Women's Soccer
- Title:
- Head Coach
Phil Wheddon, who served as Syracuse's head coach from 2008 through 2018, began his tenure at Syracuse when the Orange was part of The BIG EAST Conference and then guided the program’s transition into the Atlantic Coast Conference in 2013. The third head coach in the history of the Syracuse program, Wheddon resigned his position as head coach at the conclusion of the 2018 season to pursue other opportunities.
At Syracuse, he mentored seven all-conference selections, including the 2012 BIG EAST Goalkeeper of the Year, and 10 Academic All-District selections, in addition to developing several professional and international players.
Wheddon has developed talent at all levels of the game and has coached on the sport's biggest stage at the Olympics and the World Cup. He helped guide the United States to consecutive gold medals, including the 2008 crown in Beijing.
Under Wheddon’s tutelage, five members of the Orange earned All-BIG EAST honors and two were recognized in the ACC. Brittany Anghel became the first member of the program to earn a conference player of the year award after being named the league's Goalkeeper of the Year in 2012. Anghel was voted to the All-BIG EAST First Team that same year, while Alyscha Mottershead earned second-team accolades. In addition, Jackie Firenze was named to the BIG EAST All-Rookie team. Goalkeeper Courtney Brosnan earned the All-ACC honors as a freshman in 2014 and as a senior in 2017.
The Orange excelled in the classroom during Wheddon's tenure. Syracuse had 10 selections to the ESPN The Magazine/CoSIDA Academic All-District I team, including Taylor Haenlin, who was a two-time honoree. Syracuse earned honors as one of the NCAA's top academic teams by earning APR Recognition for their work in the classroom in three consecutive years from 2015 through 2017. The Orange women had the department's best grade point average in 2016-17.
Orange Debut
After helping the U.S. team claim its second consecutive Olympic gold medal, Wheddon made his debut on the Syracuse sidelines in the Orange’s contest against William & Mary in 2008. The Orange earned back-to-back BIG EAST Tournament bids in 2011 and 2012, marking the first consecutive post-season berths since 1999 and 2000. The 2011 squad won seven games and registered six BIG EAST victories, the most since 1998 and the second-highest total in school history. Syracuse qualified for the BIG EAST Tournament for the first time since 2005. In 2012, Syracuse posted nine wins, which was its highest total since 2003.
Wheddon led the Orange to its best start in 10 years in 2013 and guided Syracuse through its first year in the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC), which is recognized as the strongest women's soccer conference in the country. The ACC sent three teams to the NCAA tournament in 2013.
In 2016, the Orange got out to its best start since 1996, the inaugural year of the program, winning seven of its first nine matches of the season. Syracuse also had success at the SU Soccer Stadium, winning five games and registering ties against No. 2 Florida State and No. 20 Notre Dame. In the goal, Brosnan paced the ACC in saves during her final season (102). She holds the Syracuse record for career saves with 344.
International Success
Wheddon worked with U.S. National Teams from 2002 through 2007. He joined the women’s coaching staff as the assistant coach/goalkeeper coach in 2002 and helped lead the team to a third-place finish in the 2003 World Cup, and the gold medal at the 2004 Athens Olympics.
In 2005, Wheddon became an assistant coach and goalkeeper coach with the U.S. Men’s National Team, which won the 2005 CONCACAF Gold Cup and competed in the 2006 World Cup. In 2007, he returned to his position with the women’s national team and helped the squad to a third-place finish in the 2007 World Cup. Wheddon is the only coach to serve on the staffs of both the men’s and women’s national team.
Wheddon and the U.S. women again claimed the Olympic gold medal in Beijing in 2008, defeating Brazil, 1-0, in the final. Under his tutelage, goalkeeper Hope Solo, who played every minute of every game, posted a goals-against average of less than a goal per game. In six games, Solo recorded three shutouts, including the overtime win against Brazil in the gold-medal game.
His responsibilities with the national team included video analysis, international scouting, fitness training, game-day operations, team preparation and player development and evaluation.
Wheddon has trained some of the best goalkeepers in the world, including Solo, Brianna Scurry, the starting goalkeeper on the 2004 U.S. National Team’s gold-medal winning team, Tim Howard, a member of the 2005 U.S. World Cup qualifying squad, and Kasey Keller, the USA’s all-time leader in wins, World Cup qualifying shutouts and appearances.
Joining the Coaching Ranks
Wheddon began his collegiate coaching career at East Stroudsburg University in 1992-93. In 1997, he joined the staff at Southern Connecticut State University. He was an assistant and goalkeeper coach for the men’s and women’s teams through 2000, including the men’s 1998 and 1999 Division II National Championship seasons.
In 2000, he served as the goalkeeper coach for the NY/NJ MetroStars of MLS, which won the 2000 Eastern Division Title, before becoming the assistant coach for the Boston Breakers of the WUSA in 2001 and 2002.
A native of Basingstoke, England, Wheddon earned a Higher National Degree in business and finance with a sports coaching minor from Crewe and Alsager College in Crewe, England in 1989. He earned a bachelor of arts in physical education and sports management from East Stroudsburg University in 1994. Wheddon has a U.S. national “A” coaching license and has been a U.S. National Licensing instructor since 2001. He played professional soccer in the U.S. and England.
Wheddon has one daughter, Autumn, and a son, Cameron.
