Wittenberg University

Springfield, OH 45501

Ohio Midwest

Private Small Developing team

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Katie Robinson

Wittenberg University Head Women’s Soccer Coach Katie Robinson enters her sixth season in the Tigers 2023-24 season. Robinson was named the 11th Head Coach in Women’s Soccer History before the start of the 2017-18 season. Robinson was promoted into the role of Senior Woman Administrator (SWA) in the Athletic Department, on Thursday, May 14th, 2020.

COACHING HISTORY

Goucher College (2011 -2013)

Capital University (2013)

Ohio Northern University (2014-16)

Wittenberg University (2017-present)

WITTENBERG HIGHLIGHTS

Robinson has guided Wittenberg to an overall record of 35-42-16 and 19-14-6 in NCAC action.

2022 saw four Tigers earn All-NCAC honors under Coach Robinson's leadership, Andi Meeks (First Team), Alex Hill and Brooke Peters (Second Team), Sophia Grossman (Third Team).

The Tigers captured the second NCAC Tournament Title under Coach Robinson, in 2021, with a 3-2 road win over the College of Wooster in the final game.

With Six Tigers earning All-NCAC honors, four were tabbed with First Team designation (Hannah Heald, Brooke Peters, Emily Wile and Cassidy Webber). Sophia Grossman earned Second Team honors with Brooke Mullis collecting Honorable Mention in her first season holding down the backline for the Red and White.

Wittenberg women's soccer captured their second consecutive NCAC Newcomer of the Year honor (Brooke Peters - 2019 & Sydney Weaver - 2018), as Peters earned Second Team All-NCAC honors along the way. Emily Wile topped the post-season award winners for the Tigers in 2019, earning United Soccer Coaches Association All-Region honors. Kaitlyn Kreig returned to the field earning All-NCAC Honorable Mention honors along with teammates Emma Thacker and Cassidy Webber.

Robinson coached her first NCAC Newcomer of the Year in 2018. Additionally, named to the first-team All-NCAC was Megan Davis and second-team honors given to Shannon Brueck and Sydney Weaver.

The Tigers won five of their last six games under Robinson’s leadership, capturing their fifth NCAC Tournament Championship title (2017).

Wittenberg would make their seventh NCAA Tournament appearance, taking down Thomas More College with a thrilling 3-2 (OT) result. The Tiger’s tournament run would come to an end against regional host Washington (Mo.) with a heartbreaking 1-0 loss in the 87th minute of action.

Under Robinson’s tutelage five members would go on to earn All-NCAC honors, including three first-team honorees (Jordyn Wright – Forward, Megan Davis – Midfield, Emma Thacker – Defense). Making the All-NCAC honorable mention list for Wittenberg were Kaitlyn Krieg – Forward and Kenzie Mason – Defense.

Earning All-Region honors under Robinson’s guidance was Jordyn Wright and Emma Thacker, collecting third-team honors from The United Soccer Coaches Association 2017 NCAA Division III All-Great Lakes Region.

Robinson would see a trio of Tigers be recognized by coaches from around the area, as Davis, Thacker, and Wright were all named to the Ohio Collegiate Soccer Association 2017 Women’s NCAA Division III All-Ohio Team.

PRIOR COACHING HIGHLIGHTS

As ONU's top assistant, the Polar Bears went 37-18-4 and held an OAC record of 21-5-1 in her three-year stint with the team including the 2016 OAC regular-season crown.

Robinson and the Polar Bears made it to the conference tournament semi-finals in 2014, as well as the OAC Conference Tournament Finals in 2015 and 2016.

While at ONU, Robinson saw her student-athletes produce on the field with accolades including: the 2016 OAC Freshman of the Year and Goalkeeper of the Year, the 2015 OAC Midfielder of the Year and Goalkeeper of the Year, the 2014 OAC Forward of the Year, as well as five NSCAA All-Great Lakes Region Honorees.

Student-athletes under Robinson's guidance combined for a 3.4 cumulative team GPA with a fall 2016 team GPA of 3.53, during her time at ONU.

Robinson coached and guided a 2016 NSCAA Scholar All-American in 2016, and also guided countless student-athletes who earned Academic All-OAC honors and Ohio Collegiate Soccer Association Academic All-Ohio Honors.

As the top assistant at Goucher College in Baltimore, Maryland - Robinson helped guide the Gophers to tie the best record in program history at 12-4-2.

During her time at Goucher, Robinson helped produce five All-Landmark Conference and two NSCAA All Mid-Atlantic Region selections.

Before her arriving at ONU, Robinson served as an assistant at Capital for one season and helped the Crusaders make a run to the NCAA Final Four

PLAYING CAREER

Robinson was a three-year letter winner for Capital, three-time All-OAC, and three-time NSCAA All-Great Lakes Region honoree, earning 2008 Ohio Athletic Conference Forward of the Year.

During her time at Capital, Robinson helped lead the Crusaders to the OAC Tournament championship and an appearance in the NCAA Division III Tournament in 2007.

