La Salle University Women's Soccer

Royal enters his 13th season as head coach of the La Salle women's soccer program after bringing the Explorers to their fourth consecutive NCAA Tournament in 2014. Royal became the fourth head coach of the program on April 25, 2003. Royal earned his third Atlantic 10 Coach of the Year award in 14 while coaching Kelsey Haycook to A-10 Offensive Player of the Year and Kerri Aiken to Defensive Player of the Year after the Explorers took the A-10 regular season title with an 8-0 record in league play. Royal also guided assistant coach Ally Nick to her second NSCAA Mid-Atlantic Assistant Coach of the Year award (2012).   Haycook was named a semifinalist for the Hermann Trophy, college soccers highest individual award, in addition to her second career NSCAA All-America distinction.   The Explorers won their second straight Atlantic 10 Championship in 2013, defeating Dayton in penalty kicks in the title game to clinch a third straight NCAA Tournament appearance.  Seven Explorers earned recognition from the A-10 while Kelsey Haycook and Jourdan McVicker were named Capital One Academic All-Americans.  Royal recorded his 100th win during the 2012 Atlantic 10 Championship, defeating VCU, 2-1, in overtime of the Championship final to secure the post-season title for his team.  The Championship title was the first in program history and came after the team recorded its second undefeated regular season in as many years. Royal became the school's all-time wins leader after just six years at the helm when the Explorers defeated Massachusetts (2-0) at McCarthy Stadium on October 24, 2008. In 2012, under Royals tutelage, two student-athletes were named CoSIDA Academic All-Americans, three were NSCAA All-Region honorees and assistant coach Ally Kenney was named NSCAA Mid-Atlantic Assistant Coach of the Year.  Royal was named Atlantic 10 Coach of the Year for the second straight year while cultivating junior Courtney Niemiec into the 2012 Atlantic 10 Defensive Player of the Year. In 2010 Royal helped guide the club to the first Atlantic 10 tournament win in the history of the program en route to an 11-9-2 overall record and the ninth winning season in the programs 25-year history.  The 2-1 win over Duquesne on November 4, 2010 in the A-10 quarterfinals marked the third time in the Paul Royal era that the Explorers have qualified for the postseason.  The 11 victories are tied with the 2007 team for the second most in the history of the program.  Only the 2000 squad (12 wins) had ever recorded more in La Salle womens soccer history.  Individually, Royal helped guide two all-conference selections in forward Renee Washington and defender Jess Hopton.  Additionally, goalkeeper Gabby Pakhtigian was named to the Atlantic 10 All-Academic team. Not only getting it done on the field, La Salle Women's Soccer also earned the NSCAA Team Academic Award in 2010 for the ninth straight year. In 2009, for the first time in school history, the Explorers started 4-0, were unbeaten after five games (4-0-1), and set a school record with four straight shutouts, while also tying the season shutout record with seven. Award wise, then seniors Ally Kenney, Traci DePasquale the first teammates to earn A-10 Academic All-Conference and CoSIDA/ESPN The MagazineAll-District. DePasquale was also named to the NSCAA All Mid-Atlantic Region Third Team, only La Salle's fifth player ever to earn a regional honor. In 2008, the team finished 9-8-3 overall and scored the fifth-most goals in a single season (34) and tied for the fourth-most assists (37). The eight losses are tied for the third fewest, the three ties are the most ever, and the five shutouts registered were tied for the fifth most. For the first time in program history, La Salle also had five players register at least 10 points, while four of them netted five goals for only the second time ever (1999). In 2007, La Salle posted 11 victories, tied for the second-most ever at the school. Among some of the numbers they put up include scoring the third-most goals (41) in a season and registering the second-most assists (49) in one year. After the season, Kristin Hextall, who scored 15 goals and had 36 points for per game totals of 0.75 and 1.8, respectively, led the A-10 Conference and finished 14th in the nation in both categories, and garnered a pair of regional accolades. In just his second season as head coach (2004), Royal guided La Salle to one of its best seasons in school history. The Explorers went 10-8-2 and qualified for the A-10 Championship Tournament for only the second time as well (2001). The defense posted a 0.87 goals allowed average, the best such mark ever at La Salle (2000, 1.23 GAA). In 2006, he took the Explorers back to the A-10 Tournament for the third time in school history, the second time in three seasons, with a fourth-place finish in the regular season. The Explorers posted a 6-2-1 mark, which included only the second win over Dayton in 13 meetings and handing Charlotte its