Marquette University

Marquette University Athletics Department
Al McGuire Center - 770 N. 12th Street Milwaukee, WI 53233

Division 1 Wisconsin Midwest

Private Medium National competitor

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Coaches

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Frank Pelaez

The 2022 campaign will mark the third for head coach Frank Pelaez, who was named the program's fourth mentor in December of 2019.

Pelaez, who previously served as a MU assistant and associate head coach for 19 years, spent five seasons at Loyola University Chicago on the women's soccer coaching staff, including two years as associate head coach. The Ramblers won two Missouri Valley Conference tournament titles to earn the league’s NCAA Championship berth in each of the last two seasons, while losing just one league game during that time.

Pelaez was part of a staff alongside head coach Barry Bimbi that earned the last two MVC Coaching Staff of the Year honors and led the Ramblers to a program-record 12-match winning streak in 2019. In total, LUC went 52-37-10 during his time in Rogers Park and 21-10-2 in conference play. Loyola ranked second in the nation with 61 goals scored in 2017 and in 2018 lost to eventual NCAA champion Florida State, 1-0, in the NCAA First Round.

A native of Cartagena, Colombia, Pelaez joined the Ramblers after a successful stay at Marquette, which included 13 seasons as associate head coach. During his 19-year stint in Milwaukee (1996-2014) he helped guide the Golden Eagles to a 282-104-39 record, highlighted by nine regular season conference championships, five BIG EAST titles, two BIG EAST tournament championships and a pair of Conference USA Tournament titles. Marquette recorded 19 consecutive 10-win seasons with 11 seasons of 15-or-more wins and appeared in the NCAA tournament 12 times. He also directly assisted in the development of 113 all-conference, 63 all-region and 12 All-America selections.

His time at MU included a program-record 20-win season in 2000 and a six-year stretch from 2008-13 in which the Golden Eagles made six NCAA appearances and won five BIG EAST regular season titles. In the four years from 2010-13, Marquette went 70-15-6 overall and a remarkable 39-1-1 in BIG EAST play, advancing to a pair of NCAA Sweet 16s and winning two conference tournament crowns.

In the classroom, Pelaez’s squads have earned the United Soccer Coaches Team Academic Award in every season since 1997.

Pelaez also spent one season as an assistant coach with the MU men’s team, helping the Golden Eagles to a 12-8-1 record in 2001.

Prior to his initial arrival at Marquette, Pelaez spent four years as the head boys' and girls' soccer coach at A.C. Reynolds High School in Asheville, North Carolina. During his four seasons at the helm, Pelaez compiled an 88-21-6 overall record, earning Western Carolina Coach of the Year honors for both boys and girls following the 1995 and 1996 seasons. He was also tabbed as the Boys' Coach of the Year in 1993. Under Pelaez's guidance, both sides captured their first conference titles in school history while also qualifying for the state quarterfinals on three separate occasions as well.

Pelaez played collegiate soccer at UNC Asheville, serving as the Bulldogs' captain as a senior. He earned his bachelor's degree in visual arts from the school in 1992.

Pelaez married the former Melissa Moffatt in August of 2009. The couple has two children, Gabriella and Leela.

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Erin Scott

The 2022 campaign will mark the third at Marquette University for Erin Scott, who serves as an assistant coach with the program.

Scott joined the Valparaiso University women's soccer program as a graduate assistant coach in the summer of 2019, following a four-year career as a Division I goalkeeper. She spent her final two years at Campbell, where she started all 38 games. A two-time Big South Defensive Player of the Week, Scott posted a 1.02 GAA as a junior in 2017, the fourth-best single season mark in program history. She ranks second in Campbell career history in shutouts (nine), fifth in GAA (1.23) and seventh in saves (157).

Prior to her time at Campbell, Scott played two seasons at Creighton. She made 24 starts over her two years with the Bluejays, including 20 starts as a freshman in 2015. Scott stopped 108 shots as a rookie for Creighton, second-most in a single season in program history.

Scott spent the 2019 spring semester as a student assistant for the Campbell women’s soccer program. She has served as a coach at Camp Shutout, a camp devoted to training high-level youth goalkeepers, for the past four years and assisted with Campbell soccer camps during her time with the Camels.

Scott graduated from Campbell University with bachelor's degrees in broadcast/electronic media and sports communication in May 2019. She is currently pursuing her master's degree in sports media at Valpo.

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Paul Sikinger

The 2022 campaign will mark the first for Paul Sikinger with the Marquette University women's soccer program.

The Sussex, Wisconsin, native arrives on campus after most recently serving as Director of Elite Clubs National League (ECNL) for FC Wisconsin, one of multiple individuals in that role. He oversaw the regional league program for the only ECNL for the only club in the state participating in the organization. He was involved with player development, coaching and membership engagement.

Prior to his most recent position with FC Wisconsin, Sikinger worked in a variety of coaching and administrative positions with Strike FC Wisconsin since 2013. He also served as the girl’s varsity head coach at Germantown High School since 2010, guiding numerous players to the collegiate ranks.

A 2010 graduate of Cardinal Stritch University with a degree in sociology, Sikinger was a member of the men’s soccer program for two seasons (2007-08). He spent his first two years at UW-Whitewater and was also on the varsity team with the Warhawks.