The women’s soccer team recently hired Jeannette Boudway to assist Jen Hughes this upcoming 2016 season. Boudway comes to the Pioneer Valley from iconic South Bend, Indiana where she assisted Notre Dame’s Division I women’s soccer program through five prestigious years. She helped lead the Fighting Irish to a 78-14-6 record consisting of two Final Four appearances and one big National Championship in 2010. Boudway was a jack-of-all-trades in Indiana, also serving as the coordinator of soccer operations. She handled the video, travel, equipment, recruiting, all the way to budgeting. After handling all of these tasks in a program as big as Notre Dame’s, Boudway is surely ready to navigate similar terrain here in Amherst.
Let’s rewind back to Boudway’s entrance into the coaching world. She began in 2002 at Grand Valley State University. Either by direct impact or some magic in the air, GVSU had their best season to date and just missed the NCAA tournament. Whether this success came from keen coaching or mystic makings, it is evident that Boudway brings success to valleys.
Although she has extensive experience in the multiverse of college coaching, Boudway is not limited to the grind of the NCAA experience. While at previous coaching jobs, she started two club soccer teams. One while at Notre Dame: the Indiana Invaders. And the other while at Grand Valley State University: the Michiana Echo. Both clubs are still operating and allow youth players in the area to get timely exposure to the game.
Coach Boudway’s diverse range of athletic experiences makes her a unique candidate for the assistant coaching job and an intriguing addition to the athletics department. The Amherst community is always curious about an unfamiliar face in Alumni Gym, but especially so about one so worldly and multi-faceted. We had the opportunity to sit down with Coach Boudway and talk about her background and her decision to join the Pioneer Valley family. Here’s what we found:
Q: Why did you choose Amherst? Or, in other words, what are you looking forward to?
A: I am really looking forward to working with Jen, Walker, and the players on the team because I know they bring a lot of enthusiasm and talent to the soccer field (and beyond).
Q: What’s your coaching philosophy?
A: My philosophy is to not let our minds get in the way of what our bodies can do. I challenge athletes to learn & bring intense effort, … and smile!
Q: What’s your athletic background?
A: I have obviously played a lot of soccer and checked a few things off of my list — ran a marathon and a triathlon, and now I also work as a personal trainer.
Q: When you’re not coaching, what are you doing?
A: I love to play with my kids and our dog, we play and watch a lot of sports, hang out with my family and my personal getaway is working out/yoga/qigong.
Q: Are you looking forward to any aspects of the Amherst culture? Or activities?
A: I am most looking forward to seeing what Amherst culture is about through my own experience this first semester.
Q: What’s life at home like?
A: My husband, Ryan is an Assistant AD at UMass. Our son, Cal, is probably the smartest one in our family (he’s five years old). His younger brother, Tyce is two. He is our little maniac. I think they are both excited to be big brothers again in December!
Look for Amherst women’s soccer and Jeannette Boudway to have a successful year. They begin the 2016 campaign against Mount Holyoke on Gooding Field on Tuesday, Sept. 6.
