Randy Waldrum hired as Pitt women’s soccer coach

Pitt athletic director Heather Lyke announced the hiring of Randy Waldrum as the new head coach of the women’s soccer team on Tuesday.

Waldrum's coaching experience extends back to 1982 and spans the collegiate, professional and international ranks, but he’s best known for his 14-year tenure at Notre Dame, where he went 292-58-17 and won national championships in 2004 and 2010.

He replaces former head coach Greg Miller, who went 32-69-8 over a span of six seasons. Miller was only able to post a winning record once at Pitt, and in 2017, he managed just three wins in 18 games. As a result, he was fired on Nov. 3, and Waldrum has become the fourth head coach appointed in program history.

"Coach Waldrum's proven experience of developing elite players and building and sustaining highly successful programs is most impressive,” Lyke said, according to a press release. “It is evident his passion for positively impacting young people is what drives his success. His championship pedigree and passion fits perfectly with the soccer culture we are creating at Pitt and we are eager to watch our program emerge under his leadership. This is an exciting time for our women's soccer program and for the Pittsburgh soccer community."

Overall, Waldrum has coached to a record of 399-108-29. He ranks third all-time in winning percentage (.771) and fourth in total wins in women's college soccer. Aside from Notre Dame, he also helmed both the men’s and women’s teams at Tulsa, where he remains the all-time winningest coach of each program.

In addition to that, Waldrum was given the chance to start the Baylor women’s soccer program from scratch in 1995, and in the team’s inaugural season in 1996, he led the Bears to a 17-3-1 record. By the time he left Waco for South Bend in 1999, Baylor had gone 46-14-3.

Waldrum resigned from his position at Notre Dame in January 2014 to accept an opportunity to coach the Houston Dash of the National Women’s Soccer League. However, he didn’t enjoy as much success in the professional ranks, as he ultimately went 19-39-13 in Houston before being fired on May 29.

Prior to Tuesday’s announcement, Waldrum — who previously coached the U.S. women’s under-23 team and Trinidad and Tobago — had been named the head coach and technical adviser of the Nigerian national women’s team back in October. But Goal.com reported Wednesday that Waldrum had since turned down that position to coach at Pitt.

"I am extremely excited to get started competing in the best conference in the country in the ACC, working with this group of players that are so hungry for success,” Waldrum said, per the press release. “There is much work to be done for sure, as past results have not been what is expected, but I am confident that with all of us working together we can bring this program into national prominence and build a program of excellence."