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Marquette University

Milwaukee, WI 53233
Wisconsin Midwest
Private Medium Developing team
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Frank Pelaez

The 2022 campaign will mark the third for head coach Frank Pelaez, who was named the program's fourth mentor in December of 2019.


Pelaez, who previously served as a MU assistant and associate head coach for 19 years, spent five seasons at Loyola University Chicago on the women's soccer coaching staff, including two years as associate head coach. The Ramblers won two Missouri Valley Conference tournament titles to earn the league’s NCAA Championship berth in each of the last two seasons, while losing just one league game during that time.


Pelaez was part of a staff alongside head coach Barry Bimbi that earned the last two MVC Coaching Staff of the Year honors and led the Ramblers to a program-record 12-match winning streak in 2019. In total, LUC went 52-37-10 during his time in Rogers Park and 21-10-2 in conference play. Loyola ranked second in the nation with 61 goals scored in 2017 and in 2018 lost to eventual NCAA champion Florida State, 1-0, in the NCAA First Round.


A native of Cartagena, Colombia, Pelaez joined the Ramblers after a successful stay at Marquette, which included 13 seasons as associate head coach. During his 19-year stint in Milwaukee (1996-2014) he helped guide the Golden Eagles to a 282-104-39 record, highlighted by nine regular season conference championships, five BIG EAST titles, two BIG EAST tournament championships and a pair of Conference USA Tournament titles. Marquette recorded 19 consecutive 10-win seasons with 11 seasons of 15-or-more wins and appeared in the NCAA tournament 12 times. He also directly assisted in the development of 113 all-conference, 63 all-region and 12 All-America selections.


His time at MU included a program-record 20-win season in 2000 and a six-year stretch from 2008-13 in which the Golden Eagles made six NCAA appearances and won five BIG EAST regular season titles. In the four years from 2010-13, Marquette went 70-15-6 overall and a remarkable 39-1-1 in BIG EAST play, advancing to a pair of NCAA Sweet 16s and winning two conference tournament crowns.


In the classroom, Pelaez’s squads have earned the United Soccer Coaches Team Academic Award in every season since 1997.


Pelaez also spent one season as an assistant coach with the MU men’s team, helping the Golden Eagles to a 12-8-1 record in 2001.


Prior to his initial arrival at Marquette, Pelaez spent four years as the head boys' and girls' soccer coach at A.C. Reynolds High School in Asheville, North Carolina. During his four seasons at the helm, Pelaez compiled an 88-21-6 overall record, earning Western Carolina Coach of the Year honors for both boys and girls following the 1995 and 1996 seasons. He was also tabbed as the Boys' Coach of the Year in 1993. Under Pelaez's guidance, both sides captured their first conference titles in school history while also qualifying for the state quarterfinals on three separate occasions as well.


Pelaez played collegiate soccer at UNC Asheville, serving as the Bulldogs' captain as a senior. He earned his bachelor's degree in visual arts from the school in 1992.


Pelaez married the former Melissa Moffatt in August of 2009. The couple has two children, Gabriella and Leela.

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Erin Scott

The 2022 campaign will mark the third at Marquette University for Erin Scott, who serves as an assistant coach with the program.


Scott joined the Valparaiso University women's soccer program as a graduate assistant coach in the summer of 2019, following a four-year career as a Division I goalkeeper. She spent her final two years at Campbell, where she started all 38 games. A two-time Big South Defensive Player of the Week, Scott posted a 1.02 GAA as a junior in 2017, the fourth-best single season mark in program history. She ranks second in Campbell career history in shutouts (nine), fifth in GAA (1.23) and seventh in saves (157).


Prior to her time at Campbell, Scott played two seasons at Creighton. She made 24 starts over her two years with the Bluejays, including 20 starts as a freshman in 2015. Scott stopped 108 shots as a rookie for Creighton, second-most in a single season in program history.


Scott spent the 2019 spring semester as a student assistant for the Campbell women’s soccer program. She has served as a coach at Camp Shutout, a camp devoted to training high-level youth goalkeepers, for the past four years and assisted with Campbell soccer camps during her time with the Camels.


Scott graduated from Campbell University with bachelor's degrees in broadcast/electronic media and sports communication in May 2019. She is currently pursuing her master's degree in sports media at Valpo.

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Paul Sikinger

The 2022 campaign will mark the first for Paul Sikinger with the Marquette University women's soccer program.


The Sussex, Wisconsin, native arrives on campus after most recently serving as Director of Elite Clubs National League (ECNL) for FC Wisconsin, one of multiple individuals in that role. He oversaw the regional league program for the only ECNL for the only club in the state participating in the organization. He was involved with player development, coaching and membership engagement.


