Randy Waldrum named to United Soccer Coaches’ 2026 Hall of Fame Class

Randy Waldrum has earned his spot in coaching history in the United States of America.

On Thursday, the United Soccer Coaches organization named Waldrum, along with Craig Ewing, Al Miller and Steve Sampson, to its 2026 Hall of Fame Class.

The induction will take place at the annual United Soccer Coaches Convention in Philadelphia on January 12-17, 2026.

Waldrum, who currently serves as technical director of the University of Pittsburgh’s women’s soccer program, has coached at the collegiate, professional and international level.

“Randy Waldrum’s career represents over four decades of excellence, from building collegiate programs and developing world-class players to leading national teams on the global stage,” his biography in the USC announcement read. “His vision, professionalism and commitment to the growth of women’s soccer have left an indelible mark on the sport – both in the United States and internationally.”

Waldrum founded the women’s soccer program at Baylor University in his native Texas. He became the head coach of Notre Dame women’s soccer program in 1999, where he remained until 2013. With Notre Dame, he led the Fighting Irish to two NCAA Championships, 10 Big East Conference regular-season championships, and eight NCAA Final Four appearances. At Notre Dame, he was named the Big East Coach of the year five times and National Coach of the Year four times.

From 2014-2016, he led the Trinidad and Tobago women’s national team, while also serving as the first-ever head coach of the Houston Dash of the NWSL. He remained in Houston until 2017.

In December 2017, Waldrum was named the head coach of the University of Pittsburgh women’s soccer program. During his time at Pitt, he revitalized the program, leading the Panthers to an NCAA Elite Eight appearance in 2023. The Panthers made it to the Sweet Sixteen in both 2022 and 2023, along with the ACC Tournament.

A total of 16 Panthers during Waldrum’s coaching tenure have become professional soccer players in the United States, Canada and across Europe.

While at Pitt, Waldrum was named the head coach of the Nigerian women’s national team, a role in which he served from 2020-24. He led Nigeria through the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup and the 2024 Summer Olympics. In 2023, Nigeria advanced to the Round of 16 before falling to eventual runner-up, England. In the Summer Olympics, Waldrum led Nigeria through the group stage.