only regular-season conference loss that year. Royal also currently works at the US Soccer National Training Center. It was Royal's second stint working in the professional ranks, as he spent three seasons (2001-03) working as the goalkeeper's coach for the WUSA's Philadelphia Charge under current Florida State coach Mark Krikorian and United States National Team coach Pia Sundage. While with the Charge, Royal coached current US National Team Goalkeeper Hope Solo. Additionally, Royal has been a member of the Region One ODP staff and also heads a number of youth teams. He helped lead the U-17 Eastern PA Olympic Development Program to a Regional and National ODP championship in 2007. Along with coach Steve Frye, Royal won a Region 1 Championship in 2008 with the U-18 FC Delco Fury II. Their Delco team finished the summer of 2008 with the bronze medal at the US Youth Soccer Nationals. He also helped guide them to three consecutive Eastern PA state titles and the team also advanced to the regional finals in 2007. His Delco team has been ranked consistently in the top 10 in the country for the last three years and is currently fourth. Before coming to 20th and Olney, the former Archbishop Ryan High School soccer player (1989-91) spent five seasons at Villanova, where he served as the top assistant, working primarily with the goalkeepers and the team's defensive systems. He was instrumental in the program's recruiting affairs, and coordinated all of the team's schedules. The Wildcats achieved national rankings as high as 14th in 2002, made consecutive appearances in the NCAA Tournament for the first time in school history and ranked sixth nationally in goals-against average (0.55). Royal was drafted by the National Professional Soccer League's (NPSL) Milwaukee Wave in 1995 as the first goalkeeper selected, and the eighth choice overall. He played with the Wave for two seasons (1995-96), before moving on to a three-year stay with the South Jersey Barons of the USL's D3 Pro League.  He received Second-Team All-D3 Pro League mention in 1998, and led the Barons to a regular-season National Championship in 1999. Royal's most-recent stint in professional soccer came when he helped the Philadelphia KiXX to the 2000-01 NPSL National Championship Game. The four-year starting goalkeeper at Wisconsin-Milwaukee was a two-time First-Team All-Midwestern Collegiate Conference choice. He also served as the Panthers captain in 1995, and registered a 40-20-5 record between the pipes.     Paul Royal Head Coach  Wisconsin-Milwaukee '96 Paul Royal enters his 13th season as head coach of the La Salle women's soccer program after bringing the Explorers to their fourth consecutive NCAA Tournament in 2014. Royal became the fourth head coach of the program on April 25, 2003. Royal earned his third Atlantic 10 Coach of the Year award in 14 while coaching Kelsey Haycook to A-10 Offensive Player of the Year and Kerri Aiken to Defensive Player of the Year after the Explorers took the A-10 regular season title with an 8-0 record in league play. Royal also guided assistant coach Ally Nick to her second NSCAA Mid-Atlantic Assistant Coach of the Year award (2012).   Haycook was named a semifinalist for the Hermann Trophy, college soccers highest individual award, in addition to her second career NSCAA All-America distinction.   The Explorers won their second straight Atlantic 10 Championship in 2013, defeating Dayton in penalty kicks in the title game to clinch a third straight NCAA Tournament appearance.  Seven Explorers earned recognition from the A-10 while Kelsey Haycook and Jourdan McVicker were named Capital One Academic All-Americans.  Royal recorded his 100th win during the 2012 Atlantic 10 Championship, defeating VCU, 2-1, in overtime of the Championship final to secure the post-season title for his team.  The Championship title was the first in program history and came after the team recorded its second undefeated regular season in as many years. Royal became the school's all-time wins leader after just six years at the helm when the Explorers defeated Massachusetts (2-0) at McCarthy Stadium on October 24, 2008. In 2012, under Royals tutelage, two student-athletes were named CoSIDA Academic All-Americans, three were NSCAA All-Region honorees and assistant coach Ally Kenney was named NSCAA Mid-Atlantic Assistant Coach of the Year.  Royal was named Atlantic 10 Coach of the Year for the second straight year while cultivating junior Courtney Niemiec into the 2012 Atlantic 10 Defensive Player of the Year. In 2010 Royal helped guide the club to the first Atlantic 10 tournament win in the history of the program en route to an 11-9-2 overall record and the ninth winning season in the programs 25-year history.  The 2-1 win over Duquesne on November 4, 2010 in the A-10 quarterfinals marked the third time in the Paul Royal era that the Explorers have qualified for the postseason.  The 11 victories are tied with the 2007 team for the second most in the history of the program.  