Worcester Polytechnic Institute

Worcester, MA 01602

Massachusetts Northeast

Private Small Developing team

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Coaches

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Steph Riley-Schafer

Steph Riley-Schafer, who touts eight winning seasons and NEWMAC tournament appearances, brings an 99-52-24 (.655) record into her 11th season at the helm of the Engineers in 2023.

The Engineers finished the season ranked fourth in the NCAA Division III Region II rankings after posting an 11-6-3 mark to record the sixth-straight season WPI won at least 10 games in a single season under head coach Steph Riley-Schafer in 2021. WPI tallied 10 team shutouts while holding opponents to a 0.92 goals-against average. Riley-Schafer’s team battled in tough matchups throughout the season including a comeback victory over nationally-ranked MIT which broke their 15-match winning, 18-match conference regular season winning, and 46-match unbeaten streaks. WPI’s push continued through a pair of scoreless outings against Babson including a 3-2 shootout victory in the opening round of the NEWMAC Tournament before falling to No. 9 MIT in the semifinal round.

Riley-Schafer and co-head coach Sue Silva were named 2021 NEWMAC Women's Soccer Coaches of the Year with Sofia Orrico and Annika Keck earning All-NEWMAC first team and Grace Casey garnering second team praise. Other accomplishments for Riley-Schafer’s program include United Soccer Coaches Region II first team selections for Orrico and Keck, NEWISA Bowl Selections for Orrico and Jenna Hirshfeld in addition to a CoSIDA Academic All-America honor for Hirshfeld.

In 2019, WPI equaled the school records for victories in a season with 16 and reached the NEWMAC Tournament championship game for the second time in four seasons under seven-year head coach Steph Riley-Schafer. The season rewarded the efforts on the field and in the classroom of Senior goalkeeper Mandy St. Germain, who was selected to the Division III Women's Soccer Academic All-America first team by CoSIDA. Four time All- NEWMAC Senior Midfielder, Kristen McCrea earned her second straight USC All-East Region Award, as well as, her second CoSIDA Women's Soccer Academic All- District accolade. Junior Leah Beauton and first year Annika Keck were also recognized as all NEWMAC players.

In 2017 and 2018, Kristen McCrea was first team All-NEWMAC honoree, while Gabi Hoops garnered first teams honors and Leah Beauton picked up second team accolades in 2018. Both years WPI tied nationally-ranked MIT, preventing Cambridge's Engineers perfect seasons both times.

The 2016 season featured a number of program firsts culminating with their first NEWMAC Championship, NCAA tournament appearance and NSCAA Regional Coaching Staff of the Year honors. The 16-2-3 club boasted the best single-season winning percentage (.833) while being the first to host any round of the conference tournament, as well as the semifinals and finals following a 8-1-1 conference schedule. The Engineers traveled to Geneva, NY and played a double overtime draw with Trinity (CT), who advanced via penalty kicks.

Individually, Hoops was named as the first-ever NEWMAC Defensive Player of the Year while McCrea was tabbed as the second in program history to garner NEWMAC Rookie of the Year honors and Schafer was selected by her peers as the NEWMAC Coach of the Year. Susannah Gray joined McCrea on the All-NEWMAC first team.

The 2015 season (11-5-3, 5-3-2 NEWMAC) was successful on the field and off with Emily Doherty racking up a number of All-America honors, including a pair of academic accolades from CoSIDA and the NSCAA. The team also bested Springfield for the first time in program history. Doherty was an All-NEWMAC first teamer while Gray was a second team honoree for the second consecutive year.

In 2014, the team went 8-7-4 overall, with a conference record of 5-2-3 making it to the NEWMAC quarterfinals for the second year in-a-row. With the success of 2014 campaign the team posted back-to-back winning seasons for only the third time in program history and first time since 2003-04.

In her first season at WPI, Schafer posted a 10-7-2 record (4-5-1 NEWMAC) which qualified the Crimson and Gray for the NEWMAC tournament for the first time since 2010. Megan Forti was the lone WPI All-NEWMAC representative with a first team nod.

