Temple women’s soccer coach resigns after seven seasons

Temple University women’s soccer coach Seamus O’Connor resigned, he announced in a statement on Monday.

O’Connor served as head coach for seven years. His resignation comes after the team posted a 5-9-5 record and a 2-5-2 American Athletic Conference record. 

The team’s season ended when it missed a spot in the AAC Tournament after 1-1 draw against UConn (6-8-3, 2-5-2 The AAC) on Oct. 31.  

Temple needed to beat the Huskies to claim one of the last two spots in the AAC Tournament. The Owls finished eighth place in the conference. 

“I have had the pleasure of working with some fine coaches and exceptional young women. I have watched our players grow, both on the field and in life,” O’Connor said in a press release on Monday. 

Temple will begin a national search for its next head coach immediately, said Patrick Kraft Temple University’s director of athletics, in the same press release on Monday.  

“I want to thank Seamus for his dedication and service to our university and to the young women who came through his program,” Kraft added. “We wish him all of the best in his future endeavors.” 

This season, the Owls finished last in The American in total shots, total points, total goals, goals per game, total assists and assists per game. 

Temple failed to score at least one goal in nine of their 19 total games this season, including two 0-0 double-overtime ties against Central Florida (11-3-4, 5-5-2 The AAC) on Oct. 17 and on Sept. 5 against Lehigh University (5-8-5, 3-5-1 The Patriot League). 

“I’m extremely proud of how we played this year,” O’Connor said after Temple’s game against the Huskies on Oct. 31. “Over the course of the year from the preseason to now, we’ve lost seven players to injury, and that’s way too much for any team, but I’m extremely proud of the way we played this year.”

O’Connor took over as head coach in 2013 after spending the 2011 and 2012 seasons as an assistant. The Owls had a record of 50-73-11 during his seven seasons at the helm and made the conference tournament four times. 

The Owls’ most recently made the conference tournament last season. They lost 3-0 to Central Florida in the first round.

In 2014 the Owls posted a school record with 11 wins, before breaking that mark one year later in 2015 by finishing with 12 wins.

In total, the Owls finished 0-4 in The American Tournament while O’Connor was the coach.