Colorado State University Athletics
Women's Soccer
- Title:
- Head Coach
- Email:
- bill.hempen@colostate.edu
- Phone:
- (970) 420-2643
Twitter | @CoachBillHempen
Bill Hempen became Colorado State University's first head women's soccer coach on Feb. 5, 2013 with the start of the program. Hempen concluded his tenure leading the Rams on May 6, 2021.
In 32 seasons as a head coach at Duke, Colorado and Colorado State, Hempen posted a career record of 312-273-64 including a 36-85-20 mark in eight seasons at Colorado State. He has developed 10 All-Americans, coached six players who have gone on to play professionally and guided his 1992 Duke women's team to the NCAA championship final.
Starting a program from its infancy is a task Hempen has done before as he was the first head coach for Duke women's soccer in 1988 and led the Blue Devils to the national championship game by his fifth season. Hempen's other NCAA DI head coaching stop occurred at Colorado where he turned a three-win first year into seven-straight years of double-digits seasons. He earned National Coach of the Year honors from the National Soccer Coaches Association of America in 1992, and has been named conference coach of the year five times across three conferences.
The list of accomplishments in 2019 begins with the Rams doubling their past single-season record of six wins with a 12-5-3 finish, helping them earn their first Mountain West Tournament appearance. Hempen was awarded the Mountain West Coach of the Year, making his fifth-career conference award. This season, the improvement in the Rams' culture and performance came from their dominant force offensively and defensively. The culmination was the team earning a conference-high six student-athletes on the All-Mountain West teams and five selected to the United Coaches All-Pacific Region. Earning first team honors by US Soccer Coaches were sophomore goalkeeper Gabi McDonald and senior midfielder Caeley Lordemann, while senior Halley Havlicek, junior defender Addie Wright, and sophomore forward Gracie Armstrong picked up third team accolades. All are the first Rams in program history to be named to the all-region team. Among the Mountain West awards, four Rams earned first-team accolades including McDonald, Lordemann, Havlicek, and Armstrong. Colorado State also had two newcomers (Armstrong and Kristen Noonan) recognized for on the MW all-newcomer team.Â
Individually, Lordemann concluded the season as the most decorated Ram in the program's history, holding four career records (points, goals, game winning goals and shots per game) and 10 single season records. Armstrong in her first season after transferring quickly obtained the single-season assist record at eight that also registered as the career mark. Defensively, Havlicek concluded her time in the green and gold as Lordeman's equivalent on the other side of the field. Havlicek left with career records of minutes played, games played, games started as she anchored the defense for four years. In the net, McDonald had the best year of a Ram keeper by grabbing eight single-season records including saves, shutouts and wins.
Team-wise, the Rams went 7-3-1 in the Mountain West for the most conference wins in program history and posted first-ever victories over New Mexico, Fresno State, San Jose State and UNLV. In the second game of the season, Hempen recorded his 300th victory of his coaching career against SIUE at home. On Oct. 6th, CSU defeated Air Force in Colorado Springs for the program's seventh wins of the season, which set a record with seven regular season games left to play. On Oct. 26th, the Rams blitzed UNLV in a 5-2 win, securing the program's first-ever trip to the Mountain West Tournament. As a No. 3 seed, Colorado State battled No. 6 Fresno State to a scoreless double overtime, prompting penalty kicks that went in the Bulldogs' favor 3-1.
In 2018, the program started to show signs of a turnaround with a then-record six wins at 6-9-4 and a 3-6-2 conference mark. The years of 2014-17 featured either three wins or four wins. In the inaugural season, the Rams went 2-13-3 overall and 1-9 in conference. Colorado State's first win came in a 3-0 affair against Lubbock Christian on Aug. 23, 2013 in Lubbock, Texas. Later in the season, CSU obtained its first conference win at Nevada in a 1-0 victory. The 2014 season opener (8/16/14) is when Colorado State notched its first home victory - a 7-0 win over Colorado Mesa.Â
Prior to his arrival in to Fort Collins, Hempen served as the head coach at the University of Colorado for 11 seasons from 2001 to 2011. When he arrived to Boulder, the Buffaloes had never produced a winning record. Hempen turned around the program and fast. After a 3-11-1 first year, the second-season under Hempen resulted in a 10-8-2 record, marking the biggest single-season turnaround in Big 12 history. In 2003, Hempen's third at CU, his team won the Big 12 title and advanced to the NCAA tournament - the first of six under Hempen's tutelage. That year, Hempen also was named the Big 12 Coach of the Year for the team that had 11-straight wins, nine shutouts, and the school's first national ranking in the sport.
