Eastern Illinois women's soccer head coach
Dirk Bennett has completed his first coaching staff with the hiring of Deanna Hecht as the Panthers new assistant coach. Bennett also announced that Kayla Baird will work as a volunteer assistant coach.
Hecht comes to EIU following two seasons as an assistant coach at Illinois College. While on the staff at IC she helped coach one first team and one second team selection in The Midwest Conference. Hecht began her collegiate coaching career on the staff at College of Lake County where she helped the team make a NJCAA National Tournament appearance in 2019. During her two years on staff the team won the Skyway Conference Championship and the NJCAA Region IV Championship. She was named to the United Soccer Coaches 30 Under 30 Class for 2022-23.
Hecht has additional coaching experience at the club level working with the Springfield Area Soccer Club and as a master coach at the Berkshire Soccer Academy for Girls. She was a seasonal coach for Fort Wayne United while playing collegiate soccer at Purdue Fort Wayne. Hecht earned her bachelor's degree from Purdue Fort Wayne. Hecht has additional playing experience with the Fort Wayne United FC Gryphons in the United Women's Soccer League.
Baird will serve as a volunteer assistant coach working with the goalkeepers. She played the last two seasons at Utah Tech posting nine shutouts during her senior season with a 0.54 goals against average. Baird earned her bachelor's degree from Utah Tech.
"Deanna is someone we are very excited to have with us this fall. She is meticulously organized, an experienced recruiter, and someone that doesn't shy away from the work. Her ability to connect with athletes is something that was mentioned consistently by her former colleagues, which is exactly what we were looking for in an assistant. Kayla is going to help coach our goalkeepers and will have a hand in all aspects of running our soccer program. She is just completing her playing career and is at the start of her coaching journey," said Bennett. "As a first-year head coach, I'm fortunate to be working with good coaches and even better people on staff this fall."
EIU will open the fall season on Aug. 17 at Valparaiso after three home exhibition matches. The first in-season game at Lakeside Field will be Aug. 20 against Illinois Springfield.
