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Allison DeGroot
Allison DeGroot enters her sixth season as UW-Superior head women's soccer coach in 2022. DeGroot, the winningest coach in program history, holds a 44-42-7 (.511) record in five seasons.
DeGroot led the Yellowjackets to their first NCAA tournament appearance in the 29-year history of the program in 2022, compiling an 18-4-1 overall record while going 13-0-1 in the Upper Midwest Athletic Conference. Along the way, UWS led the league in goals (69), assists (65), points (203), scoring offense (3.00 goals per game) and points per game (8.83). Senior Annah Schussman set Superior's all-time career goal-scoring record, finishing with 34 -- 15 of which came in her final season.
DeGroot, who claimed her third straight UMAC Coach of the Year honor in 2022, coached seven All-UMAC players, while UWS swept the league's major awards with sophomore forward Niya Wilson earning Offensive Player of the Year, senior defender Erin Schoborg winning Defensive Player of the Year and freshman goalkeeper Jenna Lang taking Rookie of the Year.
Wilson's breakout season of a league-best 20 goals and 11 assists for 51 points in 23 matches and 4.0 GPA helped her become the first Academic All-America first-team honoree, as selected by the College Sports Information Directors of America and sixth overall selection.
The Yellowjackets were 7-3-0 overall and 6-2-0 in the UMAC in 2020. UWS opened the season 5-0-0 for the first time school history. UWS earned the No. 2 seed in the UMAC tournament and advanced to the championship match.
Superior landed five on the All-UMAC teams, including goalkeeper Morgan Philliber and and forward Annah Schussman on the first team. Philliber began the season with a program-record 430 minutes, eight seconds of scoreless play on her way to being named UMAC Defensive Player of the Year. Philliber, who played every minute in goal, went 7-3-0 overall with a 1.00 goals-against average, .787 save percentage and had five clean sheets.
Lindrey Schendel also earned UMAC Rookie of the Year honors, scoring a goal and two assists while starting all 10 matches in the midfield.
DeGroot claimed her second consecutive UMAC Coach of the Year award.
The Yellowjackets went 7-11-2 in 2019, earning the the No. 3 seed and a first-round bye in the UMAC tournament. UWS dropped a 2-0 decision at Northwestern in the semifinals.
DeGroot's Yellowjackets doubled their UMAC win total in 2018, going 6-5-1 overall in the league, to qualify for the UMAC tournament for the first time since joining the league prior to the 2014 season. UWS earned points in five of its final six regular-season matches to claim the No. 4 seed in the postseason. The 'Jackets were 4-1-1 in those matches to set the table for a strong run in the tournament. The 'Jackets advanced to the semifinal on penalty kicks following a scoreless draw against Minnesota Morris before upsetting top-seeded St. Scholastica, 1-0, in the final seconds of regulation, to advance to the title match. UWS, which finished 8-11-3 overall, recorded three shutouts to end the regular season before picking up two more in the postseason.
DeGroot was named 2019 UMAC Coach of the Year, and was the first female women's soccer head coach to be honored since 2009.
DeGroot mentored five players named to the All-UMAC teams in 2018, including first-team selections in senior defender Kelli Graham and freshman goalkeeper Madison Gutekunst. Freshman forward Schussman was named to the second team and senior midfielder Chloe Schmaltz and junior forward Sarah Fjeran were honorable mentions. In 2019, four Yellowjackets were named all-conference with Gutekunst, Schussman and senior Kaylie Johnson earning first-team honors and freshman Eryka Quick picking up honorable mention.
In her first season, DeGroot guided UWS to a 3-8-1 mark in the UMAC, going 4-13-1 overall. She earned her first career win in a 1-0 non-conference victory at North Central in Minneapolis on Sept. 5, 2017. The 'Jackets also opened their home conference slate Sept. 19 with a with a 4-0 win over Crown, part of season sweep of the Storm.
Three more 'Jackets were named to the All-UMAC teams, as senior Bailey Handerson and midfield classmate Britt Zieroth were honorable-mention picks.
From 2012-16, DeGroot was a member of the coaching staff at Augsburg where she assisted in the planning and execution of practices, created and managed the team's defensive game plans, and evaluated and recruited potential student-athletes.
During her time with the Auggies, they made four trips to the MIAC tournament, won the conference regular season championship in 2014, won the conference playoff championship in 2014 and 2016, and qualified for the NCAA tournament in 2014 and 2016. The Auggies appeared in the national rankings at least once every season from 2013-16.
Also during the 2016 season while DeGroot ran the defense and supervised the goalkeepers, Augsburg ranked 18th in the nation in goals-against average, 19th in shutout percentage and 20th in save percentage.
In addition to her work at Augsburg, DeGroot gained coaching experience at Waukesha (Wis.) South High School (2009), Minnesota Thunder Academy (2010-14) and Fusion Soccer Club (2014-17).
DeGroot played NCAA Division I soccer at Marquette in Milwaukee, Wis., where she helped the Golden Eagles reach the second round of the NCAA tournament in 2006.
DeGroot graduated from Marquette in 2010 with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Psychology. She continued her education and graduated with a Master of Arts degree in Leadership from Augsburg in 2015.
DeGroot married her wife Kathy Sundeen in June 2019. The couple resides in Duluth, Minn.
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