Ave Maria University Women's Soccer

Tyler Rosser completed his eighth season at the helm of the Ave Maria University Women’s Soccer program in November 2024. He was named head coach by the University in June 2017. The 2020 season was a high-water mark for the Ave Maria women's soccer program, who finished in third place in The Sun Conference and earned the program's first ever Sun Conference Tournament win. Rosser was named the conference's Coach of the Year, and guided three players - Emily Dalton, Lauren Brooks, and Maddie Samuelson - to All-Conference recognition and one player, Emily Dalton, to NAIA All-American Honorable Mention Honors. Emily is the first women’s soccer player at the university to be named an All-American. The success continued into 2021, when AMU earned their biggest win in school history by beating a top five Southeastern team, 2-0, on Southeastern’s home field. The team received votes in the NAIA national poll for the first time and finished the season ranked in the final Area Regional Committee rankings. Following the season, two Gyrenes earned All-Conference honors - Rachel Dalton was named second team All-Conference, and Emily Dalton became the school's first-ever two-time All-Conference selection. In 2022, the Gyrenes earned a point in more than half of their contests, and were extremely stout defensively. Ave Maria posted seven shutouts, including a school record of five consecutive games without allowing a goal. In 2023, the Gyrenes boasted the 13th toughest strength of schedule in the country while still maintaining a goals against average just over one. They also defeated #17 St. Thomas at home and earned the first point against perennial top 25 powerhouse, Keiser University. After that season, goalkeeper Emma Schweitzer and midfielder Rachel Dalton were named to the All-Sun Conference Second Team, and goalkeeper Ariana Dale was named the NAIA Sun Conference Champion of Character. Dale is the second Gyrene soccer player to receive that award, the other being Clare Lauderback in 2019. In 2024, the Gyrenes finished the season with its highest ever Massey rating of 55 out of 210 in the country. The team finished fifth in the uber competitive Sun Conference-SCAD won the national championship and Keiser was the national runner-up-and reached the Sun Conference semi-finals for the second time in school history. After the season, Rachel Dalton and Kana Mateaki were both honored as Second Team All Sun Conference Selections, and they were named to the Sun Conference All Tournament Team. Rosser was also recognized by his former employer, FOCUS (Fellowship of Catholic University Students), at its national SEEK conference in January 2024 as the St. Francis Xavier Honoree. This award goes to a FOCUS staff alumni who continues to live the principles of evangelization exceptionally well after leaving staff. Rosser was chosen out of thousands of former FOCUS staff members. Rosser has seen considerable academic success in the program. The program has been honored with the highest GPA in the athletic department during his tenure. The team won the United Soccer Coaches All Academic Award following the 2018 and 2020 season. Dozens of players have earned Sun Conference All-Academic honors during his reign as head coach and two ladies, Meghan Precord and Maddie Samuelson, have won the highest athletic department award, Gyrene of the Year, under Rosser’s charge. Tyler came to Ave Maria after serving as the head coach of the Montgomery Catholic Preparatory School girls’ soccer team for three years. He led them to a 14-6-1 record and their first playoff appearance in three years in 2016 and to their first playoff win in ten years during his final season in 2017. He also taught theology and leadership classes at MCPS.   Prior to Montgomery Catholic, Rosser was the Director of College Outreach for the Southeast Region of FOCUS, managing seven team directors and staff at seven campuses across the southeastern United States.   Before he was the Director of College Outreach, Rosser spent three years as a FOCUS Team Director and Varsity Catholic staff member at Loras College and Belmont Abbey College.   During his senior year at Ave Maria, Rosser was an assistant coach to the AMU women's soccer team and upon graduation was named head coach for the men's soccer program. As head coach, he provided oversight of all aspects of the program including recruiting, budgeting, scheduling games, conducting practices and games, and raising funds for the program. Rosser finished his playing career in 2008 as a member of the first varsity soccer team at Ave Maria after transferring from and competing for three varsity seasons at NCAA Division III mainstay, Rhodes College.   Tyler graduated from Ave Maria University with a B.A. in History in 2010 and California University of Pennsylvania with an M.S. in Sports Management in 2013. He has taken graduate level courses at the University of Notre Dame in Educational Leadership. He has his United States Soccer Federation 'C' license, is a certified Working Genius facilitator, and a certified Strengths Finder Coach through the Human Formation Coalition. Rosser lives in Ave Maria with his wife, Dene’, and their six children, James, John, Gemma, Josie, Charlie, and Lucia. Accolades: 2020 Sun Conference Coach of the Year 2024 St. Francis Xavier Honoree  

Haley Peterson is starting her first year at Ave Maria and was brought on in August of 2025. Hailing from Lincoln, Nebraska, she was a four-year member of the Nebraska women’s soccer team, graduating in 2025. She made 59 starts and appeared in 71 games as a key midfielder for the Huskers. Known for her consistency and leadership, Peterson helped lead the Huskers to a Big Ten regular season title and an Elite Eight appearance in 2023. That same season, she earned Second-Team All-Big Ten honors. Off the field, Peterson stood out as an academic leader. She was a Big Ten Distinguished Scholar, a three-time Academic All-Big Ten honoree, and a member of the Chi Alpha Sigma Honor Society. She also made the Nebraska Scholar-Athlete Honor Roll every semester and was recognized on the Tom Osborne Citizenship Team for her commitment to service. As for coaching, Peterson has had experience helping with the Nebraska soccer ID camps for three consecutive years. She has also helped with numerous youth camps, including Lincoln East High School summer camps and other club training sessions. In her last year of college, she helped coach the Lincoln East High School varsity and JV soccer team. Most recently she has been coaching small group training sessions for middle school girls who wanted extra training. As a graduate of the University of Nebraska Lincoln, Peterson was involved in the Newman Center on campus. Starting her freshman year, she participated in mission trips to Honduras and Mexico City. She was also involved in Varsity Catholic discipleship for two years. After the first year she began leading two girls on her soccer team in discipleship. Peterson also led a group of 7 high school girls from Lincoln Pius X for two semesters. As well as discipleship she also led a bible study for her team with the help of two of her teammates.