Coaches

Erica Demers

University of Cincinnati Director of Athletics John Cunningham announced on the hiring of Erica Demers as the sixth women's soccer head coach in program history on December 7, 2022.


Demers ushers in the new era after elevating the University of Alabama at Birmingham to unrivaled success during six seasons as head coach.


Demers was honored as the 2022 Conference USA Coach of the Year following a 9-4-5 overall and 6-1-3 Conference USA record that featured a program-best 10-match unbeaten streak. The Blazers had a league-best six student-athletes named to All-Conference teams and the conference's Defensive Player of the Year in Asha Zuniga.


During her time in Birmingham, Demers coached the Blazers to 23 All-Conference selections, 16 conference All-Academic honorees and an overall record of 50-38-19.


Hired on May 22, 2017, Demers orchestrated one of the best turnarounds in the NCAA in her first season at the helm by increasing the team's win total by nine games and leading the Blazers to their most wins since 2004.


Prior to her tenure with the Blazers, Demers spent 12 seasons on Dave Dilanni's staff at Iowa and Grand Valley State. She helped lead Iowa to 29 victories, coached three All-Big Ten performers and 31 Big Ten All-Academic selections in three seasons.


At Grand Valley State, she helped guide the Lakers to three NCAA Division II national titles, nine GLIAC championships and nine NCAA regional championships. She spent her final two seasons as associate head coach of the program.


Demers started her coaching career at The Citadel, where she served one season as a graduate assistant.


As a student-athlete, Demers led Oakland to four-straight Mid-Continent Conference titles and three-straight NCAA Tournament appearances. She was a two-time First Team All-Conference selection and was named Conference Player of the Year in 2002.


Demers competed for the Canadian U-21 National Team and was part of the 2000 Canadian National Championship Team. In 1997-98, she played for the National Training Centre team and was a member of the Ontario Provincial Team for five seasons.


The Welland, Ontario, Canada native graduated from Oakland with a Bachelor of Health Science in 2004 and earned her Master's in Education while at Grand Valley State in 2009.

John Robertson

John Robertson is in his first season with Cincinnati women’s soccer after he was announced as an assistant coach in February 2023.


Robertson joins the staff after serving in the same role under Erica Demers for four of the last five seasons at the University of Alabama at Birmingham, where he oversaw Blazers’ goalkeepers, out-of-possession game model and recruiting strategies.


Overall, Robertson assisted Demers to a 28-26-15 record and 16 All-Conference Selections in his stint at UAB.


Most recently, Robertson helped guide the Blazers to a 9-4-5 overall and 6-1-3 Conference USA record that featured a program-best 10-match unbeaten streak, nine weeks ranked in the South Region and the highest RPI at 59th. The Blazers had a league-best six players named to the All-Conference USA team, including the conference’s Defensive Player of the Year in Asha Zuniga.


Robinson helped develop a goalkeeping unit that recorded nine shutouts and allowed only four goals in 10 conference matches in 2022. UAB only conceded multiple goals in one match and went nearly 400 consecutive minutes over a five-match stretch without allowing a goal. He assisted Eve Beyer to a conference-leading goals against average, save percentage and shutouts.


In 2021, the Blazers finished tied for second and two points off the lead in the Western Division and advanced to the C-USA Tournament Semifinals for the first time since 2009. Robertson helped guide the Blazers to a bounce-back season in 2020, where they doubled their win total despite playing two less contests.


In 2018, Robertson volunteered for Demers where he worked primarily with the goalkeepers and defenders. He helped develop Kelsey Daughtery, who concluded her collegiate career as a Conference USA Goalkeeper of the Year, Conference USA All-Conference, All-South Region and Conference USA All-Academic First Team honoree.


Both of Robertson’s stints away from Demers also produced championships. In 2016, he returned to his alma mater Maryville College (TN) in 2016 to help lead the program to its first ever USA South regular season and conference tournament title. The season produced an 18-3 record, two All-Americans and a return to the NCAA DIII tournament for the first time since 2005. A lone 2019 season at the University of Montevallo in-between voluntary and full-time roles at UAB saw Robertson help first year head coach Jake Wyman secure the Gulf South women’s soccer championship for and a first NCAA DII appearance for 12 years.


Robertson attained a FA Level 1 and Level 2 coaching badges in Manchester, England, in addition to a FA Goalkeeping Level 1. He also holds his USSF C License, United Soccer Coaches Level 1 in Goalkeeper coaching and continues to coach youth soccer locally, while continuing to serve on the goalkeeping staff for South Region ODP.


Prior to his coaching career, Robertson was a two-team All-Conference selection and team captain for Maryville College (TN). He helped lead the Scots to three-straight Great South Athletic Conference regular season and tournament titles from 2009-11. He was named to the 2011 All-Great South First Team and 2012 All-USA South Athletic Conference


The Fyvie, Scotland native graduated from Maryville College (TN) with a Bachelor of English Literature in 2013 and returned to the United Kingdom to earn a Master of Journalism from Robert Gordon University in Aberdeen in 2015.


Robertson and his wife, Rachel, reside in Cincinnati.

Rachael Collins

Rachael Collins is in her first season with Cincinnati women’s soccer after she was announced as an assistant coach in February 2023.


Collins joins the staff after spending the last two seasons in the same role with Erica Demers at the University of Alabama Birmingham from 2021-22. In her stint with the Blazers, the pair compiled a 16-13-8 record and earned 11 All-Conference selections.


Prior to UAB, Collins served as a volunteer assistant coach for two seasons at Alabama from 2019-20. With the Crimson Tide, she helped develop five All-SEC performers, including midfielder Reyna Reyes who played on the Mexican Senior National Team and was named to the United Soccer Coaches' All-Southeast Region Third Team.


Colllins spent two seasons as an assistant coach at UC Davis from 2017-18. In her time with the Aggies, she coached four All-Big West honorees. Collins was instrumental in the development of goalkeeper Alexis Smith, who finished as UC Davis’ all-time leader in shutouts and saves.


Prior to her coaching career, Collins was a standout midfielder for four seasons at Pepperdine University from 2013-16 after earning a place in the starting lineup in her freshman season. Her two-way playing style on the pitch helped lead the Waves to a pair of NCAA Tournament appearances, including a Sweet 16 berth in 2014.


Collins earned West Coast Conference Commissioner's Honor Roll, WCC All-Academic Honorable Mention and Scholar-Athlete accolades; while also being named a Maurice Hilliard Award recipient, which is awarded annually to a student-athlete that exemplifies the attributes of Christian faith, character and leadership.


Collins has a USSF D license.


She graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Sports Medicine degree from Pepperdine in 2017 and a Master in Sports Administration from Alabama.

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