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Sources: Notre Dame’s Waldrum named Dash’s first head coach

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By CAITLIN MURRAY

The first head coach of the Houston Dash is the University of Notre Dame’s Randy Waldrum under a three-year contract, sources have confirmed to SBI.

Waldrum, a native of Irving, Texas, has served as head coach for Notre Dame women’s soccer since 1999, racking up an impressive all-time record of 279-50-16. He led the Irish to two NCAA championships. He was previously head coach for the University of Tulsa’s women’s team and the men’s team before that.

According to source with knowledge of the situation, Waldrum notified Notre Dame players today and an announcement from the Dash is forthcoming. The source declined to speak on the record since it had not been formally announced.

The announcement comes on the same day that the Dash were allocated their first players by the NWSL, including U.S. Women’s National Team defender Whitney Engen.

Tony DiCicco had reportedly interviewed with the Dash for the job last month, but was last week hired as a consultant to help the club in their coach search and first-year team-building.

The Dash became the ninth team and first expansion club in the National Women’s Soccer League on Dec. 12.

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What do you think of this news? Is the Houston Dash off the a good start? How will the change affect Notre Dame? Are you surprised to see Waldrum exit college soccer?

Share your thoughts below.

Comments

  1. I think GoEuro has a point although I’d agree FRAUD may be a little harsh. Being the WNT coach and having a university willing to invest in women’s soccer, facilities, scholarships, and staff early on gave him a huge advantage over any other program. The best players who also wanted to be on WNT would surely want to play for him. UNC women of the 80’s/00’s = UCLA basketball of 60’s/80’s.

    What is inarguable is that he won almost everything that a person at his level could.

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  2. wonder if anson has been offered any of these positions. i’m sure he has, but I hope not. what a fraud. he would be completely exposed at the professional level with a roster just as talented as the one across the field from him.

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    • You’re a complete idiot. 22 national championships, a 763-54-29 record coaching the women at UNC along with a 172-65-1 record as the men’s coach. Oh, and he won a World Cup. But your highly-educated opinion is that he is a fraud. Laughable.

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  3. He left the Baylor soccer program under a cloud before he went to Notre Dame. I wonder if there’s any smoke at Notre Dame right now. He had a very good gig there.

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  4. Wow, heckuva winning percentage (80.9%).

    On an unrelated note, Dash is a terrible name. I guess it’s got the alliterative thing going with Dynamo, but still, it’s vague and uncreative.

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      • The team is literally just a couple of weeks old. The important things are getting done, like getting in the NWSL, getting a coach, players etc.

      • No argument with any of that, but first impressions matter. A lame name and lackluster logo can have a lasting impact on a product’s success.

    • I’m not happy with the name but many options that could relate to the Dynamo or Houston were already taken (copy righted/trademarked)
      Energy FC (oaklahom usl)
      Space city FC (region III boys and girls youth system)
      List goes on and on, but I hear 1836 was free.

      Reply

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