Westminster Blue Jays: The Official Site of Westminster College Athletics

Alumna Courtney Howe, class of 2013, has been named the head coach of the women's soccer program at Westminster College. Director of Athletics Matt Mitchell announced the hiring on Friday. Howe replaces Wendy Sanchez, who stepped down earlier in July. Howe ’13 spent last season as an assistant coach at cross-town neighbor William Woods University, helping guide the Owls to a 9-3 overall record and 8-1 in the AMC during the pandemic shortened 2020-21 season.

Howe “13 was a four-year starter for the Blue Jays from 2009-12 seasons.  The goal keeper was a two-time captain for the Blue Jays and was named the team MVP in her senior season.

After graduation, she was hired to be an assistant coach at her alma mater by her coach Jen Dyson.  She served as an assistant from 2013 to 2015.  The 2015 team finished 10-7-2 overall for the first winning season in ten years for the Jays.  They were 7-2 in SLIAC play good for a third-place finish and berth in the SLIAC Postseason Conference Tournament where the Jays would win the tournament championship and advanced to the programs first ever NCAA Tournament.

Howe’s next stop in her coaching career would be on the club team circuit.  She would work as an assistant coach for Sporting Columbia in Columbia, MO from 2017-2018. In 2019 she would coach the goalkeepers for United Capital City.

In the Fall of 2019 Coach Howe would begin working on her Masters of Education at NAIA William Woods University while joining Coach Lauren Robb’s staff as an assistant coach.  She would help the Owls to two consecutive winning seasons and in 2019 the Owls would go 12-9 overall and 10-2 in the AMC.  The team received an at large bid to the NAIA National Tournament.

Howe ’13 found herself grateful for the opportunity to return home, “I am filled with joy and gratitude as I step in this new chapter of my career. I would like to thank athletic director Matt Mitchell for this amazing opportunity.  It is an honor to be a Blue Jay again, and I look forward to building on the success this program has continued to make over the years.

"I am very excited to welcome Courtney back to campus as our next head coach of our very successful women's soccer program," said Westminster College Athletic Director Matt Mitchell. "Her recruiting experience, familiarity with the campus and our women’s program culture were a huge factors in choosing her for this position.  Her enthusiasm for Westminster College will be contagious for the young women that she will lead.”