February 3, 1999
NOTRE DAME, Ind. – Randy Waldrum, women’s soccer coach at Baylor for the past three years who led the Bears to their first Big XII championship in any sport this past season, has been named women’s soccer coach at the University of Notre Dame.
“I am looking forward to the challenge and making the change,” says Waldrum, a native of Irving, Texas. “Chris Petrucelli did a great job and those are tough shoes to fill. I am anxious to meet the team. I’ve worked with some of them with the under-20 national team so hopefully that will make the transition easier. The people at Notre Dame were so professional and down to earth throughout the whole process. They really gave me a comfortable feeling.”
In three seasons at Baylor, Waldrum guided the Bears to a 46-14-3 record in the program’s first three years of existence. Waldrum earned Big XII coach of the year honors after finishing with a 15-5-1 record and 9-0-1 mark in the conference. The Bears earned their first bid into the NCAA women’s soccer championship to cap off the year.
Waldrum’s 1997 Baylor team finished with a 14-6-1 record and a third-place finish in the Big XII, highlighted by consecutive overtime wins over 23rd-ranked Texas and third-ranked Texas A&M. The Bears earned their first national ranking the next week at No. 22 in the National Soccer Coaches Association of America poll.
Waldrum led Baylor to a 17-3-1 record in its first year of varsity women’s soccer in 1996 and a third-place finish in the Big XII. Waldrum was named national coach of the year for a first-year program and Baylor was named the best first-year program by Soccer Buzz magazine.
Prior to coaching at Baylor, Waldrum spent six seasons (1990-95) as head coach of both the men’s and women’s teams at the University of Tulsa. He compiled a 66-33-6 record with the men’s team and a 61-36-9 mark with the Tulsa women’s team. His men were ranked as high as 17th in 1991 and made their first-ever NCAA appearance that same year. The women finished with rankings of 18 in 1993 and 21 in 1992, and he was voted regional coach of the year.
While at Tulsa, Waldrum also served as the state coach for the Olympic Development Program where he was responsible for the selection and training of boys and girls for the program. He also was in charge of the development of coaches and support staff within the program.
Waldrum started a first-year men’s program at Texas Wesleyan University in 1987 and served as Director of Coaching for the Texas Longhorns Soccer Club from 1987-89. Waldrum coached one of the seven teams in the club and oversaw the coaches of the other six teams. His team went 53-4-1 and finished third in the country. He coached and developed two Parade All-Americans, two national team players and one Youth World Cup player.
He holds a United States Soccer Federation A License and has served as assistant coach of the U.S. women’s under-18 national team in 1998 and for the under-20 national team at the 1997 Nordic Cup.
Waldrum was a four-time all-district selection as a player at Midwestern State University in Wichita Falls, Texas. He graduated from Midwestern State in 1981 with a degree in education with a physical education major and a political science minor.
Following his playing days at Midwestern State, Waldrum played professionally for the Los Angeles Skyhawks and the Indianapolis Daredevils of the American Soccer League.
Waldrum and his wife Dianna have one son, Benjamin, age 16.
Waldrum replaces Chris Petrucelli, who resigned in December to accept the same position at the University of Texas. Waldrum becomes the third coach of the Notre Dame women’s soccer program. Petrucelli coached the Irish for nine seasons from 1990-98, while Dennis Grace led the program from 1988-89.