Chicago State Director of Athletics Dr. Monique Carroll announced today that Aulani Fernandez has been named head women's soccer coach. Fernandez was elevated to the interim role in July 2022 and led the program during the fall season. Under her leadership, the Cougars set a single season record for wins (3) and had the program's first two-match win streak.
"I am elated to name coach Fernandez as our new women's soccer head coach," Carroll said. "She has shown her commitment to the student-athlete experience and to building a championship caliber program on and off the field. She has come in and immediately had a positive impact on the culture here at CSU."
Fernandez was named an assistant women's soccer coach at Chicago State on June 1, 2022 and was elevated to interim head women's soccer coach a month later, on July 1, 2022, following a departure on the staff.
"I am excited for this next step with Chicago State Athletics and look forward to continue building upon the accomplishments we achieved this past fall," Fernandez said. "I want to thank Dr. Carroll and Jessica Poole for this opportunity to continue coaching our team. I'd also like to thank my assistant Grace (Sokolow) and all CSU Athletics staff for their incredible support; they are instrumental to our team's success on and off the field. I value the student-athlete experience and look forward to leading our team to excellence on the field, in the classroom and in the community."
Fernandez joined the Cougars after serving as a volunteer assistant coach for the Valparaiso women's soccer team from February-May 2022.
Prior to her time at Valpo, Fernandez was an assistant coach at Stanislaus State University (2021). There, she helped lead the Warriors to an 8-6-4 record and the team allowed just 10 goals in 18 matches.
In October 2021, Fernandez was selected to the 2021-22 class of the United Soccer Coaches 30 Under 30 Program, a year-long education and mentorship opportunity designed to support up-and-coming members of the coaching profession who are 30 years of age or younger.
Fernandez entered the coaching ranks in 2019 as an assistant coach at her alma mater, Cal State East Bay, where she spent two seasons coaching (2019-21), following a four-year playing career (2015-18) for the Pioneers, appearing in 69 matches with 46 starts.
In addition to her collegiate coaching background, Fernandez brings club coaching experience with Mustang Soccer Club, Livermore Fusion and AJAX East Bay.
About Chicago State
Chicago State University Athletics is comprised of 15 intercollegiate teams involving over 150 student-athletes that compete in basketball, cross country, golf, soccer, tennis, indoor and outdoor track and volleyball. CSU held memberships in the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) and NCAA Division II before transitioning to NCAA Division I in 1994. Melvin Bland was the first CSU student-athlete to gain NAIA All-American status in 1974 as a wrestler. Fred Evans became the first black swimmer ever to win a national championship in 1975. In 1991, the Chicago State women's tennis team became the first all-black college team to amass an unbeaten season at the NCAA level. CSU's women's basketball team earned a spot in the 2011 Women's Basketball Invitational and CSU's men's basketball team won the 2013 Great West Conference Tournament title, also making an appearance in the CollegeInside.com Postseason Tournament (CIT). The Men's Outdoor Track & Field 4x100-Meter Relay team were 2019 Honorable Mention All-Americans and WAC Champions. Their feat marked the first time the Chicago State's men's track & field program was represented at the national meet. Chicago State volleyball recorded a historic season in 2021, with Yanlis Feliz becoming CSU's first volleyball All-American and head coach Tony Trifonov earning selection as WAC Coach of the Year. During that same season, three different CSU teams earned victories over Big Ten opponents with men's soccer beating Northwestern, women's basketball upending Wisconsin and volleyball, which established a school record 17 wins and hosted a post-season volleyball tournament for the first time in program history, swept Indiana in Bloomington.
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