With the 2020-21 University of Southern Indiana Athletic seasons postponed due to COVID-19, we wanted to take this time to re-introduce the Screaming Eagles coaches and staff members.

Today features USI Women's Soccer Head Coach Eric Schoenstein '93, who became the fourth head coach in the history of the women's soccer program in February of 2016. He has steadily built the Screaming Eagles into a regional power since being elevated from the program's first ever assistant coach. 

The 2019 campaign was the Eagles' best under Schoenstein as the program won its first ever Great Lakes Valley Conference Tournament championship that propelled the program into the NCAA II Tournament for the first time since 1998. USI concluded the 2019 season with a 12-7-2 overall record, 8-6-1 in the league's regular season, and was ranked as high as fifth in the United Soccer Coaches Midwest Region poll. 

During the third season under Schoenstein's direction, the 2018 Screaming Eagles entered new territory. USI captured a share of the GLVC regular season championship for the first time in program history with a 9-3-1 league record; reached the GLVC Tournament semifinals for the first time since 1999; and was ranked in the NCAA Division II Midwest Region for the first time since 2010 after finishing the year with a 12-5-3 mark. 

No stranger to the USI soccer program before joining the Athletics staff in 2014, Schoenstein playing a pivotal role during the Eagles' dominance of the Great Lakes Valley Conference with the Eagles winning league titles in 1988, 1989, 1990, and 1991. He was a senior captain in 1991, earned All-Region honors 1988, was a three-time All-GLVC award winner (1988, 1990, 1991), and finished his career on the 1991 Academic All-GLVC squad. The Evansville, Indiana, native is still among the all-time leaders at USI, ranking third in goals scored (34); fifth in assists (22); and third in total points (90). 

Schoenstein has been a mainstay in the Evansville soccer community since the 1980s. He became a part of the USI coaching staff after serving as the Sporting Southern Indiana (formerly Southwest Indiana Soccer Association) Director of Coaching and Player Development since 2002.  He was named the 2013 Indiana Girls Travel Coach of the Year and was the 2008 Indiana Director of Coach Award winner.
 
During his tenure with Sporting Southern Indiana, Schoenstein enlarged the club from 12 to 32 teams, growing the recruiting base from 200 to 600 players.
 
Schoenstein's Sporting Southern Indiana U18 team won the state championship in 2017, marking his 11th state championship. He compiled a record of 269-80-60 as the head coach of the SWISA Rush U-18 Girls, earning a number one ranking in Indiana, and the SWISA Crush U-17 Girls. Schoenstein, who was named the 2006 Indiana High School Coach of the Year while leading the Bosse High School program,  also directed the U-18 squad to four state finals, to the 2012 Midwest Region 2 semifinals, and the 2009 Midwest Regional League championship.
 
The U-17 team earned a number two ranking in Indiana under Schoenstein's direction and won the 2013 Indiana State Cup title.
 
Here is a little more about USI's women's soccer head coach:
 
Hometown/What was the best part of growing up there? St. Louis. Missouri; I'll give you three reasons. 1) The greatest sports town in the country, Cardinals, Blues, and Steamers; 2) The food was amazing, The Hill, Bevo Mill, Imo's, Sam's, Pappy's, but no one beat my mom's cooking; 3) The people.
 
Alma Mater: USI '93

Favorite Athlete All-Time: Franz Beckenbauer, Lothar Mattaus, Jurgen Klinsmann (German World Cup Soccer Champions), Ozzie Smith and Magic Johnson.

Favorite Team(s): St. Louis Cardinals, St. Louis Steamers, St. Louis Blues, and the German National Soccer team.

Favorite part of USI? Why? The culture and family atmosphere. Since I joined the USI family seven years, everyone has made me feel welcome and the support system is like no other place I've worked.
 
If you weren't a coach/athletic administrator, what career would you have? I would've been an Actor. The theater has always been my second passion. I would've been a character actor like Alan Rickman (Harry Porter, Die Hard, Robin Hood).
 
Your go to activity during COVID-19? Running, landscaping, and home-schooling Adam
 
What did you binge watch during lockdown? New Girl, Cheers, and WKRP in Cincinnati
 
Your go to food? Imo's Hamburger and Onion Pizza and Toasted Ravioli
 
What is the dumbest way you've been injured? I got kicked in the head with attempting a diving header. The ball was rolling on the ground.

If you were a fictional character, who would you be? Why?  Either Joe Fox from "You've Got Mail". He's funny, successful, and ends up with Meg Ryan in the end. Or Herb Brooks (I know he's not fictional) from "Miracle". To be a part of the Miracle on Ice and his speech before the Russian game is timeless.

What's your biggest screw up in the kitchen? Walking into the kitchen attempting to cook is not a good idea.

What ridiculous thing has someone tricked you into doing or believing? I went to a psychic after my first marriage and she told me I was going to be married three times. So, I've been trying to find my second wife for 20-plus years now.

When did you know you wanted to be a coach or athletic administrator? My freshman year at USI, Coach Colavecchia called me into his office and said "Schoenstein you don't say much but one day you're going to make a great soccer coach." I walked out his office thinking that would be fun.