Robinson began her collegiate career at the University of North Carolina Charlotte. In her first season with the 49ers, Robinson helped lead UNC-Charlotte to an Atlantic 10 Conference Championship, with an overall record of 12-5-3.

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Austin Blair

Austin Blair joins the Wittenberg Women’s Soccer staff ahead of the 2022 season.

Blair comes to Wittenberg from nearby Archbishop Alter High School. Blair began working with the Alter JV/Varsity programs in 2021, assisting with training sessions and managing game day operations. Outside of Alter, Blair has worked with the Dayton Dutch Lions women’s program where he worked with Division I, II and III athletes preparing them for the upcoming collegiate level competition. While with the Dutch Lions, Blair instructed the midfield/attacking players on technical and tactical matters. Blair also serves as the head coach of the 06 Red Boys for Ohio Galaxies.

As a player, Blair competed at NCAA Division II Ohio Dominican University. Blair also brings semi-professional playing experience to the Tiger bench, having played with the NPSL Dayton Dynamo.

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Chuck Crawford

Chuck Crawford heads into his seventh season with the Wittenberg women's soccer coaching staff, continuing to work with the goalkeepers of the program.

A 1993 graduate of St. Francis DeSales High School (Columbus) where he played on the state championship team. He continued his role as a goalkeeper as he pursued his education degree at The University of Findlay where he was a four-year starter and captain of the team.

Before starting his career as a high school science teacher he was a graduate assistant to the soccer program at Findlay where he worked with the goalkeepers on both the men’s and women’s teams.

Crawford started his high school coaching career in 1998 with the boys’ team at Dublin Scioto High School. His coaching tenure has lead him to positions as head coach of the girls at Dublin Scioto & Dublin Jerome; assistant coach at Bexley High School before arriving in 2011 at Bishop Hartley High School (Columbus) as the associate head coach.

Coach Crawford holds both a USSF and NSCAA coaching licenses and was named the 2012 Central District Assistant Coach of the Year winner.

Crawford and his wife Carla reside in Plain City with their son Cayden.

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Dwight Burgess

Wittenberg University announced the hiring of Head Coach Dwight Burgess to become the 10th head coach to lead the Tiger's Men's Soccer team beginning in the fall of 2016. Burgess officially becomes the permanent replacement for Steve Dawson, who served as Wittenberg's men's coach for 32 seasons.

Dwight Burgess brings to Wittenberg University an extensive and broad-based resume of experience. Dwight began his collegiate career as an Assistant Coach for The Ohio State University men's program and went on to spend a decade at Capital University serving for 10 years as the Head Men's Soccer Coach and eight as the Head Women's Soccer Coach.

While in Bexley, Dwight's teams earned six conference championships and three NCAA Tournament bids, winning 186 games. Dwight has been recognized as "Coach of the Year" on numerous occasions at the Conference, State, and Regional levels. He was also nominated for the NSCAA National Division III Coach of the Year Award. Off the field, Dwight served a four-year term as the Great Lakes Region Chair to the NCAA Men's Division III National Championship Committee.

Dwight has coached at all levels of the youth game, including high school and club soccer, as a member of the Ohio South Olympic Development Program State Staff and as a Clinician in various capacities on behalf of the NSCAA, Columbus Crew SC and Major League Soccer.

An accomplished player, Dwight split his college career between DePauw University and the University of Dayton, was named Captain for a pair of Regional teams participating in international Friendlies and Dwight was twice selected to development camps for the United States Men's National Program.

Dwight just completed his 20th season as the TV play-by-play broadcaster for Columbus Crew SC and has called the action for a variety of national and international soccer events, including XM Satellite Radio's 2006 FIFA World Cup coverage.

Personal

Dwight is married with three children, he has a Masters Degree from The Ohio State University and possesses multiple coaching licenses and certifications.

* Six National Team Academic Awards

* Five National Team Sportsmanship and Ethics Awards

* Three Ohio Athletic Conference Regular Season Championships

* Three Ohio Athletic Conference Tournament Championships

* Three NCAA Tournament appearances

* 87-63-12 Overall OAC Record

*221-213-41 Overall Record

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Hamid Shariff

Hamid Shariff is in his third year as Assistant Coach. Hamid earned a Master's Degree in Athletic Coaching from Wittenberg University and a Bachelor's Degree in Exercise Science & Minor in Sports Management from Heidelberg University.

A four-year starter for Heidelberg, Hamid was named as All-American, Midfielder of the Year, and a Hall of Fame inductee.

In addition to his responsibilities at Wittenberg, Hamid also serves as a scout for the Columbus Crew MLS Academy and is Director of Coaching for NWFC.

Hamid’s playing background includes stops at Professional level, both domestically and internationally including in Spain and Dubai. In sum, Hamid has over 10 years of experience coaching at the youth, college, and professional levels.

Hamid has learned from many different coaching methods from the English Premier League, La Liga and MLS. While in Spain Hamid was part of a very selective UEFA coaching course while working with a LA LIGA academy, SD Huesca.

From Columbus, Hamid is trilingual, speaking English, Spanish, and Swahili. Hamid is married with one son.