‘Eaters receive Olympic addition

uci women’s soccerFormer U.S. National Team women’s soccer coach Heinrichs, who led USA to gold medal, takes over program at UCI.IRVINE -- Former U.S. Women’s National Team soccer coach April Heinrichs, one of the most prominent names in United States soccer history, has been named women’s soccer coach at UC Irvine, Athletic Director Bob Chichester announced Monday.

Heinrichs, who coached the women’s national team for five years, led the Americans to the gold medal in the 2004 Olympic Games at Athens, Greece. She compiled an 87-17-20 record as the national team coach from 2000-2005.

Heinrichs stepped down in February to serve as a consultant for U.S. Soccer.

She is returning to the college coaching ranks for the first time since the 1999 season, when she led Virginia to a 13-10 record, including a trip to the round of 16 in the NCAA Tournament. Heinrichs was head coach from 1996-1999 at Virginia, where she recorded a 52-27-7 mark in leading the Cavaliers to four consecutive NCAA Tournament appearances.

“I knew I would very likely go back to the college game in the right situation and I think we have an opportunity to do special things at UC Irvine,” Heinrichs said in a news release.

“One of my passions is teaching young players and working with young people in the four-year window that you have with the student-athletes.”

Heinrichs guided Maryland to a 56-40-7 record from 1991-1995, earning Atlantic Coast Conference Coach of the Year honors in 1995 after leading the Terps to their first NCAA Tournament berth. She had an 8-6-1 record as head coach at Princeton in 1990.

“UCI is one of the top-50 institutions, public or private, in the country,” she added.

“It’s located in the hotbed of women’s soccer in Southern California. There’s proximity to the Home Depot Center, where the U.S. National Teams train, so we will be able to get a look at the out-of-state players as well.

“I look forward to meeting the team. I know how important it is to have a good relationship with the players and I am sure many of them have been anxious to see who their new coach would be. I will provide them with the plan for what we hope to do at UCI and work with them individually.”