Gophers soccer head coach Erin Chastain announced Friday that Allie Wisner will join her staff as an assistant coach, making the coaching staff the second all-female staff in the Big Ten and third across the Power Five conferences.
“I am excited and fortunate to become a member of the University of Minnesota women’s soccer staff,” Wisner said in an email announcement. “I am looking forward to working with Erin, Maya, SJ [Sara Johnson] and all of the student-athletes. To join an all-female staff in Minneapolis just shows how important it is to Coach Chastain on having women in leadership roles. I cannot wait to join and grow the Minnesota Soccer family.”
Chastain’s staff is now complete as Wisner joins forces with Maya Hayes as the assistant coaches for the Gophers. At the same time, Sara Johnson serves as the director of operations and Tarah Hobbs serves as a volunteer goalkeeping coach.
“We are so excited to add Allie to the Minnesota Soccer program,” Chastain said in the email announcement. “Allie had a tremendous playing career in the Pac-12 and as a professional both in the NWSL and overseas. She was then able to step in as an assistant at Utah for three years and make an incredible impact on the young women there. Allie and I connected right away, and we cannot wait for her to get started. She will be a phenomenal leader and coach for the young women at Minnesota.”
During Wisner’s three seasons with the University of Utah, the Utes defeated three top-25 programs. She also helped coach three All-Pac 12 team members and two All-Region honors.
Before serving as an assistant coach for the Utes, Wisner played professionally in Belgium and Germany, and later returned to the U.S. to play in the National Women’s Soccer League for the Seattle Reign, the Kansas City FC and the Orlando Pride. She also played in Japan in 2017, then ended her professional career after she went to preseason camp with the Utah Royals in 2018.
As a collegiate student-athlete from 2009 to 2013 for the University of Utah, Wisner was a four-year starter and a two-time team captain. She collected a total of 19 career points after scoring eight goals [two points each] and assisting on three [one point each].
In her senior season, Wisner led the Utes in goals and finished third on the team in points. She was also named honorable mention All-Academic Pac-12.
“I am incredibly proud of the all-female staff we have put together to lead Minnesota soccer,” Chastain said in the announcement. “I feel confident I found two of the brightest young minds in the country in Maya and Allie. Their resumes speak for themselves, but I will add that it’s an incredible opportunity for the young women in our program to be coached by qualified female leaders who they can learn from. When my daughters come watch the University of Minnesota play and see our team being led by strong female leaders, I know they will be inspired, as will our team.”