Only the 2000 squad (12 wins) had ever recorded more in La Salle womens soccer history.  Individually, Royal helped guide two all-conference selections in forward Renee Washington and defender Jess Hopton.  Additionally, goalkeeper Gabby Pakhtigian was named to the Atlantic 10 All-Academic team. Not only getting it done on the field, La Salle Women's Soccer also earned the NSCAA Team Academic Award in 2010 for the ninth straight year. In 2009, for the first time in school history, the Explorers started 4-0, were unbeaten after five games (4-0-1), and set a school record with four straight shutouts, while also tying the season shutout record with seven. Award wise, then seniors Ally Kenney, Traci DePasquale the first teammates to earn A-10 Academic All-Conference and CoSIDA/ESPN The MagazineAll-District. DePasquale was also named to the NSCAA All Mid-Atlantic Region Third Team, only La Salle's fifth player ever to earn a regional honor. In 2008, the team finished 9-8-3 overall and scored the fifth-most goals in a single season (34) and tied for the fourth-most assists (37). The eight losses are tied for the third fewest, the three ties are the most ever, and the five shutouts registered were tied for the fifth most. For the first time in program history, La Salle also had five players register at least 10 points, while four of them netted five goals for only the second time ever (1999). In 2007, La Salle posted 11 victories, tied for the second-most ever at the school. Among some of the numbers they put up include scoring the third-most goals (41) in a season and registering the second-most assists (49) in one year. After the season, Kristin Hextall, who scored 15 goals and had 36 points for per game totals of 0.75 and 1.8, respectively, led the A-10 Conference and finished 14th in the nation in both categories, and garnered a pair of regional accolades. In just his second season as head coach (2004), Royal guided La Salle to one of its best seasons in school history. The Explorers went 10-8-2 and qualified for the A-10 Championship Tournament for only the second time as well (2001). The defense posted a 0.87 goals allowed average, the best such mark ever at La Salle (2000, 1.23 GAA). In 2006, he took the Explorers back to the A-10 Tournament for the third time in school history, the second time in three seasons, with a fourth-place finish in the regular season. The Explorers posted a 6-2-1 mark, which included only the second win over Dayton in 13 meetings and handing Charlotte its only regular-season conference loss that year. Royal also currently works at the US Soccer National Training Center. It was Royal's second stint working in the professional ranks, as he spent three seasons (2001-03) working as the goalkeeper's coach for the WUSA's Philadelphia Charge under current Florida State coach Mark Krikorian and United States National Team coach Pia Sundage. While with the Charge, Royal coached current US National Team Goalkeeper Hope Solo. Additionally, Royal has been a member of the Region One ODP staff and also heads a number of youth teams. He helped lead the U-17 Eastern PA Olympic Development Program to a Regional and National ODP championship in 2007. Along with coach Steve Frye, Royal won a Region 1 Championship in 2008 with the U-18 FC Delco Fury II. Their Delco team finished the summer of 2008 with the bronze medal at the US Youth Soccer Nationals. He also helped guide them to three consecutive Eastern PA state titles and the team also advanced to the regional finals in 2007. His Delco team has been ranked consistently in the top 10 in the country for the last three years and is currently fourth. Before coming to 20th and Olney, the former Archbishop Ryan High School soccer player (1989-91) spent five seasons at Villanova, where he served as the top assistant, working primarily with the goalkeepers and the team's defensive systems. He was instrumental in the program's recruiting affairs, and coordinated all of the team's schedules. The Wildcats achieved national rankings as high as 14th in 2002, made consecutive appearances in the NCAA Tournament for the first time in school history and ranked sixth nationally in goals-against average (0.55). Royal was drafted by the National Professional Soccer League's (NPSL) Milwaukee Wave in 1995 as the first goalkeeper selected, and the eighth choice overall. He played with the Wave for two seasons (1995-96), before moving on to a three-year stay with the South Jersey Barons of the USL's D3 Pro League.  He received Second-Team All-D3 Pro League mention in 1998, and led the Barons to a regular-season National Championship in 1999. Royal's most-recent stint in professional soccer came when he helped the Philadelphia KiXX to the 2000-01 NPSL National Championship Game. The four-year starting goalkeeper at Wisconsin-Milwaukee was a two-time First-Team All-Midwestern Collegiate Conference choice. He also served as the Panthers captain in 1995, and registered a 40-20-5 record between the pipes.