Hempen went 114-88-28 at CU before stepping down after the 2011 season. The Buffs advanced to the Sweet Sixteen in 2006, and during his time in Boulder, three of his players earned All-America status.Â
Under Hempen's reign Colorado has had 26 player appearances on All-Big 12 teams, nine on all-region teams, and boasts a three time All-American in Fran Munnelly, who was also named 2003 Big 12 Player of the Year and to the Big 12 10th Anniversary team in 2005. Hempen coached the Buffaloes to six-straight NCAA appearances (2003-08), including a program-best appearance in the NCAA Sweet Sixteen in 2006. He also coached standout player Nikki Marshall (2006-09) who holds the top spot on CU's all-time leading scorers list with 93 points (42 goals, 9 assists). Munnelly and Marshall each achieved BIg 12 Newcomer of the Year awards along with Katie Griffin. She was drafted in the first round of the 2010 WPS to the Washington Freedom. Additionally, he coached 2008 Big 12 Defensive Player of the Year Michelle Wenino.Â
Before making his way to the state of Colorado, Hempen was at Duke University from 1986 to 2000. He started as an assistant to the men's team that helped lead the Blue Devils to three NCAA tournament berths, including a national championship in his first season. The 1986 NCAA Championship marked the first-ever at Duke among all sports and head coach John Rennie, who Hempen worked under, went on to total a 29-year coaching tenure in Durham that featured 410 wins, 27 winning seasons, 20 NCAA Tournament berths, five College Cup appearances and five ACC championships.
When Duke added a women's soccer program in 1988 Hempen was tabbed to build and develop that program from the ground up as its first head coach. In 1992, the Blue Devils advanced to the national championship game just five years after the team's inception. He earned more than 160 wins in 13 seasons (1988-2000), and appeared in eight NCAA tournaments in his final nine seasons in Durham. Five student-athletes grabbed seven United Soccer Coaches All-American accolades, while 16 student-athletes obtained 33 total regional awards in Hempen's time. Two Blue Devils earned Atlantic Coast Conference Player of the Year honors in Kelly Walbert (1995) and Andi Melde (1997) in addition to an ACC Rookie of the Year in Isis Dallis (1997). In terms of All-ACC honors, 22 players collected 35 total nods from 1988-2000.Â
Hempen began his coaching career as a graduate assistant at Northeast Louisiana in 1982. A year later, he assumed a full-time assistant coaching position at Centenary College in Shreveport, La., where he coached for three years until moving to Durham for his time at Duke.
Hempen has served as a scout and player development coach for U.S. Soccer since 2011. In that position he has identified players for the National Team and been involved in player selection, organization and coaching of the top Region III players. Hempen also has more than a decade of experience with multiple club and junior national teams. He has served as Director of Soccer for Alexander Dawson School in Lafayette, Colo., for the past year, coaching both the boys and girls high school teams, in addition to overseeing the development of the middle and elementary school programs.
As a player, Hempen spent two seasons at Meramec Community College, playing goalie for the 1976 junior college national championship and 1977 runner-up teams. He then lettered two years at the University of Evansville, graduating in 1981 with a degree in health/physical education. After graduation, he was drafted by the New Jersey Americans of the American Soccer League.
Hempen and his wife, Stephanie, married in 1999. They have two children: Emma and Lucas, and currently reside in Louisville, Colo.
Bill Hempen File
Milestones
300th Career Win - (8/25/19) While coaching Colorado State, Hempen and the Rams defeated SIUE 3-2 in his 30th season as a head coach.
250th Career Win - (10/5/08) While coaching Colorado, Hempen and the Buffs earned a 2-0 shutout win over Kansas in his 21st season as a head coach.
