UCLA women’s soccer names Margueritte Aozasa as coach

UCLA has made former Stanford assistant coach Margueritte Aozasa the sixth women’s soccer coach in school history, naming her Wednesday as the replacement for Amanda Cromwell, who led the Bruins to their only national title.

“I could not be more excited to take on the responsibility of leading this Bruin program,” Aozasa said in a statement. “This program’s standard of excellence has been well-established, and I cannot wait to continue its tradition of elite performance on and off the field.”

Aozasa coached at Stanford for seven seasons, helping the Cardinal to NCAA championships in 2017 and 2019 and Pac-12 titles from 2015-19. The 2018 team also reached the College Cup. Stanford’s record during Aozasa’s time there was 125-19-8 and two players — Catarina Macario and Andi Sullivan — won Hermann trophies, college soccer’s version of the Heisman.

Aozasa, 31, was a four-year starter under head coach Jerry Smith at Santa Clara University from 2008-11, playing in the midfield and at center back and serving as team captain from 2010-11.

Cromwell, a former U.S. national team defender, was among the most successful coaches in school history, going 149-30-20 in nine years at UCLA, winning four Pac-12 titles and missing the NCAA tournament just once. Only Jill Ellis, who went on to win consecutive World Cups with the women’s national team, was better, going 229-45-14, winning six consecutives conference titles and reaching the national championship game twice.

Earlier this month Cromwell, 51, was named head coach of the Orlando Pride of the NWSL, an appointment that required her to divest her investment in Angel City FC, the Southern California-based expansion franchise that will entered the NWSL next spring.