Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University (AZ) Women's Soccer

Poitras has transformed the Eagles' squad into a regionally and nationally recognized competitor in the NAIA.  In 2008, his first year at the helm of the women's team, ERAU had its 1st ever winning season with a record of 8-6-2, and qualified for post-season play for the first time in program history, losing to the eventual A.I.I. conference champions in the semi-finals.  The 2009 season was equally as successful, as Poitras' inagural recruiting class added strength and much needed depth to the squad.  The team proved to be strong right from the start, and pushed all the way through to another conference semi-final, wrapping up with a final record of 7-7-4.  That 2009 team broke into the NAIA Top 25 National Ranking for the first time in program history.  The 2010 & 2011 seasons saw the Eagles continue to thrive, making two more return trips to the A.I.I. conference championships. The 2012 season proved to be quite literally a breakout and banner year for the women's soccer program.  While breaking records for most consecutive wins, and wins in a season, the Eagles finished up the year with a 13-5-3 record.  That run included a draw on the road with nationally ranked #19, and a win on the road at nationally ranked #13.  They claimed the Cal Pac Championship in their first season as members of the conference, and earned the women's soccer program's first trip to the NAIA National Championship Opening Round.  The team wrapped up the year receiving votes for the NAIA National Poll, landing just outside the top 25, ranked at #27.  A stunning 7 players were named Cal Pac All-Conference, while Kalyn Goodenough was named Cal Pac Freshman of the Year, and senior Kelsey Anderson was named Cal Pac Player of the Year. In 2013, the Eagles picked right back up where they left off in 2012.  Starting the year again just outside the top 25, they would go on to another impressive record of 13-6-1, making yet another post-season appearnce. The squad would finish the season as Cal Pac Runners Up, narrowly missing out on a return trip to the NAIA.  Four more Eagles were named Cal Pac All-Conference, and Kalyn Goodenough was named Cal Pac Offensive Player of the Year. The 2014 season found the Eagles testing themselves by playing one of the toughest schedules in the NAIA.  Facing 5 consecutive squads ranked inside the national top 25 poll, Embry-Riddle was battle tested by the time Cal Pac play began.  Those early season preparations lead to a late season record of 8-1-1 from October to November, and a third consecutive appearance in the Cal Pac finale.  Ultimately ERAU would again tally double digit wins for a third consecutive year, while three more Eagles were named Cal Pac 1st Team All-Conference.  Mariah Desmarais was named Cal Pac Freshman of the Year, and Kalyn Goodenough was named the Cal Pac Player of the Year.  2015 was a return to championship form for ERAU.  Facing increasingly stiff competition in the Cal Pac Conference, the Eagles re-claimed the conference tournament championship, earning their second trip to the NAIA National Tournament in just four years.  With an overall record of 13-4-3, seven Eagles were named Cal Pac All-Conference, four were named to the NSCAA West All-Region Teams, and Krista Lee was named the Cal Pac Freshman of the Year.  Capping off the championship run, senior Kacey McConagha was named the NAIA's 2015 Champions of Character Award winner for Women's Soccer In his 8 seasons, Poitras has seen his players named All-Conference 39 times, with 8 named NSCAA West All-Region, and NAIA All-Americans in Kelsey Anderson and Kalyn Goodenough. The Eagles have excelled in the classroom as well under Poitras' leadership.  Through 8 seasons, 46 players have been named Daktronics Scholar-Athletes, with 17 players receiving that honor multiple times.  The team finished the 2014-2015 season with team GPA of 3.48. That gave them the distinct honor of having one of the highest GPAs of any NAIA women's soccer program in the country, and in the top 40 among all NAIA athletic programs.  The 2015-2016 season will also mark the 8th consecutive time the women's program received the NAIA Scholar Team Award, as well as the NSCAA Team Academic Award. 

Liz Theriault joined the Embry-Riddle staff in August of 2015 as the Assistant Women's Soccer Coach and Intramural Coordinator. She assists with all aspects of the women's soccer program in addition to her duties as Intramural Coordinator for the Eagles. Before coming to Prescott, Theriault spent a year at the Embry-Riddle campus in Daytona Beach, Florida where she served as a Sports Complex and Intramurals Intern. She also has experience working in recreation and youth sports coaching back in her native Wisconsin. A 2013 graduate of the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse with a Bachelor of Science degree in Recreation Management, Theriault went on to earn a Master's in Sports Administration at La Crosse in 2015.