Pitt elevates Ben Waldrum to women's soccer head coach; Randy Waldrum moves into technical director role

Pitt’s father-son tandem tasked with leading the Pitt women’s soccer program each will take on new roles.

Randy Waldrum, who has been the Panthers’ head coach for the past seven seasons, will move into a technical director role while his son Ben Waldrum has been elevated to head coach.

Pitt athletic director Allen Greene said the coaching shift was in line with a professional soccer model.

“As we look to continue to innovate and elevate women’s soccer in Pittsburgh, it became obvious that adopting a professional model with Randy assuming the role of technical director would be the best way to utilize his vast experience and success across the collegiate, professional and international levels,” Greene said in a statement.

“Randy’s soccer acumen is unrivaled, and this new role will allow him to focus his energy on the technical and strategic direction of the program. He continues to be integral to the success of the Pitt women’s soccer program and will remain an ideal mentor to our new head coach Ben Waldrum.”

Randy Waldrum, the winningest coach in program history, led the Panthers to a 71-51-11 record with a pair of NCAA Tournament appearances, including an Elite Eight appearance in 2023.

“As collegiate athletics continues to change it is important for our program to be prepared to adjust with it,” said Randy Waldrum, who has 470 career victories, including 14 seasons with powerhouse Notre Dame, as well as stints at Baylor and Tulsa. “Shifting my role to technical director will allow me to focus my attention on roster makeup, scouting, game planning and all aspects of player development.

“Ben is well prepared to take on head coaching duties. He has a great passion for the game and has the energy, enthusiasm and knowledge to lead the program. Pitt women’s soccer will continue to be a program on the rise in the ACC and on the national stage.”

Ben Waldrum has been with the Panthers for seven seasons, including the past six as associate head coach. He also coached with his father at Notre Dame he helped guide the Fighting Irish to the 2004 NCAA championship and three other NCAA College Cup appearances.

“He has learned under a coaching legend in Randy Waldrum and will benefit from continuing to have him on the pitch as the technical director of Pitt women’s soccer,” Greene said. “Ben is extremely passionate about growing the game, competing at a championship level, and helping our student-athletes maximize their opportunity at Pitt.”

Ben Waldrum has played a key factor in the Panthers’ recruiting, which has helped produce 14 All-ACC honorees in the past seven seasons with four players (Deborah Abiodun, Landy Mertz, Sarah Schupansky and Amanda West) earning NWSL contracts over the past three seasons.

“We have worked diligently over the past seven years to elevate this program and this shift to a professional staffing model is going to help us make the next jump,” he said. “I have learned so much from Randy throughout my career and we will continue to operate in sync with him as technical director of the program. We are excited about the roster we have put together for the 2025 season and are eager to get them all on campus to begin working towards another NCAA Tournament run.”