2007-2009, after spending her freshman year in 2006 at the University of North Carolina Charlotte.
In her first season for the 49ers, Robinson helped lead UNC-Charlotte to an Atlantic 10 Conference Championship, with a record of 12-5-3.
At Capital, Robinson earned 2008 Ohio Athletic Conference Forward of the Year accolades and was a three-time All-OAC and NSCAA All-Great Lakes Region honoree.
She led the Crusaders to the OAC Tournament championship and an appearance in the NCAA Division III Tournament in 2007.