Women's Soccer Southern Conference

Webster Resigns as Elon Women's Soccer Coach

ELON, N.C. -- Paul Webster has resigned as head women's soccer coach at Elon University to accept the same position at Elmhurst College (Illinois) after serving as the Phoenix mentor the past nine seasons. Webster takes over for Dave Di Tomasso, who took on the duties of coaching the Bluejays' inaugural men's soccer team earlier this year. Webster will remain at Elon through April.

Webster's teams captured four conference regular season championships and advanced to the 1999 NCAA Tournament, the first NCAA Division I postseason appearance in any sport for the Phoenix. That feat was accomplished in Elon's first year of Division I competition. Along the way, Webster compiled an overall record of 74-79-8 (.484).

He guided Elon to back-to-back South Atlantic Conference championships in his first two seasons, earning SAC Coach of the Year honors in 1995, and NSCAA Division II South Regional Coach of the Year accolades in 1996. After Elon moved up to the NCAA Division I level in 1999, Webster guided the Phoenix to an NCAA Tournament appearance after capturing the Big South Conference Tournament title.

Webster's 2000 team claimed the Big South regular season championship and returned to the tournament title game. He guided the Phoenix to a second consecutive conference regular season crown and a third straight Big South tournament championship game appearance in 2001, earning Big South Coach of the Year honors.

Prior to joining Elon, Webster spent two seasons as an assistant coach at Queens College in Charlotte, N.C. He began his coaching career at Buchholz High School in Gainesville, Fla. He coached the girls' squad for five seasons, compiling a record of 83-25-3 (.761). He guided the team to the state tournament's final four in 1989 and was selected as The Gainesville Sun Girls High School Coach of the Year four times (1990-1993).

Webster also served two years as an assistant coach for the Charlotte Speed of the USISL Women's Premier League. In addition, he has served as an age group coach in the North Carolina Olympic Development Program for the past five years.

Webster earned a bachelor of science degree in exercise and sports sciences from the University of Florida in 1989 and a master of arts degree in teaching from Queens College in 1996. He also holds NSCAA national and advanced national diplomas.

Webster inherits an Elmhurst team that has placed second in the College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin the past five years, posting a 63-34-6 record (.641) during that time span.

The search for Webster's replacement will begin immediately.