Prior to Riley-Schafer coming to WPI she was the top assistant at Division I Wagner College. She was heavily involved with the Seahawks in designing and implementing practice and training sessions as well as in recruiting. Riley-Schafer also took an active role in academic monitoring, scheduling, team travel and fundraising. Prior to her time at Wagner, she spent three seasons as an assistant at Curry College where she helped the Colonels reached the CCC Tournament in 2008 and 2010.

Riley-Schafer also spent five seasons with the Boston Breakers serving as the Senior Team Coordinator, Equipment Manager, Team Manager and Director of Operations over those five seasons. Among her many duties, Riley-Schafer managed player personnel, coordinated practice and game schedules, organized team travel and oversaw the host family program that places 20+ athletes in rent-free housing.

A native of the Philadelphia area, Riley-Schafer played collegiately at Division I Temple University, where she earned a bachelor's degree in sports and recreation management with a minor in business. In 2013, she graduated from Wagner with her master's in secondary education with a social studies concentration.

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Melissa Hart

2023 marks year two for Melissa Hart as the WPI Women's Soccer Co-Head Coach alongside Steph-Riley Schafer.

Hart is no stranger to the NEWMAC as she served as the head coach for both the MIT women's soccer and basketball programs for six years from 1997-98 through 2002-03 and is one of only two recipients in conference history to claim NEWMAC Coach of the Year honors in both sports. After MIT, Hart made four-year stop in Boston where she was at the helm of the Emerson women's basketball program and a volunteer assistant coach of the Lions' women's soccer team for two seasons. The seasoned dual-sport coach was a two-sport All-American in soccer and basketball as a student-athlete at Hamilton where she holds school records for both programs and began her collegiate coaching career at her alma mater where she held roles as the head soccer, assistant basketball and interim head softball coach within a three-year stint.

Co-Head Coach Hart earned her bachelor of arts degree in English literature at Hamilton and collected her master of science degree in exercise and sport studies from Smith.

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Alisa Villarreal

Alisa Villarreal joins the Crimson and Gray coaching staff for the 2022 season.

A respected club soccer coach, Villarreal has spent the last decade with Best F.C. developing the technical abilities of athletes ages 3-14.

Villarreal has spent the last five years as a science educator at the Gerald Cramer Center in Worcester. A 2013 University of New Mexico graduate, she earned her undergraduate degree in biology with a minor in Spanish and in 2022, completed her master’s of education in secondary school education from Worcester State.

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Brian Kelley

Brian Kelley is entering his 11th campaign as the head coach of the Engineers and 15th with the program in 2023. He begins the season with a 100-43-36 (.699) overall record in Worcester.

The 2021 season marked the return to play for Kelley’s men’s soccer program after having the 2020 season canceled due to COVID-19. The Engineers compiled a 10-5-3 record before the season came to an end in the NEWMAC Tournament while finishing second in the NCAA DIII Region II rankings. Kelley’s crew registered four postseason All-Conference accolades including Mike Biando and Evan Hallberg being named to the All-NEWMAC second team, Franco Bazzini named to the first team and Filippo Marcantoni earning the NEWMAC Men’s Soccer Rookie of the Year award. Bazzini and Aaron Vaz combined for three NEWMAC Men’s Soccer Offensive Athlete of the Week nods throughout the year on the pitch. Bazzini and Hallberg were named to the United Soccer Coaches Region II first and third team, respectively, as Erik Hererra and Roe Hendrick earned CoSIDA Academic All-District honors.

2019 was a magical year for Kelley's squad as WPI shared the NEWMAC regular season championship, won the program's first NCAA Tournament game since 1976, and led all of Division III (over 400 teams) in fewest goals allowed (0.452). The postseason awards circuit was a busy one as the Engineers dominated the NEWMAC postseason awards (Kelley - Coach of the Year; Jackson Conroy (Athlete of the Year) and Ben Rickson (Defensive Player of the Year) while Rickson became WPI's first All-American since 1992 when he was named First Team by the United Soccer Coaches.

