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Tari St. John
Tari St. John enters her 18th season at the helm of the BU program in 2023. The co-head coach has worked alongside Rob Alman for the past 11 seasons to help produce the most transformative and successful period in program history.
The duo has overseen the Bulldogs transition to the BIG EAST Conference after previously competing in the Atlantic 10 Conference and the Horizon League. St. John and Alman have not seen a losing season in the past 11 campaigns, compiling an overall record of 127-61-28 to post the best winning percentage of any coaching staff in program history. Prior to sharing head coaching duties with Alman, St. John was head coach of the program from 2006 through 2011. Her head coaching record at Butler overall is 177-124-36.
St. John and Alman have achieved considerable postseason success that includes three NCAA Tournament appearances (2021, 2017, 2015), a BIG EAST Tournament title (2015), and four appearances in the BIG EAST Tournament championship match (Spring 2021, 2018, 2017, 2015).
Under the duo’s guidance, Butler has posted double-digit victories in nine of 11 seasons. The program has seen national rankings as high as 20th in 2017, 22nd in 2018, and 17th in 2022. Since joining the BIG EAST in 2013, Butler has finished among the top three teams six times – including first in the Midwest Division in Spring 2021 – and has qualified for the BIG EAST Tournament in nine of the ten seasons. Ranked opponents that have been defeated by Butler include #9 Michigan (2022), #4 Georgetown (2018), #20 Notre Dame (2018), #10 Texas A&M (2017), and #11 Michigan (2013).
Since 2006, 68 players under St. John and Alman have received postseason all-conference recognition, including three player-of-the-year awards and four for Freshmen of the Year. Two players – Serina Kashimoto (2015) and Paige Monaghan (2017) – have received NSCAA/UNC All-America Second Team honors, and 26 have been All-Region selections for their on-the-field performances. Academically, since 2006, two student-athletes have received CoSIDA Academic All-America honors, and five have received NSCAA/USC Scholar All-America accolades, while several others have been recognized at the district/region level.
St. John and Alman have molded players who have moved beyond collegiate soccer. Amanda Kowalski earned a spot with the NWSL Chicago Red Stars after the 2021 season, seeing 12 starts and scoring 3 goals in her first professional season. Annika Schmidt (2019) first played in Sweden and ultimately signed with the Houston Dash. Paige Monaghan (2018) was selected by Sky Blue FC with the 10th overall pick of the 2019 NWSL College Draft, becoming the first player from Butler to be drafted in the NWSL.
With 177 victories, St. John is Butler women’s soccer’s winningest coach. In 2010, she was named Horizon League Coach of the Year, and she and Alman were honored as the 2017 BIG EAST Coaching Staff of the Year.
In 2021, St. John was honored to be the recipient of the Disabilities Allies Award of Excellence given by the United Soccer Coaches Association. This annual Award of Excellence to recognize an individual, organization, group or other entity who has demonstrated experience, contributed growth and has inspired others to get involved with disability soccer. Since fall 2009, St. John's has spearheaded a joint effort between the Butler women's soccer program and TOPSoccer, a community-based training program for athletes with intellectual, emotional, and/or physical disabilities.
Prior to assuming the helm of the Bulldogs program in 2006, St. John served as an assistant coach with her alma mater Purdue (2005) after spending two seasons as an assistant at Butler (2003-2004).
St. John’s collegiate playing experience came at Purdue (1998-2002) where she appeared in 73 matches, earning a starting nod on 71 occasions. As a sophomore, she was named Offensive MVP of the inaugural Boilermaker Challenge Cup, but she suffered a severe ACL injury the following season that required a year of recovery. In her final season (2002), the midfielder assisted on the only goal as Purdue earned a 1-0 victory over No. 9 Michigan – the Boilermakers’ first-ever win over a top-10 opponent – as she helped lead Purdue to its first-ever NCAA Tournament appearance. The two-year captain finished her playing career with nine goals and nine assists while earning Academic All-Big Ten and Academic All-Region honors, as well as being named an Adidas Scholar All-American.
A native of Brookfield, Wis., St. John was a member of eight Wisconsin club teams and two high school championship teams, earning first-team All-State honors three consecutive seasons.
St. John holds an "A" license from the United States Soccer Federation (USSF) and received her National Diploma from the National Soccer Coaches Association of America (NSCAA) during the summer of 2005 and her Advanced National Diploma in 2008.
St. John, who married Rob Alman in 2012, graduated from Purdue in 2003 with a degree in management.
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