WELCOME!
From our family to yours, we are excited to share all about The University of Delaware and our women’s soccer program!
UNIVERSITY OF DELAWARE'S COLLEGES OFFER 300+ PROGRAMS AND AN ABUNDANCE OF COURSES TO INSPIRE AND CHALLENGE YOU
10 COLLEGES
College of Agriculture & Natural Resources
College of Arts & Sciences
Lerner College of Business & Economics
College of Earth, Ocean and Environment
College of Education & Human Development
College of Engineering
College of Health Sciences
Graduate College
Honors College
Biden School of Public Policy & Administration
GLOBAL OPPORTUNITY
The University of Delaware is a national leader in study abroad programs, consistently ranking among the top five public research-extensive institutions for student participation.
- First U.S. institution to study abroad, in 1923
- 30% of undergraduate students study abroad each year
- 100+ study abroad programs in over 40 countries and 200+ global partnerships with institutions on six continents
PRIME LOCATION
Delaware’s prime location on the East Coast and our connected Blue Hen alumni network open limitless options for professional development and employment opportunities. Centrally located between New York City and Washington, D.C. and in close proximity to Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and Wilmington, Delaware, UD is a quick drive or train ride from topnotch experiential learning opportunities, jobs and networking events with some of the world's top organizations.
UDWSOC IN THE COMMUNITY: UDANCE
UDance is a student-run philanthropic organization at the University of Delaware. Founded in 2007, UDance has been dedicated to fighting childhood cancer ever since. Delaware Women's Soccer players take pride in their yearly involvement in UDance.
LOCAL ATTRACTIONS
Main Street
Newark, Delaware is home to more than 80 eclectic boutiques, 70 award-winning restaurants, cultural amenities, diverse businesses and the University of Delaware main campus.
The campus surrounds Main Street, the center of Newark’s commercial, student and community life. Between classes, you can stroll through the center of town and stop for coffee or a bite to eat at a sidewalk cafe or restaurant. Night life in the local pubs and cafés feature live music and dancing. In addition, since the State of Delaware does not add tax on the sale of goods, living and shopping expenses in the Newark area are much lower than most major metropolitan areas of the U.S.
U Dairy Creamery
UDairy Creamery is a non-profit, student-run entity of the UD College of Agriculture and Natural Resources (CANR). Students receive a hands-on, immersive education in the principles of food science, safety and production, dairy science, business management, entrepreneurship, and sustainable agriculture
OUTDOORS
(~15 Minutes from Campus) White Clay Creek State Park - Newark has 17 miles of trails and 33 parks totaling over 650 acres of parkland that include the Newark Reservoir.
Longwood Gardens: a botanical garden that consists of over 1,077 acres of gardens, woodlands, and meadows in Kennett Square, Pennsylvania
SHOPPING
~10 minutes from Campus: Christiana Mall provides tax-free shopping with brand-name stores and is conveniently located off of I-95 in Northern Delaware. Shoppers can enjoy shopping tax-free at the Christiana Mall stores including Apple, Microsoft, Nordstrom, Cabela's, Michael Kors plus, much more. The Christiana Mall also offers dining options such as; the Cheesecake Factory, JB Dawsons and Brio Italian Grille.
<1 Hour From Campus: With seven major department stores and more than 450 stores, boutiques and restaurants, King of Prussia Mall is the largest retail space in the U.S. and the largest shopping mall on the East Coast.The mall’s 2.9 million square feet of retail space welcomes around 20 million visitors a year.
ENTERTAINMENT
The proximity of Philadelphia's sports complexes to the University of Delaware makes them a premier attraction for students and visitors. Just a short drive from the university campus, these state-of-the-art venues, including the Wells Fargo Center (home of the Philadelphia Flyers & 76ers), Lincoln Financial Field (home of the Philadelphia Eagles), and Citizens Bank Park (home of the Philadelphia Phillies), offer a thrilling lineup of events year-round. Whether you're a fan of basketball, football, or baseball, or looking to enjoy a concert or special event, the vibrant atmosphere and electric energy of Philadelphia's sports scene provide an exciting and convenient getaway.
DELAWARE BEACHES
The Delaware beaches, renowned for their pristine sands and vibrant boardwalks, are a delightful escape located about 2 hours from campus. Students and visitors can enjoy popular seaside destinations such as Rehoboth Beach, Dewey Beach, and Bethany Beach. These coastal gems offer a perfect blend of relaxation and recreation, featuring an array of water sports, local dining, and unique shops.
WOMEN'S SOCCER ACADEMIC EXCELLENCE
The Delaware women's soccer program has become synonymous with academic excellence.
BLUE HEN BUILT
STUDENT ATHLETE SUCCESS
We always say it takes a village to raise up the Delaware student-athlete or any collegiate student-athlete for that matter. Here at UD, we’ve seen inspiring investment and belief in that philosophy. Together with Sport Performance, as well as our athletic coaches and sport programs, we’re aiming to build Hen Ready student-athletes - contributing to the development of their best, holistic selves while here at UD, and beyond as engaged alumni of this great institution and our high-performing athletics program.
WHITNEY ATHLETIC CENTER
The University of Delaware's Whitney Athletic Center is a game-changer for Fightin' Blue Hens student-athletes. Opened in 2021, this multi-million dollar facility is a one-stop shop for athletic excellence. The facility houses performance nutrition, strength & conditioning, and athletic training rooms as well academic spaces and student athlete development and compliance offices.
FRED RULLO FAMILY NUTRITION CENTER
Just outside of the Flacco and the athletics training room is the sports performance nutrition center where athletes can have a grab-and-go breakfast, smoothies, cooking demos, and snacks throughout the day.
