All in the family: Pitt Women’s Soccer names Ben Waldrum head coach

Pitt Athletics

From one Waldrum to another, there isn’t a whole lot of change happening with the Pitt women’s soccer program’s announcement of a new head coach. Ben Waldrum has been elevated to head coach, replacing his father, Randy. However, the senior Waldrum isn’t stepping into retirement just yet.

The longtime collegiate coach is moving to the technical director role for Pitt women’s soccer. As Pitt coach for the last seven season, Randy built a program from bottom-feeder in the ACC to a legitimate contender. He accounted a 71-51-11 record, with two NCAA Tournament appearances. The Panthers made the Elite Eight in 2023.

He spent numerous years at Notre Dame, from 1999-2013, and finishes his NCAA Division I coaching career with 470 wins. More than 15 Pitt Panthers players coached by Waldrum have gone on to professional careers in the United States, Mexico and Europe.

For the last six years, Ben Waldrum has served as the associate head coach. He often would step in as acting coach if his father was away, namely when he would coach the Nigerian women’s national team, which he did from 2020-24.

University of Pittsburgh Athletic Director Allen Green said that Randy and his staff have done a “tremendous job” building the program.

“As we look to continue to innovate and elevate women’s soccer in Pittsburgh, it became obvious that adopting a professional model with Randy assuming the role of technical director would be the best way to utilize his vast experience and success across the collegiate, professional and international levels,” Greene said. “Randy’s soccer acumen is unrivaled, and this new role will allow him to focus his energy on the technical and strategic direction of the program. He continues to be integral to the success of the Pitt Women’s Soccer program and will remain an ideal mentor to our new head coach Ben Waldrum.”

Throughout the years, Pitt women’s soccer players have spoken about how easy it is to adjust between the two Waldrum coaches. It’s a sentiment that the senior Waldrum wanted to keep as new players come into the program.

“As collegiate athletics continues to change it is important for our program to be prepared to adjust with it,” Randy said. “Shifting my role to technical director will allow me to focus my attention on roster makeup, scouting, game planning and all aspects of player development. I have seen this model have great success on the professional and international levels and am excited to be in position to mirror that here at Pitt. Ben [Waldrum] is well prepared to take on head coaching duties. He has a great passion for the game and has the energy, enthusiasm, and knowledge to lead the program. Pitt Women’s Soccer will continue to be a program on the rise in the ACC and on the national stage.”

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Ben Waldrum is ready to take over Pitt women’s soccer

There’s no secret that Ben Waldrum was surely next in line to take the reins for Pitt women’s soccer.

As the senior Waldrum said, a big chunk of the decision is based on adjustment. His son has proven over the years that he’s ready to handle the team as head coach. It’s a role he’s been trusted with as an associate head coach. Now, he’s got the associate wiped off his title.

“Ben [Waldrum] is well-prepared to take on the role of head coach of the Pitt Women’s Soccer program,” Greene said. “He has learned under a coaching legend in Randy and will benefit from continuing to have him on the pitch as the technical director of Pitt Women’s Soccer. Ben is extremely passionate about growing the game, competing at a championship level, and helping our student-athletes maximize their opportunity at Pitt. We are excited to adopt this professional staffing model and look forward to watching Pitt Women’s Soccer continue to excel on the field, in the community, and in the classroom.”

Ben Waldrum said he’s “grateful” for the opportunity to be the next Pitt women’s soccer head coach.

“We have worked diligently over the past seven years to elevate this program and this shift to a professional staffing model is going to help us make the next jump,” Waldrum said. “I have learned so much from Randy [Waldrum] throughout my career and we will continue to operate in sync with him as technical director of the program. We are excited about the roster we have put together for the 2025 season and are eager to get them all on campus to begin working towards another NCAA Tournament run.”

Waldrum’s coaching staff will consist of assistant and goalkeeper coach Jesse Goleman and assistant coach Brianna Alleyne, who joined the Panthers this past offseason from Duquesne University.

Former assistant coach, and former Panthers defender, Ashton Gordon has joined Utah Valley as its Director of Operations for its women’s soccer program.

The goal remains the same.@CoachWaldrum ➡️ Technical Director @benwald21 ➡️ Head Coach

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— Pitt Women's Soccer (@Pitt_WSOC) May 22, 2025