Accolades
2019 Mountain West Coach of the YearÂ
2003Â Big 12 Coach of the Year
1997 Atlantic Coast Conference Coach of the Year
1994 Atlantic Coast Conference Coach of the Year
1992 Atlantic Coast Conference Coach of the Year
1992 National Soccer Coaches Association of America National Coach of the YearÂ
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| Institution | Years | Seasons Coached | Record |
| Colorado State | 2013-2021 | 8 | 36-85-20 (.326) |
| Colorado | 2001-2011 | 11 | 114-88-28 (.557) |
| Duke | 1988-2000Â | 13 | 162-100-16 (.612) |
| Career | 31 | 310-269-63 (.535) |
Year-by-Year Coaching Career Numbers
| Year | Overall | Conference | Conference Tournament | NCAA Tournament | Postseason |
| Duke University (13 seasons)Â Â Â Â Â | |||||
| 1988 | 10-6-1 | 0-1-1 (4th) | 0-1-0 | 0-0-0 | |
| 1989 | 14-8-0 | 1-3-0 (4th) | 1-1-0 | 0-0-0 | |
| 1990 | 12-8-0 | 1-3-0 (4th) | 1-1-0 | 0-0-0 | |
| 1991 | 8-10-1 | 1-2-1 (4th) | 0-1-0 | 0-0-0 | |
| 1992 | 17-5-2 | 1-2-1 (t-3rd) | 1-1-0 | 3-1-0 | NCAA Tournament Finals |
| 1993 | 12-6-3 | 2-1-1 (2nd) | 1-1-0 | 0-0-1 | NCAA Tournament First Round |
| 1994 | 17-5-1 | 5-0-1 (1st) | 1-1-0 | 1-1-0 | NCAA Tournament Quarterfinals |
| 1995 | 14-7-1 | 4-3-0 (t-3rd) | 1-1-0 | 0-1-0 | NCAA Tournament Second Round |
| 1996 | 10-10-3 | 3-3-1 (t-2nd) | 0-1-0 | 1-1-0 | NCAA Tournament Second Round |
| 1997 | 14-6-1 | 6-1-0 (2nd) | 0-1-1 | 0-1-0 | NCAA Tournament First Round |
| 1998 | 7-11-2 | 0-5-2 (8th) | 0-1-0 | 0-0-0 | |
| 1999 | 13-10-0 | 2-5-0 (7th) | 0-1-0 | 1-1-0 | NCAA Tournament Second Round |
| 2000 | 14-8-1 | 4-3-0 (t-2nd) | 1-1-1 | 1-1-0 | NCAA Tournament Second Round |
| Totals | 162-100-16 | 30-32-8 | 7-13-2 | 7-7-1 | 8 NCAA Appearances |
| University of Colorado (11 seasons)Â Â Â Â Â | |||||
| 2001 | 3-11-2 | 1-7-2 (10th) | 0-0-0 | 0-0-0 | |
| 2002 | 10-8-2 | 4-4-2 (5th) | 1-1-0 | 0-0-0 | |
| 2003 | 15-4-1 | 8-1-1 (1st) | 0-1-0 | 0-1-0 | NCAA Tournament First Round |
| 2004 | 15-6-2 | 6-3-1 (3rd) | 1-1-0 | 1-1-0 | NCAA Tournament Second Round |
| 2005 | 12-8-4 | 6-3-1 (t-2nd) | 2-1-0 | 0-1-1 | NCAA Tournament Second Round |
| 2006 | 14-6-4 | 5-4-1 (5th) | 1-0-2 | 2-1-0 | NCAA Tournament Third Round |
| 2007 | 10-8-4 | 5-5-0 (7th) | 0-0-1 | 1-1-0 | NCAA Tournament Second Round |
| 2008 | 14-5-4 | 6-2-2 (4th) | 1-1-1 | 0-1-0 | NCAA Tournament First Round |
| 2009 | 9-10-0 | 6-4-0 (3rd) | 0-1-0 | 0-0-0 | |
| 2010 | 8-9-3 | 4-5-1 (8th) | 0-0-1 | 0-0-0 | |
| 2011 | 4-13-2 | 1-9-1 (t-11th) | 0-0-0 | 0-0-0 | |
| Totals | 114-88-28 | 52-47-12 | 6-6-5 | 4-6-1 | 6 NCAA Appearances |
| Colorado State University (8 seasons) | |||||
| 2013 | 2-13-3 | 1-9 | |||
| 2014 | 4-15 | 2-9 | |||
| 2015 | 3-15-2 | 0-10-1 | |||
| 2016 | 3-14-2 | 1-9-1 | |||
| 2017 | 4-10-5 | 2-6-3 | |||
| 2018 | 6-9-4 | 3-6-2 | |||
| 2019 | 12-5-3 | 7-3-1 | 0-0-1 | ||
| 2020 (21)Â | 2-4-1 | 2-4-1 | |||
| Totals | 36-85-20 | 18-56-9 | 0-0-1 | ||
| Overall | 312-273-64 | 100-135-29 | 13-19-8 | 11-13-2 | 14 NCAA Appearances |