FLACCO FAMILY STRENGTH AND CONDITIONING CENTER
The Flacco Weight Room provides athletes with a 1000 sq. foot state of the art strength and conditioning center outfitted with 14 double-sided Sorinex squat racks and a 15-yard turf field directly attached to it.
STUDENT-ATHLETE SUCCESS CENTER
Our student-athlete academic success suite houses student-athlete development, career, and NCAA compliance offices.
Medical services in support of the University of Delaware Intercollegiate Athletic Program are provided by a Board-Certified Sports Medicine physician-nurse team. The services are offered in a Sports Medicine Clinic facility located at the Whitney Athletic Center in close proximity to practice, training, and game facilities. The Sports Medicine Clinic serves as the Student Health Service for our student-athletes.
The University of Delaware Athletic Training (UDAT) department's primary goal is to provide high-quality service for all UD Student-Athletes. We aim to practice all domains of athletic training and provide superior health care in conjunction with the sports medicine team.
The University of Delaware Strength & Conditioning Department is dedicated to providing an all-encompassing holistic approach to athletic performance focusing on key elements such as strength And power development, movement and mobility refinement, energy systems training, as well as sports analytics to best prepare the student-athlete for competition
UNRIVALED SUPPORT
Stuart & Suzanne Grant Stadium
HOME TO DELAWARE WOMEN'S SOCCER
ELITE COACHING STAFF
Collegiate Coaching Career: 2022 - B1G TEN Tournament Champions, 2022 - NCAA Round of Sweet Sixteen, 2022 - B1G Ten 4th Place, 2021 Fall - Patriot League Regular Season Champions, 2021 Fall - Patriot League Regular Season Champions, 2021 Fall - Patriot League Conference Runners Up, 2021 Spring - Patriot League North Division Champions, 2021 Spring - Patriot League Conference Tournament Semi-Finalists, 2015 - 2018 - Four Seasons – Atlantic Coast Conference, 2014 MAAC Regular Season Champions, 2014 MAAC Tournament Conference Champions, 2013 MAAC Regular Season Champions, 2013 MAAC Tournament Conference Champions2013 NCAA First Round
Playing Experience: 2011 Orange County Waves – WPSL National Champions, 2010 Boston Breakers Reserves – WPSL National Champions, 2006-2010 – B1G Ten Student- Athlete – Indiana University, 2008 MAC Hermann Watch List, 2007 NCAA Sweet Sixteen Finalists, 2007 NCAA Sweet Sixteen Finalists, 2007 European Championship Finalists - England U19's, 2007 World University Games – Thailand – Team Great Britain, 2006 B1G Ten All – Freshman Team, Only player in Indiana History to be an All-B1G Ten Honoree all four years, England National Team U15 - U23, 2004 English Ladies First Division – Arsenal Football Club - Champions,
ASSISTANT COACH MADDY EVANS
Collegiate Coaching: West Chester University: 79-19-12 Record over five seasons, 2022 NCAA Tournament Finalists, 2022 PSAC Regular Season Champions, 2022 PSAC tournament champions, 2022 Atlantic Region Coaching Staff of the Year, 5 NCAA Tournament appearances, 2019 Atlantic Region Finalists, 2017 Atlantic Region Champions. Concordia University of Chicago 2015, 2016. MIT Women's Soccer (13-2-6): 2013 NEWMAC Regular Season Champions, NCAA Tournament First Round.
Playing Experience: 5 Year Professional in the NWSL - Orlando Pride (’16,’17), Boston Breakers (’13-15) - 1 Year Professional in W-League Australia - Brisbane Roar (’16,’17), Penn State University – NCAA D1 – 2009-2012 (Captain '12), 4 X Big Ten Champion, 2012 National Finalist, College Cup All Tournament Team & All B1G 2nd Team, W-League Hudson Valley Quickstrike Lady Blues ('10), US Youth Soccer National Champion ('09), US Youth National Team Camps ('08,'09)
ASSISTANT COACH SHANNON COLEY
Collegiate Coaching: Leader of UD’s GK Union – 9 years of college coaching. University of Rhode Island (2022), Western Michigan University (2019, 2020, 2021) – 3 time Horizon League Regular Season Champion, Lawrence Tech (2017, 2018) 6-3-1 home record. At UD: Kyla Burns led the NCAA in save percentage for all NCAA Division I teams.
Playing Experience: Standout Goalkeeper for Oakland University. 4-year letter winner from 2008-12, 55 career games played, 48 starts, fourth in program history with 25 wins, third in program history with 15 shutouts. 4,578 minutes played in goal is second all-time in program history. Holds the Oakland single-game saves record with 17. Saved three penalty kicks in a shootout win over fourth-seeded Ohio State in the first round of the NCAA tournament in 2012, helping the Golden Grizzlies advance to the second round. 2012 single-season record for shutouts (8), 2 Time Summit Summit League Tournament Champion, All-Tournament Team selection 2012, first player in league history to record back-to-back shutouts in the Summit League Championship, first Oakland goalkeeper to record a shutout against Michigan State.
ASSISTANT COACH LIISI VINK LAINAS
Coaching Career:
Before arriving at University of Delaware, Vink-Lainas coached in central Illinois for four years with FC Central Illinois and Central Illinois United. She was the Girls' Assistant Director of Coaching for FC Central Illinois where, in addition to her head coaching duties, she was responsible for player development and coach education. At Central Illinois United, she held head and assistant coaching positions for ECNL RL, USYS Midwest Conference, and pre-Girls Academy teams.
Playing Experience
National Champion - Penn State University (2015), 3 Time Big Ten Conference Champion, Big Ten Conference Tournament Champion, Estonia Women's National Team, Academic All-Big Ten in 2015 and 2016, Professional Player for FC Flora Tallinn in the top Estonian and Baltic Region leagues.