After 12 successful seasons with the program, DePaul women’s soccer coach Erin Chastain will be walking the sideline for the foreseeable future.

On Tuesday, DePaul athletics announced they are extending Chastain’s contract through the 2023 season. In her 12 seasons as head coach, she has led the team to two NCAA Tournament appearances, two Big East regular-season championships, a Big East Tournament title, seven appearances in the Big East Tournament and an overall record of 51-13-17.

“I am very grateful to [athletic director] Jean Lenti Ponsetto, Jill Hollembeak and the University for believing in me and our women’s soccer program,” Chastain said on the team’s website. “I absolutely love our team, staff and program.”

In 2014 Chastain led DePaul to its best season in program history by posting a 16-1-4 overall record and a 7-0-2 record in the Big East. Her team would end up winning the Big East regular-season championship, Big East Tournament championship and a berth in the NCAA Tournament.  

Going into the 2015 season, DePaul was ranked No. 21 in the NSCAA coaches poll and No. 12 by Soccer America in the preseason — the first time in program history the Blue Demons were nationally ranked entering the season. The Blue Demons ended up returning to the Big East championship game for the second straight season before losing to Providence.

“Coach Chastain has proven year in and year out to be a shining star among Division 1 women’s soccer programs as is evidenced by the meteoric rise of our DePaul program over the past 10 years,” Ponsetto said in the announcement. “Her teams are always well prepared and compete with a fierce determination in one of the nation’s toughest conferences, the Big East. DePaul is thrilled to extend Erin’s contract as we look forward to her leading our program to many more academic and athletic successes.”

In 2016, Chastain took the Blue Demons to the Big East Semifinals and finished the season with a 10-6-3 overall record and a 7-2-0 Big East record. That year the Blue Demons were was No. 11 in the nation in scoring offense and No. 16 in goals and points per game. However, the last two seasons have seen Chastain and the Blue Demons post a 15-13-10 overall record and a 7-5-6 Big East record and lose in the Big East Quarterfinals both seasons.

Chastain is confident that the program will keep winning games and compete for conference championships in the future.

“From our alums to our current players to our recruited student-athletes, we get the opportunity to work with outstanding young women on a daily basis,” Chastain said of the opportunity to remain at DePaul. “The student-athlete experience that our young women are a part of at DePaul is unique and special, especially in this climate of collegiate athletics. I look forward to striving to compete for more conference championships and more incredible moments for this program on and off the field.”

Recently on Nov. 29 Chastain announced seven new members to the 2019 season in an effort to bolster the squad and advance further in the Big East tournament. Kristin Boos, Kolbee Hale, Nathalia Lopez, Megan Malecha, Elena Milam, Maria Nordness and Jadyn Scholler have all signed a National Letter of Intent.

“We are very excited about our 2019 class,” Chastain said. “We expect each player to come in and increase the competitiveness of our team. We also know that all of these young women will embody the core values of our program and be wonderful representatives of our women’s soccer program on and off the field.”