Northeast Community College

Norfolk, NE 68701

Nebraska Midwest

Public Very Small Developing team

I'm interested in this program!

Coaches

Email coach

Chad Miller

Northeast Community College Women’s Head Soccer Coach Chad Miller will be entering his seventh year as the women’s head soccer coach after leading both the men’s and women’s programs since 2015. The women’s soccer program is coming off back-to-back Region XI titles and will look to continue to build upon the upward trajectory of the program.

In 2021, the Hawks set a new mark for most wins in program history under Miller. Northeast totaled 17 wins and defended their Region XI title with a 3-0 win over Hawkeye Community College. The Hawks then defeated then No. 5 ranked Allen County Community College to make a return appearance to the national tournament. Miller was named ICCAC DII Women’s Soccer Coach of the Year while Naomi Pedroza was named NJCAA DII Second Team All-American and Romeni Gurmendi was named NJCAA DII Honorable Mention All-American. Naomi Pedroza, Gurmendi, Sara Pedroza and Kailey Lincoln were all named First Team All-Region recipients. Kyler Bowman, Jessica Clinton, Erica Derby and Brianna Mendias earned Second Team All-Region honors. Hannah Cherven and Carolin Stahlmann were named Honorable Mention All-Region. Cherven, Derby and Stahlmann were named to the NJCAA All-Academic First Team while Clinton, Gurmendi and Taryn O’Brien were named to the Third Team. Miller and assistant coach Lauren Hirsch were also named the Women’s Midwest Region Staff of the Year for Division II Institutions by United Soccer Coaches.

The 2020-21 season was a banner year for Miller and the Northeast women's soccer team. The Hawks won 13 games and the Region XI championship with a 2-1 win over Hawkeye Community College. Coach Miller guided the Hawks to their first win at the national tournament, with a 2-1 victory over Howard Community College. Naomi Pedroza, Jessica Clinton and Mackenzie Byrnes earned All-American status, while Pedroza was named the Offensive MVP, Region XI tournament MVP, ICCAC Player of the Year, First Team All-Region and All-Tournament team. Clinton earned First Team All-Region and Defensive MVP of the Region XI tournament. Mackenzie Byrnes was named the top goalie of the Region XI tournament, while Brianna Mendias and Frida Aguilar-Ximello were named to the All-Tournament team. The Hawks' offense ranked eighth at the NJCAA DII level in goals scored with 36 and 11th in shots on goal with 92.

The 2019 Northeast women's soccer team soared to new heights under Miller. The Hawks recorded their best season to date after recording a 13-5 overall record and a 5-3 record in conference play. Northeast had its season come to an end in the quarterfinals of the Region XI Tournament in overtime. The Hawks broke two school records for most points scored in a season (27) and most assists (9). Northeast also finished 11th in the country as a team for most shutouts and placed in the top-20 for most goals scored with 73. The record-breaking performances didn't stop there as freshman Naomi Pedroza broke six school records and finished 10th in the country with most goals scored in a season with 27 and second in game-winning goals with eight. Kahrena Thompson tallied two new school records for most assists in a season with 15 and for most in a game with three. Pedroza and Thompson each earned First Team All-Region honors, while Kyla Ryan and Mandy Stricker were named Second Team All-Region recipients. Lorry Romain also earned Honorable Mention All-Region status after a breakout sophomore season.

In 2018, the Hawks went 8-7-1 under Miller and 13 players were named All-Academic All-Region. Both Ellie Gess and Emma Weaver were named First Team All-Region and Gess became the first-ever Northeast women's soccer player to sign with a four-year school. Mary Perez and Mandy Stricker earned Second Team All-Region honors, while Dayla Miller and Tayler Ohu were named Honorable Mention All-Region.

The 2017 season was a banner year for the Hawks and Coach Miller. Northeast went 12-6 and made it to the Region XI Semifinal game. Ellie Gess and Hailey Curry were named First Team All-Region members, while Valentina Haboush and Erika Kumm earned Second Team All-Region. Lauren Hirsch and Alexis Wemhoff were named to the Honorable Mention All-Region Team.

In the inaugural season, the Hawks went 4-11-2. Erika Kumm was named First Team All-Region and Kaylee Chapman earned Second Team All-Region accolades. Saige Hollum, Zoe Serres and Kaitlyn Van Surksum were named Honorable Mention All-Region.

To date, 10 women's soccer players have transferred to four-year universities to continue their academic and athletic careers.

Prior to coaching for Northeast, Miller served as the head coach for the Lutheran High Northeast/Norfolk Catholic boys soccer team for three years and the girls soccer team for five years. In addition, he has coached club teams in the Norfolk area. Coach Miller holds a coaching diploma from the National Soccer Coaches Association of America, and he earned his Associate of Applied Technology degree in Information Technology from Northeast. Miller also played collegiate soccer for two years.

Chad and his wife, Amy, have three children: Taylor, Maci and Charlie.

Email coach

Lauren Hirsch

Lauren Hirsch enters her third season as an assistant coach under head coach Chad Miller.

Last season Hirsch joined head coach Chad Miller in being named the Women’s Midwest Region Staff of the Year for Division II Institutions by United Soccer Coaches after a record-setting season in 2021. The pair led the Hawks back to the national tournament. Naomi Pedroza was named NJCAA DII Second Team All-American and Romeni Gurmendi was named NJCAA DII Honorable Mention All-American under the tutelage of Hirsch.

Hirsch played an integral role in guiding the Northeast women's soccer team to their first-ever appearance in the NJCAA DII Women's Soccer National Tournament. The Hawks finished with a 13-5 record and Naomi Pedroza, Mackenzie Byrnes and Jessica Clinton garnered NJCAA DII All-American status with Hirsch’s guidance.

Hirsch is a graduate of Northeast, obtaining an Associate of Arts degree in 2018. At Northeast, she was a member of the Hawks’ women's soccer team, earning First Team All-Academic honors and All-Conference honors as a freshman and sophomore.

Hirsch attended Luther Preparatory School in Watertown, Wis., where she was a four-time letterwinner and varsity starter in volleyball and soccer. She was also a three-year starter in basketball. She was named First Team All-Conference in both sports, while receiving high honors all four years in high school.

She is responsible for practice planning, recruiting, travel coordination and game management.