NASHVILLE, Tenn. – Lipscomb Women’s Soccer and head coach Kevin O’Brien announced Tuesday the new coaching staff for the 2023-24 season. Volunteer Assistant Coach Nate Chatfield has been promoted to Associate Head Coach while Emma Webb and Addy Cronan have joined the staff as Assistant Coaches.
“I am very excited to announce new staff additions and elevations within our women’s soccer program,” said Coach O’Brien.
“First and foremost is the promotion of Nate Chatfield,” O’Brien announced. “To be able to retain a gifted and mature coach like Nate, who has been a massive part of our success these last five seasons, was my top priority.”
Nate Chatfield first joined the staff in July 2018, helping the Bisons to a record-setting season for wins and their first ever ASUN Tournament Championship and subsequent NCAA Tournament berth.
Since then, Chatfield has helped guide the Bisons to two more ASUN Championship titles and two ASUN Regular Season Champion titles including a 2021 season in which the Purple and Gold posted 13 shutouts.
Prior to arriving at Lipscomb, Chatfield spent time coaching at Northland International University in Wisconsin and Inter-City Baptist High School in Michigan.
A three-time NCAA Division II First Team All-American, Chatfield himself played collegiate soccer at Northland International where he recorded 91 goals and 78 assists across his four-year career.
“Nate’s soccer knowledge is exceptional, but even more impressive is his heart for developing young people,” O’Brien commented. “The team loves hearing Nate share on leadership, mentoring, the Enneagram, and just about anything he delivers! He knows exactly who we are striving to be in our program as outlined in 1 Cor. 10:31 and sets an incredible example of Christian maturity.”
“The next coach I am pleased to announce is Emma Webb,” said O’Brien. “Emma has a wealth of knowledge around the game having been a collegiate head coach herself and, being the daughter of a college soccer coach and current Athletics Director, soccer is in Emma’s blood, and it is evident!”
Emma Webb joins the Bisons from Alliance University where she spent the past four seasons as the Warriors’ head coach, improving the program from a 10th place conference finish to a third-place conference finish within a year. Webb was named the 2021 CACC Coach of the Year following a season in which her squad finished 4-3-1 including a trio of shutouts.
Before her tenure as head coach at Alliance, Webb served as the program’s recruiting coordinator after spending three years coaching for Eastern Nazarene College, logging time on the coaching staffs of both the men’s and women’s soccer teams.
Webb competed collegiately for Houghton University where she spent four seasons with the Highlanders. Over her time in New York, Webb helped the Highlanders to a 53-28-4 record, four post-season pushes, and a NCCAA National Championship in 2015.
“Having a fresh perspective on our players and our style of play will be beneficial as we begin our season. Another aspect that makes Emma a great fit for our coaching team is her heart for mentoring players,” continued O’Brien. “She gets what we are after here at Lipscomb Women’s Soccer – glorifying God in the game – and has already begun developing relationships and encouraging our players.”
“Our final coaching announcement is the hiring of Addy Cronan,” O’Brien said. “With Addy we get a hungry young coach that wants to develop her coaching chops while also investing in the hearts, minds, and souls of our players.”
The final member of the coaching staff, Addy Cronan, comes to Music City following a trio of managerial jobs with Reliance Partners and the CFC Foundation during which she was responsible for the hiring of new employees, employee engagement, and spiritual formation.
Cronan logged her own time on the pitch across a four-season career in which she tallied 24 goals and 16 assists for a total 64 points over her three years with the Covenant Scots as well as an additional goal and three assists with the Berry College Vikings.
For her efforts, Cronan collected three USA South First Team All-West Division selections, a USA South All-Tournament selection, a United Soccer Coaches Scholar All-South Region Second Team selection, a United Soccer Coaches Scholar All-South Region Third Team selection, and a USA South All-Academic selection.
“As the youngest member of the coaching staff, Addy brings a natural connection to the culture of the players we are tasked with leading,” O’Brien finished. “Her heart for the Lord is obvious to anyone who interacts with her, and she is excited to continue using the platform of soccer to invest in the lives of young women.”
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