Prior to his most recent position with FC Wisconsin, Sikinger worked in a variety of coaching and administrative positions with Strike FC Wisconsin since 2013. He also served as the girl’s varsity head coach at Germantown High School since 2010, guiding numerous players to the collegiate ranks.


A 2010 graduate of Cardinal Stritch University with a degree in sociology, Sikinger was a member of the men’s soccer program for two seasons (2007-08). He spent his first two years at UW-Whitewater and was also on the varsity team with the Warhawks.

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Louis Bennett

The 2022 season will mark the 17th for Louis Bennett as head men’s soccer coach at Marquette University and his 27th head coaching season overall.


Bennett boasts a long history of success, leading Milwaukee (1996-2005) and Marquette (2006-present) to a combined seven league championships, six league tournament titles and seven NCAA tournament appearances - advancing past the first round on six occasions, including two Sweet 16 appearances with the Golden Eagles (2013 and 2020-21).


In a spring 2021 season that will forever be associated with the COVID-19 pandemic, Coach Bennett directed his lads through a trying season to achieve miraculous results in his 16th season at the helm. Despite having to replace four of his top six scorers and two MLS SuperDraft picks from the year prior, the Golden Eagles thrived through adversity, going 8-3-2 (5-1-1 BIG EAST) and taking home the BIG EAST Midwest Division title by two games.


The Golden Eagles won their first three games by the score of 1-0, all with golden goals in overtime. One of these wins came against Saint Louis, a win that marked MU's first over the Billikens since 2002. MU went on to win five of its seven BIG EAST contests and a program-record six overtime games. The Golden Eagles were ranked in both the United Soccer Coaches and Top Drawer Soccer rankings for the final eight weeks of the season, reaching as high as 12th in the country.


Their historic season came with several postseason accolades, including All-BIG EAST honors for strikers Lukas Sunesson and Beto Soto, midfielder Zyan Andrade, defender Alex Mirsberger and goalkeeper Chandler Hallwood. Sunesson, one of the top strikers in the BIG EAST and nationally, was named First Team All-BIG EAST, a United Soccer Coaches Second Team All-American and became the school's first ever MAC Hermann Trophy semifinalist, an award that goes to the best player in college soccer. Rookie forward Beto Soto was named BIG EAST Freshman of the Year, the second MU player to garner that award.


After making the BIG EAST tournament for the third season in a row, the Golden Eagles were selected to their first NCAA tournament since 2013. MU was paired with No. 4 Loyola Marymount, the West Coast Conference champions who came in with an unblemished record. After a 0-0 tie in regulation and two overtimes, the Golden Eagles emerged victoriously in penalty kicks, defeating the Lions, 3-1. MU advanced to their second Sweet 16 in school history and first since 2013 and battled the No. 2 Indiana Hoosiers. An A.J. Franklin goal in the 44th minute put MU up 1-0 and it kept the lead all the way into the 71st minute. The Hoosiers tallied two goals in the final 19 minutes of game action to take down MU and end the historic season.


In 2019, the team went 8-9-1 (4-5-0 BIG EAST) and made the BIG EAST tournament for the second consecutive year. Four Golden Eagles made the All-BIG EAST teams, including senior defender Patrick Seagrist, who made the first team for the second year in a row. Luka Prpa made the second team and Connor Alba and Josh Coan made the third team. For the first time since 2013, coach Bennett led MU to four road victories, including massive wins at DePaul (first time since 2002) and Wisconsin.


Through the 2020-21 season, Bennett has a career record of 234-193-56 over 25 seasons, including a 99-129-39 mark in 15 seasons with Marquette. His 135 career victories at Milwaukee are the most in school history, while he currently ranks third in Marquette laurels. He has earned six League Coach of the Year honors, including five with Milwaukee and most recently in 2011 at Marquette.


In the team's 2018 season, Bennett led MU to a BIG EAST tournament runner-up finish as the Golden Eagles fell one game short of clinching the conference's automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament. MU made a thrilling postseason push, defeating both Xavier (quarterfinals) and No. 17 Creighton (semifinals) in PK's before falling in the championship to No. 19 Georgetown.


For the first time in program history, Bennett had four players garner first or second team all-conference honors last year. Senior goalkeeper Luis Barraza joined junior midfielder Luka Prpa and junior defender Patrick Seagrist on the All-BIG EAST first team while junior forward Connor Alba earned second team honors. First-year forward Lukas Sunesson, who hails from Taby, Sweden, became Bennett's 10th player in team history to be named to the BIG EAST All-Freshman team.


Luis Barraza was named the BIG EAST Goalkeeper of the Year in 2018 after a season that saw him finish the season ranked in the nation's top-10 in save percentage (.830) and saves per game (5.20). He ranked 21st overall in total saves (78). Barraza became the program's fifth player ever to be selected in the MLS SuperDraft when New York City FC selected him with the 12th overall pick in the first round in January 2019. He's MU's highest-ever selection in the MLS SuperDraft.