In 2018 the Crimson and Gray were regionally ranked with a solid overall record of 12-3-3 and an undefeated 4-0-3 mark in conference tilts. WPI reached the semifinals again before they were upended 1-0 by the eventful champions. Kelley reached a milestone in October of 2018 when he earned his 100th career coaching victory in a 2-1 overtime win at Wentworth. Riley Doherty headlined the postseason accolades by taking All-New England honors on the field and Academic All-District honors.

Led by two-time United Soccer Coaches All-Region honoree Brendan Nemes, the Engineers shared the 2017 NEWMAC regular season title and went on to claim the 2017 NEWMAC Championship via penalty kicks at Springfield. A week later, the team was upended by No. 6 SUNY Oneonta via PKs in the NCAA Tournament. Paul Beatty was also named All-Region while Derrick Naugler and Riley Doherty earned CoSIDA Academic All-District honors. Connor Hoeckele joined the quartet as All-NEWMAC selections.

In addition to four All-NEWMAC performers, Kurt Naugler claimed his third CoSIDA Academic All-District I nod while Doherty was selected as the NEWMAC Rookie of the Year in 2015. The Engineers claimed two more All-Conference accolades in 2016 and made Kelley a perfect 4-for-4 in having at least one member of the program named to the first team.

The 2014 team reached the NEWMAC finals for the first time in program history and was ranked sixth in the New England region with a 14-5 ledger. Three players drew All-Conference selections last season and Eric Crevoiserat earned a spot on the NSCAA All-Region third team. Additionally, the team ranked seventh in the country in goals against average in 2014.

Kelley helped the Engineers post an 11-5-1 overall record in 2013 as co-head coach with Malcolm MacPherson. Three players drew all-conference recognition, while forward Chris Ciampa was honored as an All-New England performer and Naugler was named a CoSIDA Academic All-District I honoree. Matt Farrell was also feted as the NEWMAC Rookie of the Year.

Prior to his time as head coach, Kelley spent four seasons as an assistant under MacPherson.

Kelley coached both men's and women's soccer at Defiance (OH). Kelley left a legacy at Defiance as he led the Women's team to their first-ever winning season and the men to the conference finals in 2003 and 2004. Kelley was named the Heartland Conference Coach of the Year on the men's side in 2002 and in 2003 was given the honor for his work with the men's and women's teams.

Before venturing to Ohio, Kelley was an assistant on the men's and women's soccer teams at Muhlenberg College, his alma mater.

As a student, Kelley played for Muhlenberg's men's soccer team for four years and was once named a Centennial Conference All-star. Kelley was also co-captain of the team that reached the Division III Final Four in 1995. After graduating, Kelley signed as a professional soccer player for the Reading Rage (Reading, PA) of the United Soccer League. Reading was the “farm” team for the then NY Metro Stars, now known as the NY Red Bulls. Kelley then took his skills abroad as he trained with Shelbourne F.C, (Dublin, Ireland) and played the 1997 and 1999 seasons for Verona F.C.

Kelley is the owner and president of East Coast Soccer, a company that runs camps, clinics, and tournaments. He has also worked as the Director of Coaching and Player Development at the New England Soccer School. While there, Kelley helped the program expand from two teams to fifteen in three years.

Kelley is originally from Needham, MA, and currently resides in Westboro.

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Alex Wolfel

Alex Wolfel in enterting his seventh season as an assistant coach in 2022.

The Engineers have enjoyed success since Wolfel, with a NEWMAC Tournament championship in 2017 and a share of the NEWMAC regular season championship and WPI's first NCAA Tournament win since 1976 a season ago. His work focuses with the forwards.

Prior to WPI, he served as an assistant coach at Worcester State for two seasons after completing a four-year career as a student-athlete on Chandler Street. The three-time All-MASCAC selection and two-time captain helped guide the 2013 team to a regular season championship and an ECAC Division III New England semifinal appearance. Wolfel currently ranks fifth in career goals scored (30), sixth in career assists (16), sixth in career points, and appears three more times in the Lancers record book.

The business administration major and computer science minor was inducted to the Phi Eta Sigma national honor society.