Princeton University Athletics
Women's Soccer Coaching Register & Facts
Updated Following the 2025 Season
First Game:Â Sept. 20, 1980Â (at Cornell)
All-Time Record:Â 434-253-64Â (.621)
Head Coaching Register:
| Â W | Â L | Â T | Â Pct. | |
| Bob Malekoff (1980-84) | Â 52 | 18 | Â 5 | .727 |
| Tom Griffith (1985-89) | Â 36 | 29 | Â 8 | .548 |
| April Heinrichs (1990) | Â 8 | Â 6 | Â 1 | .567 |
| Moira Buckley (1991-93) | Â 15 | 28 | Â 2 | .356 |
| Dodie Colavecchio (1994) | Â 5 | 10 | Â 0 | .333 |
| Julie Shackford (1995-2014) | 203 | 115 | 29 | .627 |
| Sean Driscoll (2015-pres.) | 115 | 47 | 19 | .688 |
Ivy League Championships (12):Â 1982, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2004, 2008, 2012, 2015, 2017, 2018, 2024, 2025
Ivy League Players of the Year (14):Â Lynette Prescott (1982), Dodie Colavecchio (1985), Heather Deerin (2001), Esmeralda Negron (2003, 2004), Emily Behncke (2005), Diana Matheson (2007), Jen Hoy (2012), Tyler Lussi (2014, offensive, 2015, offensive), Vanessa Gregoire (2017, offensive), Mimi Asom (2018, offensive), Pietra Tordin (2024, offensive), Drew Coomans (2025, defensive)
Ivy League Rookie of the Year (6):Â Linda DeBoer (1982), Emily Behncke (2002), Diana Matheson (2004), Alison Nabatoff (2009), Mimi Asom (2015), Pietra Tordin (2022).
Ivy League Coach/Coaching Staff of the Year (4): Sean Driscoll (2015, 2017, 2018), Princeton (2024)
Quick Facts:
- Women’s soccer was introduced at Princeton as a club sport in 1977 and elevated to full varsity status for the 1980 season.
- Princeton has won 12 Ivy League championships, including outright titles in 2002, 2004, 2012, 2015, 2017, 2024 and 2025. The Tigers also won four Ivy titles in a five-year span from 2000-04.
- Princeton has appeared in 16 NCAA tournaments: 1982, 1983, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2008, 2012, 2015, 2017, 2018, 2021, 2023 and 2024. The Tigers also competed in two EAIAW tournaments, in 1980 and 1981, and one ECAC tournament, in 1995.
- Princeton made six consecutive NCAA tournament appearances from 1999-2004. The run began with an at-large bid in 1999, the program’s first NCAA appearance since 1983, and continued with the Tigers’ first Ivy League automatic bid in 2000.
- Princeton earned its first NCAA tournament win of the modern era in 2001, defeating Loyola 3-1 in the first round before falling to Rutgers 1-0 in the second round. The 1982 team had previously advanced to the second round of the NCAA tournament before losing to North Carolina.
- The 2004 team made the program’s deepest NCAA tournament run, advancing to the NCAA College Cup and setting a school record with 19 wins. Princeton hosted and won four NCAA tournament games, defeating Central Connecticut State, Villanova, Boston College and Washington before falling to UCLA in the national semifinal.
- The 2004 team also set program records for goals in a season with 58 and wins with 19, while ranking first nationally in scoring defense after allowing only 11 goals in 22 games. Esmeralda Negron set Princeton season and career records for goals and points, finishing with 20 goals and 52 points in 2004 and 47 goals and 112 points for her career.
- Princeton won NCAA first-round games in 2012, 2015, 2017 and 2021. The 2012 team became the first Princeton team to win an NCAA tournament game away from home, defeating West Virginia 2-1.
- The 2017 team reached the NCAA quarterfinals for the second time in the 64-team era. After defeating Monmouth 4-0 in the first round, Princeton beat No. 21 North Carolina State and No. 2 North Carolina before falling at No. 4 UCLA.
- Princeton has had 17 All-America selections, including Kelly O’Dell ’84, Nnena Odim ’83, Lynette Prescott ’85, Linda DeBoer ’86, Sue Roche ’90, Kathy Kobler ’91, Esmeralda Negron ’05, Diana Matheson ’08, Jen Hoy ’13, Tyler Lussi ’17 and Vanessa Gregoire ’18.
- Princeton has had three four-time first-team All-Ivy selections: Lynette Prescott (1981-84), Heather Deerin (1999-2002) and Diana Matheson (2004-07). The Tigers’ three-time first-team All-Ivy selections are Kelly O’Dell, Linda DeBoer, Danielle Schultz, Esmeralda Negron and Emily Behncke.
- From 2001-05, Princeton had four of the five Ivy League Players of the Year: Heather Deerin in 2001, Esmeralda Negron in 2003 and 2004, and Emily Behncke in 2005. Princeton had another four-in-five run from 2014-18 with Tyler Lussi, Vanessa Gregoire and Mimi Asom.
- Former head coach Dodie Colavecchio was a four-time All-Ivy goalkeeper from 1984-87 and the Ivy League Co-Player of the Year in 1985, when she posted nine shutouts. She holds Princeton and Ivy League records for saves in a game and career saves, and she was named to the Ivy League women’s soccer Silver Anniversary team in 1998.
- Princeton had 14 consecutive non-losing seasons from 1997-2010.
- The current Ivy League Tournament format began in 2023. Princeton reached the semifinals in 2023, then hosted and won the tournament in 2024, becoming the first host school to win the event in its current format. The Tigers hosted again in 2025 and advanced to the final.