Bennett claims an ever-expanding list of players that has now reached nearly 50, who have gone on to play professionally both in the United States and abroad. His son, Louis Bennett II (Anorthosis Famagusta FC, now Swope Park Rangers), and C. Nortey (Akademisk Boldklub) signed with clubs in Cyprus and Denmark, respectively, in the summer of 2016.


Behind Barraza, Axel Sjoberg was Marquette’s second-highest MLS SuperDraft selection, taken 14th overall by the Colorado Rapids in 2015. Selected in the same draft was Charlie Lyon (LA FC; drafted by Seattle Sounders) in the fourth round to cap an impressive run of Marquette draftees, joining Bryan Ciesiulka, who was taken in the fourth by the Chicago Fire in 2012, and Calum Mallace (LA FC; drafted by Montreal Impact), who was a 20th overall pick in 2012. Meanwhile, Matt Pyzdrowski (Helsingborgs IF) and Eric Pothast (Angelholms FF) continue their professional careers in Sweden.


In 2019, Patrick Seagrist (New York Red Bulls; 10th pick, first round) and Luka Prpa (Houston Dynamo; 34th pick, second round) were taken in the first two rounds of the MLS SuperDraft, marking the first time in program history that MU had two picks in the first two rounds. Seagrist became the programs highest-ever draft pick at 10th overall. Senior forward Josh Coan also signed a professional contract with FC Tucson of USL League One.


Under Bennett's direction, the Golden Eagles climbed as high as No. 2 (Soccer America) -- the highest ranking in program history -- in the national polls after the squad reeled off 12 consecutive victories to open the 2012 campaign, including a thrilling 3-2 win over then No. 2-ranked Connecticut at Valley Fields on Oct. 6.


He was named the NSCAA Regional Coach of the Year in 2001 and 2002 and was honored as the College Sports Madness Coach of the Year following the Golden Eagles’ run in 2013.


A native of Great Britain, Bennett has over 30 years of experience as a player and coach. He played collegiate soccer at Crewe & Alsager College in England, helping win the British Colleges National Championship in 1982. He was also honored as a Great Britain Colleges International Player for three years. Bennett played professional soccer for seven years in the U.S., including three seasons with the Milwaukee Wave of the NPSL (1985-87) and he has made “The Good City” his home ever since.


Bennett holds bachelor’s degrees in education with a minor in special education and coaching licenses with English FA, US NSCCA and USSF organizations.


Bennett is married to the former Julie Harper of Yorkshire, England. The couple has three children, Eston, Yve and Louis, and resides in Shorewood.

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Sean Hughes

Sean Hughes completed his fifth season with the Golden Eagles coaching staff in 2020-21.He was promoted to associate head coach in 2020 and also leads the team's recruiting efforts. He previously served stints at Division II institutions Maryville University and Quincy University before coming to MU.


Hughes has helped the Golden Eagles reach the BIG EAST tournament in each of the past three years, including making it to the conference championship game in 2018. He also helped lead the Golden Eagles to their first NCAA tournament since 2013 in 2020-21 as they made the Sweet 16 for the second time in school history. He's been crucial to the development of three MLS SuperDraft picks in the past three years and coached 13 All-BIG EAST players in that same time frame. He also recruited and developed forward Lukas Sunesson, who earned United Soccer Coaches Second Team All-America honors and was the school's first ever MAC Hermann Trophy semifinalist (best player in collegiate soccer) in 2020-21.


In a spring season that will forever be associated with the COVID-19 pandemic, Coach Hughes helped direct the lads through a trying season to achieve miraculous results. Despite having to replace four of the top six scorers and two MLS SuperDraft picks from the year prior, Hughes anchored the recruiting efforts to bring in a 13-player class that instantly helped MU retool to become one of the top teams in the country.


Three players in the class, Beto Soto, Zyan Andrade and Chandler Hallwood, all earned All-BIG EAST honors in their first seasons in the Blue & Gold. Soto started in 12 of 13 games, scoring three goals and earning BIG EAST Freshman of the Year honors, just the second Golden Eagle ever to do so. Andrade spearheaded the midfield position for MU after transferring from the University of San Francisco. He scored two game-winning goals and dished out two assists on his way to Third Team All-BIG EAST honors. Hallwood, another Third Team All-BIG EAST honoree, had a spectacular season after transferring in from Gannon University (Pa.). He went 7-2-2 on the year, setting school records for fewest goals allowed in a season (8) and lowest GAA (0.65). His .862 save percentage ranks No. 2 for a season in MU laurels.


