Temple University Athletics
Chris Shaw Named Women's Soccer Head Coach
1.4.24 | Women's Soccer
PHILADELPHIA- Chris Shaw, a decorated 15-year head coach, has been named the head women's soccer coach at Temple University, announced Vice President and Director of Athletics Arthur Johnson. "I am excited Coach Shaw accepted the opportunity to come to Temple to lead our program. He has an impressive track record of turning programs around while pushing his teams to excel in the classroom. I want to thank the search committee for their service to bring strong candidates to campus."
Shaw added: "I am excited about the opportunity to lead the Temple Women's Soccer program and cannot wait to get started. I am looking forward to the challenge of rebuilding and creating a competitive program that competes for championships in the American Athletic Conference. Thank you to Vice President & Director of Athletics Arthur Johnson, Executive Senior Associate Athletics Director for Compliance and Student Affairs Kristy Bannon, Executive Senior Associate AD/Strategic Initiatives and Sports Derek Horne and the rest of the search committee for their time and energy associated with the search. I am looking forward to becoming an Owl!"
Shaw has had an impressive career as a head coach and brings a wealth of experience to Temple University women's soccer after turning around multiple programs and leading Robert Morris University for the past four seasons. In 2023, Shaw led the Colonials to one of their most successful seasons in history (12-5-3), taking the team to the semifinals of the Horizon League Championship. This was the first playoff appearance in program history since joining the Horizon League Conference on July 1, 2020.
Following the 2021 campaign, under Shaw's leadership, Robert Morris was awarded the United Soccer Coaches Team Ethics & Sportsmanship Award, earning bronze level recognition. Shaw was instrumental in the development of midfielder Kaoru Hayashi, who was tabbed to the 2023 United Soccer Coaches Scholar All-American Third Team and Scholar All-East Region Second Team, the 2021 All-Horizon League Second Team, as well as the 2021 United Soccer North Region Third Team. Hayashi was the first student-athlete in program history to garner Scholar All-American honors. Rookie Emily Rocco also earned a spot on the 2021 All-Horizon League Freshman Team. Before his tenure at Robert Morris, Shaw spent six years as the head coach at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas (UNLV), compiling an overall record of 66-48-9 (.573). The winningest coach in program history, Shaw was named the 2016 Mountain West Conference (MWC) Coach of the Year after leading the Rebels to an overall record of 16-4-3 (.761), including a mark of 8-1-2 (.818) in the MWC. UNLV claimed its first conference championship and NCAA Tournament berth since 2007, had a 12-match unbeaten streak during the year, the longest in program history, and established school records for points (152), goals (51) and assists (50).
His career includes a stop at Barton College (Wilson, NC) as the head coach, where he was selected as the 2013 Conference Carolinas Coach of the Year. He was the head coach at the University of Mount Olive (NC) from 2003-2007, compiling a record of 52-34 (.605). This stop resulted in the greatest turnaround in NCAA Division II history as the team went from 3-15 (.167) in 2003 to 20-3 (.870) in 2004 and was named the 2004 Conference Carolinas Coach of the Year.
In 15 years as a head coach, Shaw has compiled a 158-117-20 record (.569). Shaw also spent three seasons as an assistant coach at Fresno State University (2007-09) as well as four years as associate head coach at North Carolina State (2009-12).
A 1993 National Soccer Coaches Association of America (NSCAA) All-American at Methodist University, Shaw helped the Monarchs earn four consecutive Dixie Intercollegiate Athletic Conference championships and bids to the NCAA Division III Tournament (1990, 1991, 1992, 1993). Selected to the USA South Conference 50th Anniversary Team, Shaw was named to the 1993 Adidas Scholar-Athlete All-American First Team. Shaw, who played for the Raleigh Flyers of the United Systems of Independent Soccer League (USISL) in 1994, owns a Premier Diploma from the NSCAA and an "A" level national license from U.S. Soccer. He has extensive club and Olympic development experience, as well, most recently having served as the girl's director for ODP for the state of Nevada.
A native of Fayetteville, N.C., Shaw earned a Bachelor of Science degree in biology and physical education from Methodist University in 1994. He also owns a Master of Arts degree in exercise physiology from East Carolina University, which he earned in 1997.
