Caitlin Pickul was named the 14th women’s soccer head coach in program history on June 16, 2020, and she begins her second season at Nichols in 2021.
The COVID-19 pandemic forced the cancellation of the 2020 campaign, however five of Pickul’s student-athletes received Commonwealth Coast Conference (CCC) Academic All-Conference honors.
Pickul came to Dudley after spending the previous four seasons at The College of Holy Cross in nearby Worcester, first as an Assistant Coach before rising to Associate Head Coach and, since March, Interim Head Coach. In 2019, the Crusaders posted the best record in program history (5-4-8) and finished second in the Patriot League with a 3-1-5 mark. For their efforts, the Crusaders coaching staff was named Patriot League Staff of the Year.
During her time in Worcester, Pickul worked with three goalkeepers who finished amongst the career leaders in single-season goals against average (GAA), two who placed in the top 10 in single-season shutouts, and two who graduated in the top five in career GAA. Off the field, Pickul assisted with all team training programming, scouted the opponents offensive set pieces and generated defensive set pieces and systems, and designed and conducted team warmup – including prehab and preventative exercises.
Pickul was also instrumental in recruiting student-athletes at Holy Cross, managing the program’s JumpForward database, scheduling official and unofficial visits, and attending recruiting tournaments. She arranged all team travel (ground and air transportation, hotels, food), handled the equipment ordering and inventory for the program, monitored the academic progress of the student-athletes, and assisted with all aspects of camps and clinics. This past spring, the Holy Cross women’s soccer program posted the highest cumulative GPA in the athletic department.
Prior to her arrival at Holy Cross, Pickul spent five seasons as an assistant women’s soccer coach at Division III Wellesley College, an all-female institution in Wellesley, Mass. After posting a combined record of 11-22-6 during her first two seasons with the program, the Blue went 25-21-12 over the next three, finishing above the .500 mark in each campaign. Pickul planned and implemented all technical and tactical goalie sessions at Wellesley, created scouting reports, and attended showcases and organized campus visits.
Pickul was also the Assistant Director of Strength & Conditioning at Wellesley, creating and implementing programs for soccer, squash, fencing, and golf with a secondary focus on lacrosse, volleyball, tennis, and novice crew. She also produced, managed, and updated the S&C website, prepared and implemented an ACL Injury Prevention program for all teams, and conducted all functional movement screening and testing. Pickul chipped in as a game manager for basketball, lacrosse, and softball.
A 2006 graduate of Providence College, Pickul – who cut her teeth in the collegiate coaching ranks at Salem State University in 2010 – was a four-year member of the Friars women’s soccer program. She received her Bachelor of Science in Marketing and was a four-time BIG EAST Academic All-Star Team pick. Pickul went on to earn her Master’s in Business Administration: Sports Management from Loyola University Chicago in 2010.
Pickul is a National Strength & Conditioning Association (NSCA) Certified Strength & Conditioning Specialist, holds a D and F License from the United States Soccer Federation (USSF), and is Goalkeeper Level 1 certified from the National Soccer Coaches Association of America (NSCAA). Recently, she earned both her USSF Soccer Grassroots license.
While at Nichols, Pickul will continue her work with BEST FC Soccer Club where she is the Club Director. With them she also coaches the BEST FC 06 Impact NPL Girls team as well as the high school goalkeepers. Additionally, she is an Assistant Director & Head Coach with Slocum Soccer School and an Assistant Goalkeeper Coach with the Massachusetts Youth Olympic Development Program.
