2021 SOUTHEAST MISSOURI SOCCER GUIDE HEATHER NELSON
HEATHER NELSON HEAD COACH
H
eather Nelson is the only head coach that has guided the Southeast Missouri soccer program since its inception in 1999. She enters her 23rd season at the helm of SEMO soccer in 2021. In 22 years under her guidance, the Redhawks have posted 17 winning seasons and compiled a 205-138-55 record. Nelson has coached six Ohio Valley Conference regular season champion teams (2001, 2002, 2007, 2011, 2014, and 2019) and back-to-back OVC Tournament championship squads (2006 and 2007) that earned berths in the NCAA Tournament. Championship Culture Since the inaugural 1999 season for Southeast Missouri
30
23RD YEAR // SASKATCHEWAN, 1992 women’s soccer, no Ohio Valley Conference school has captured more than the six regular season championships Nelson’s program has earned. SEMO has made the OVC Tournament 19 of the 22 seasons, most in league history. After the inaugural season in 1999, Nelson guided SEMO to 10 wins the following year, a figure that was matched or surpassed in each of the next seven seasons and 10 times total in the following 19 years. By year three, she helped guide Southeast Missouri to back-to-back OVC regular season championships (2001, 2002), which saw the Redhawks go undefeated in conference play during each of those years. In 2001, Southeast Missouri stormed onto the scene with a 16-2 overall record and 5-0 mark
in league play. The Redhawks posted an .889 winning percentage, which currently stands as the best in school history. That team, which claimed the program’s first-ever OVC title, boasted the nation’s lowest goals against average (0.44) and the country’s top shutout percentage (0.72). SEMO allowed only eight goals and posted 13 shutouts in 18 matches. Southeast Missouri also ranked 10th in the nation for points per game (2.67). SEMO set conference records for wins in a season and goals allowed, posting shutouts in all OVC contests. Southeast Missouri repeated as the league’s regular-season champion in 2002, posting an overall record of 14-4-2 and 6-0 mark in conference play while
leading the league in shots, goals allowed, goals against, and shutouts. Following the 2002 season, nine players earned All-OVC honors, including Valerie Henderson and Jenny Hamilton, who were named OVC Player and Defensive Player of the Year, respectively. Despite the dominant records and accolades, an OVC Tournament title eluded the Redhawks in each of those seasons. Eastern Illinois pulled off upsets in the tournament championship match of both campaigns. The Redhawks finally broke through in postseason play during the 2006 OVC Tournament. After a fourthplace regular season finish, Southeast Missouri knocked off top-seeded Samford and blanked Morehead State in the OVC Tournament finals
8-TIME OVC CHAMPIONS | 2001 • 2002 • 2006 • 2007* • 2011 • 2014 • 2019
