Ben Waldrum enters his fifth season at the University of Pittsburgh and fourth season as associate head coach of the women's soccer program after being elevated to the position on August 5, 2019. 

The son of head coach Randy Waldrum, Ben has been integral to the remarkable turnaround of the Panthers’ program in their four seasons at Pitt.

Waldrum helped guide the Panthers to their second-straight 11-win season in 2021 as Pitt finished 11-7 with a 4-6 ACC mark. Pitt posted victories in each of its first five games for the second year in a row. With 12 ACC points, Pitt finished a program-best in the league standings by tying for ninth place. The Panthers also tied the school record for single-season wins set in 2021 as well as ACC wins set in '15. Pitt boasted a high-powered attack, outscoring the competition by a 41-22 count. 

In 2020, Waldrum helped the Panthers to a school-record 11 wins despite playing two less games in the regular season than a traditional year due to the pandemic. Pitt earned its first-ever ranking in the United Soccer Coaches’ Poll at No. 12 on Sept. 22 and stayed in the poll for an additional week. The Panthers won their first six games of the season, the best start in program history. Pitt earned the record despite being on the road for five of the games, setting another school record for most wins away from home in a single-season.

In Waldrum's second season at Pitt, the Panthers snapped a three-year winless streak (0-25-3) in ACC play with a 2-1 overtime win over Boston College that was followed by a 2-1 win over NC State, who went on to advance to the Sweet 16 in the NCAA tournament.

Waldrum was integral in helping to secure two of the largest and most talented recruiting classes in program history in 2019 and '20 that have seen talented freshmen and transfers step in right away to raise the level of play never seen before for the program in the ACC.

Prior to joining the Pitt staff, Waldrum coached the FC Dallas youth development program. In April 2015, he was promoted to head coach of the FCD Women. The team competed to a record of 34-3-3 under Waldrum's tutelage, appearing in the WPSL Playoffs in 2016 and '17 and capturing the 2016 WPSL Southwest Conference championships. He also served as the Affiliates Director, where the organization saw a 200 percent growth rate as he implemented programming for coaching education, player development, camps and clinics and college programs. Additionally, he was the head coach of the U19 FCD team for the 2017-18 season and the Elite Clubs National League head coach, where he saw 16 players representing five different countries called into a national camp.

Prior to his club coaching experience, Waldrum earned experience on the national level as he served as an interim head coach and assistant coach for the Trinidad & Tobago Women's National Team from 2014-16. He served as the interim head coach for the squad in 2014, leading the team to a 2-0 record in the group phase of the 2014 CFU Championship Tournament. Waldrum helped the team jump 34 places, the largest in history, in the 2014 FIFA World Rankings after a strong season on the pitch.

Waldrum earned his start in collegiate coaching as an assistant coach and recruiting coordinator under his father at Notre Dame from 2003-08. With both Waldrums on staff, the Fighting Irish accumulated a record of 111-13-5 while also winning the 2004 NCAA National Championship. He was a member of three NCAA College Cup appearances while at Notre Dame while also winning five Big East regular season titles and coaching five All-Americans during his time in South Bend.

Waldrum currently holds US Soccer Federation A and B licenses to go along with NSCAA Premier, National and Advanced National diplomas.

Waldrum graduated from West Texas A&M in 2000. He earned a Bachelor of Science degree in exercise science while playing on the WTAMU soccer team.

Waldrum and his wife, Lindsey, reside in Cranberry Township with their daughter, Chloe, and son, Connor.

Beyond the Bio

Favorite thing to do in the city of Pittsburgh?

Taking my family down to the North Shore for a stroll around the river before taking my kids to the Carnegie Science Center. 

What is your favorite aspect of working in Pitt’s athletic department?

Is it possible to have two favorite things? The first is the opportunity to work alongside my father. He's definitely the most influential person in my life, a coaching mentor and truly one of the top coaches in the country. It's rare to get to coach with one of the best in the game, and the best being your father. I'm beyond blessed and fortunate to have both. The second thing for me is the overall potential of our athletic department. We have the best athletic director and athletic administrative staff in the country. Their communication, and commitment to all the sports is first class.  The University of Pittsburgh has been a sleeping giant for too long. Competing in one of the best soccer conferences in the country and working at a university that has elite academics plus the support of our athletic administration, I do believe it is only a matter of time before we are one of the nation's elite women’s soccer programs.

What do you love most about working in athletics?

What do I love most about working in athletics is working with and engaging with our programs’ student-athletes. Seeing our players grow as people and players is rewarding and people all pulling in the same direction for something bigger than any individual is something special, impacts everyone involved, and is what drives me as a coach.