Adam Lindner | Sports Editor
02/15/2018
On Feb. 7, head women’s soccer coach Al Alvine announced that Erica Marshall, formerly an assistant coach at Bryant, has accepted the same position at Duquesne.
The hiring comes months after two coaches from Alvine’s staff accepted positions elsewhere.
Former Duquesne associate head coach Brian Shrum left to become head coach at Youngstown State, and former assistant coach Ashley Magruda departed to D-III Dean College, where she has been named the new head coach of the Bulldogs.
Marshall, an Upper St. Clair native, arrives at Duquesne following assistant coaching stops at Brown (2012-13), Towson (2014) and Bryant (2015-17).
Marshall played collegiately at Towson as well, starting each of her four seasons on her way to compiling 55 points in her career.
In 2011, she played her lone professional season with the ASA Chesapeake Charge of the Women’s Premier Soccer League before beginning her coaching career at Brown.
“I am thrilled to add a coach of Erica’s caliber to our women’s soccer staff,” Alvine said in a press release on Feb. 7. “Her background as a player and a coach at the Division I level will be a tremendous resource for our student-athletes.
“Erica’s passion for developing players and teams on and off the field is something that has already impacted our program,” Alvine continued. “I’m excited to see how her positive influence impacts our program in both the short and long term.”
Following an 11-6-3 campaign that saw the Dukes fall in overtime in the Atlantic 10 semifinals to eventual A-10 champion La Salle, Duquesne will look to compete in the A-10 with a strong cast of returning players in 2018.
Missing among them, though, is 2017 A-10 Midfielder of the Year Linnea Faccenda, who will graduate this spring. Faccenda finished this past season with a team-leading seven assists to go along with five goals.
It remains to be seen, however, as to whether changes in leadership positions affect the Dukes more than Faccenda’s absence will.
Regardless, Marshall is ready to tackle the task at hand.
“I can’t wait to start working with our current women’s soccer student-athletes as well as alumni of the program,” Marshall said in a press release.
