After four years of leading the Men's Soccer program for Edgewood College, alum Derek Helmer switched roles and took over the Women's Soccer program beginning in March of 2019. Helmer completed his third season with the women's program in 2021.

In the shortened 2020 season, which was played in the spring of 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Helmer returned Edgewood College to the postseason for the first time since 2016. The Eagles went 5-4 during the 2020 campaign, including posting a 5-3 mark during the regular season which featured all matches against NACC North schools. All five of the Eagles wins were shutouts as Grace Wildeboer became the schools all-time saves leader under Helmer's leadership. 

Helmer also coached several players who earned All-NACC recognition in 2020. Five Eagles received honors from the NACC, including First Team All-NACC North honoree Siobhan Gallagher. Grace Wildeboer, and a trio of freshmen - Leah Doucette, Mandy Fitzgerald, and Marley Satran - were all Honorable Mention honorees. Gallagher was again recognized by the NACC in 2021, receiving Honorable Mention accolades. 

In his first season, Helmer led the Eagles to a four-win improvement from the previous season, guiding the team to a 7-12-1 record. The Eagles also won three more (5) conference matches during the 2019 season. Grace Wildeboer set the Eagles singles-season record for most saves with 152 in 2019. Wildeboer then set the Eagles career saves record in '2020.'

Helmer led the men’s program from 2015-2018, winning 33 games over that time. He returned the Eagles to the NACC Tournament in 2018 after guiding the team to a 10-7-2 overall record, including a 5-4-2 mark in conference play. He led Edgewood College to 10 wins over each of his last two seasons in charge of the Men's team.

Prior to taking over the men’s program, Helmer had spent much of his coaching career in the women’s game. From 2011-14, he served as an assistant coach for the Eagles Women’s Soccer program. During those seasons, Edgewood College posted a 57-19-4 record and captured a NACC Championship in 2013. The Eagles also reached at least the semifinal level of the NACC Tournament each of those four seasons with Helmer on staff.

In his four years at the the helm, Helmer has coached one CoSIDA Academic All-American, four CoSIDA Academic All-District selections, two First Team All-NACC, two Second Team All-NACC, two Honorable Mention All-NACC, and three All-Wisconsin team selections through the 2018 season. In 2018 the Eagles had three All-NACC selections: Garrett Lee (First Team), Tyler Nelson (Second Team), and Nicholas Bilodeau (Honorable Mention).  

In 2017, Helmer guided the Eagles Men's Program to their most overall wins (10) and most conference wins (5) during his tenure and nearly qualified for the NACC tournament. Led by his first pair of All-NACC selections, the Eagles were one conference win away from finishing undefeated at home and qualifying for the NACC tournament as the No. 6 seed.

Helmer, a native of Oostburg, Wis., played for the Eagles and previous head coach Tim Alexander from 1995-98, being named first team All-Lake Michigan Conference in both his junior and senior years. He is ranked third in school history with 86 career games played and was a part of two LMC Tournament championship teams. After graduating from Edgewood College with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Elementary Education, Helmer spent one season as an assistant coach at Lakeland College. He returned to Madison as an assistant coach for Alexander and the men’s soccer program from 2002-04. Helmer has coaching licenses from both the NSCAA and USSF and has spent 15 years coaching the Wisconsin Rush club team, based in Middleton.

His Edgewood College soccer roots run deep into his family life as well. Helmer is married to Julie Helmer (née Veloff), who is still the Eagles women’s soccer program’s all-time leading scorer with 104 goals from 1995-98. Derek and Julie live in Madison and own a small business in Sauk City, Wis.

EAGLES UNDER COACH HELMER

Women's Soccer

Year

Overall

Conference

Place

2023

9-8-4

6-6-1

7th

2022

11-5-2

7-3-2

4th

2021

4-13-1

3-9

10th

2020

5-4

5-3

3rd

2019

7-12-1

5-7

9th

TOTAL

36-42-8

26-28-3

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TOTAL (Mens + Womens)

69-79-10

43-50-5

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Men's Soccer

Year

Overall

Conference

Place

2018

10-7-2

5-4-2

7th

2017

10-7

5-5

7th

2016

7-12

4-6

8th

2015

6-11

3-7

8th

TOTAL

33-37-2

17-22-2

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