One of the most decorated soccer players to ever hail from St. Louis is returning to her hometown to coach.
Lori Chalupny, who retired from international soccer at age 31 after helping the U.S. win its third FIFA Women’s World Cup title in Canada last summer, will be the head women’s soccer coach at Maryville University starting after the 2017 season, the school announced Thursday. Current head coach Eric Delabar will then transition into the role of assistant coach.
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“As a player, it was tough to say goodbye to the sport that has given me so much but I always knew I wouldn’t be far from the soccer field,” Chalupny said in a statement. “I have such a passion for soccer, and I am excited to share that passion with the next generation of players here in my hometown.”
In October, after her retirement announcement, Chalupny told St. Louis Magazine she hoped to continue following her passion for soccer through coaching. She was an assistant women’s coach at Washington University in St. Louis from 2010 to 2012 and has been Maryville’s assistant coach since August 2013.
From our November 2015 Q&A with Chalupny:
I’ll never leave the game completely. I love coaching. I still have a huge passion for the game. It’s just going to be in a different capacity now. I really enjoy the coaching part of the game, so that’s where I hope to continue… One of the fun things about coaching college, even though you are a coach and you’re not a player, it’s definitely a little bit different but you still get to experience that team camaraderie and playing for a championship. All sports fans love that.
Chalupny, a Nerinx Hall High School alumna, has played more than 100 games for the U.S. Women’s National Team and took home a gold medal during the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing. She scored during the 2015 exhibition game against New Zealand at Busch Stadium last summer. She also played professionally with the Chicago Red Stars in the NWSL and with Saint Louis Athletica, where she served as team captain and was named a Women’s Professional Soccer All-Star.
“I have really enjoyed my last three seasons coaching at Maryville, and I am very thankful for the opportunity to continue to build the program,” Chalupny said. “I believe strongly in the mission that the athletics programs and university present to its student-athletes.”
Contact Lindsay Toler by an email at [email protected] or on Twitter @StLouisLindsay. For more from St. Louis Magazine, subscribe or follow us on Facebook and Twitter.
