Erickson Hired to Lead Women's Soccer

COUNCIL BLUFFS, Iowa – Iowa Western Community College President Dr. Dan Kinney and Athletic Director Shane Larson have announced the hiring of Bruce Erickson as the fourth head women's soccer coach in program history.

"We are thrilled to welcome Bruce Erickson as the new head coach of our women's soccer program," said Dr. Kinney. "Coach Erickson brings a wealth of experience and a proven track record of success at the collegiate level. His leadership, passion for the game, and commitment to developing student-athletes align perfectly with our values and goals."

"I'd like to thank Shane Larson and Dr. Kinney for the opportunity. I'm excited to get started at Iowa Western," said Erickson. "This is a program with national championship history and national championship standards. The facilities are amazing, and walking around campus and seeing the growth—as well as the success of other programs—is inspiring. I'm also excited for Coach Jami Reichenberger to join me at IWCC. She was a great player at Butler Community College and Northern Iowa and will be a terrific role model for our players."

Erickson brings 30 years of collegiate coaching experience, including the past eight seasons as head coach at the University of Northern Iowa. There, he compiled a 65-54-21 record and guided the Panthers to seven Missouri Valley Conference Tournament appearances. During his tenure, 26 players earned All-MVC honors, including six First Team selections.

From 1999 to 2014, Erickson led the women's soccer program at Creighton University, becoming the winningest coach in program history with a record of 163-125-32. He was twice named MVC Coach of the Year, leading the Bluejays to five MVC Tournament championships, two regular season titles, and five NCAA Tournament appearances.

"We are very excited to add Coach Erickson to the Reiver family," said Larson. "His experience will bring incredible value to the department, and his commitment to student-athletes will ensure the women's soccer program continues to operate at the highest level. He also has strong ties to southwest Iowa and the Omaha metro area, which will be a great benefit to the program during this transition."

Before joining Creighton, Erickson began his coaching career at Viterbo University, serving as an assistant men's coach from 1990 to 1991 before becoming head coach from 1993 through 1998. He earned conference Coach of the Year honors four times and led the team to an NAIA district championship in his first season. In 1995, he helped establish Viterbo's women's soccer program, coaching its inaugural season.

A 1990 graduate of Viterbo, Erickson earned a Bachelor of Science degree in industrial-organizational psychology. As a goalkeeper for the V-Hawks from 1986 to 1989, he posted a 0.87 goals-against average over 50 games. He was a two-time All-Conference selection, named an NLCAA All-American in 1986, and helped lead the team to a 1988 NAIA District 14 championship.

Coach Erickson and his wife, Jeena, have five children: Max, Mason, Emma, Olivia, and Noah and will reside in the Omaha Metro area.