With a mix of new recruits and returning talent, the Golden Eagles thrived through adversity in the 2020-21 spring season, going 8-3-2 (5-1-1 BIG EAST) and taking home the BIG EAST Midwest Division title by two games.


The Golden Eagles won their first three games by the score of 1-0, all with golden goals in overtime. One of these wins came against Saint Louis, a win that marked MU's first over the Billikens since 2002. MU went on to win five of its seven BIG EAST contests and a program-record six overtime games. The Golden Eagles were ranked in both the United Soccer Coaches and Top Drawer Soccer rankings for the final eight weeks of the season, reaching as high as 12th in the country.


Their historic season came with several postseason accolades, including All-BIG EAST honors for strikers Lukas Sunesson and Beto Soto, midfielder Zyan Andrade, defender Alex Mirsberger and goalkeeper Chandler Hallwood. Sunesson, one of the top strikers in the BIG EAST and nationally, was named First Team All-BIG EAST, a United Soccer Coaches Second Team All-American and became the school's first ever MAC Hermann Trophy semifinalist, an award that goes to the best player in college soccer.


After making the BIG EAST tournament for the third season in a row, the Golden Eagles were selected to their first NCAA tournament since 2013. MU was paired with No. 4 Loyola Marymount, the West Coast Conference champions who came in with an unblemished record. After a 0-0 tie in regulation and two overtimes, the Golden Eagles emerged victoriously in penalty kicks, defeating the Lions, 3-1. MU advanced to their second Sweet 16 in school history and first since 2013 and battled the No. 2 Indiana Hoosiers. An A.J. Franklin goal in the 44th minute put MU up 1-0 and it kept the lead all the way into the 71st minute. The Hoosiers tallied two goals in the final 19 minutes of game action to take down MU to end the historic season.


In 2019, two of the players Hughest played a key role in developing, Patrick Seagrist (New York Red Bulls; 10th pick, first round) and Luka Prpa (Houston Dynamo; 34th pick, second round) were taken in the first two rounds of the MLS SuperDraft, marking the first time in program history that MU had two picks in the first two rounds. Seagrist became the programs highest-ever draft pick at 10th overall. Senior forward Josh Coan also signed a professional contract with FC Tucson of USL League One.


The 2016 season was one of growth and revival as MU's top-10 rated recruiting class showed flashes of brilliance and bits of struggle. As many as eight freshmen and newcomers saw the pitch and the team went 5-7-4 overall with a 2-5-2 mark in BIG EAST play. As a team, the Golden Eagles scored 26 goals, their most since 2013 when they last reached the NCAA tournament.


Luka Prpa, who finished one point shy of becoming the league's leading scorer in his debut season, totaled 26 points on 10 goals and six assists and was named BIG EAST Freshman of the Year and an NSCAA All-Great Lakes Region Third Team selection. Senior John Pothast earned Second Team All-BIG EAST honors and Bennett's squad is due to return all but two key members in what shapes up to be a promising 2017 season.


In Hughes' only season as the head coach in 2015, he took the Maryville men’s soccer program to new heights with a single-season record for wins at the Division II level and the most shutouts in a season in program history.


In the three seasons prior as full-time assistant at Quincy, Hughes helped the program to a combined record of 48-9-8 with two Great Lakes Valley Conference championships and an NCAA Final Four appearance. In his final season with Quincy in 2014, the team finished with a 21-2-2 overall record and the No. 3 ranking in the NSCAA top-25 poll.


During his time at Quincy, Hughes coached four All-Americans, two Academic All-Americans, two GLVC Freshmen of the Year, two GLVC Defensive Players of the Year, one GLVC Offensive Player of the Year, the GLVC Men’s Soccer Scholar-Athlete of the Year and more than 20 all-conference players.


The Blackburn, England native enjoyed a standout career in his home country where he played for the youth teams for Blackburn Rovers, Wigan Athletic, Preston North End and Bury FC. He played in the prestigious FA Youth Cup for Bury FC in 2003 and represented the Great Britain Catholic Schoolboys U-16 squad in Spain.


Hughes traveled to the United States and began his collegiate playing career at Northeastern State (Okla.) University. He led the Riverhawks in goals and points in each of his two seasons before transferring to Cardinal Stritch University in Milwaukee, where he started in every game from 2009-10.


After graduating from Cardinal Stritch, Hughes played one season for Whitsunday Miners FC in the Australian Soccer League second division. He helped the 2011 team record its highest finish in the league standings. The next season, Hughes played for Crewesadors FC futsal team in the UEFA English Regional North League in 2012.


Hughes earned his bachelor of arts degree in sports management from Cardinal Stritch in 2010 and completed his MBA from Quincy in May 2014.


He and his wife, Danielle, have two children, son George and daughter Grace, and currently reside in Glendale.

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