Josh Alford was named the new women's soccer head coach at Union in January of 2022. He is now in his second season as a head coach. His career record is 4-11-1 (.312).

In his first season of 2022, Alford started to rebuild the program posting four wins, all shutouts, and seven of the losses were all by one goal. 

Alford came to Union after working as the assistant coach for four seasons at the University of Northern Iowa. He is the fourth head coach in program history and took over for assistant coach, Anna Hardin. Hardin was named the interim head coach just weeks before the 2021 season when then head coach Scott Sinclair accepted another coaching job.

While at Division I Northern Iowa, Alford played a key role in leading the Panthers to three Missouri Valley Conference tournament appearances in four years. 

In 2016 and 2017, Alford worked as an assistant coach at Division II South Carolina Aiken. In the two seasons, he helped in rebuilding the program as the lead recruiter. Seven players earned Peach Pelt All-Academic honors. 

Before the two positions as assistant coach at Northern Iowa and USC Aiken, Alford was the head coach at Parkland College in Champaign, Illinois. In his final six seasons at Parkland, he led the Cobras team to a 78-22-7 record and a top-15 national ranking. He led this team to back-to-back M-WAC Championships, boasting numerous NJCAA All-America and all-region honors from his squad. Alford was named the M-WAC Coach of the year in 2014 and 2015, while also taking home Region 24 Coach of the Year honors in 2011. 

Student-athletes coached and trained by Alford have gone on to play at the D1, D2, D3, and NAIA levels. Some have also made the professional ranks. 

Alford's playing career included stops at Olivet Nazarene and Parkland College. From 2003-05 while at Parkland, he was named all-conference and all-region, while also being named an All-American contender. His career at Olivet Nazarene from 2005-07 included all-tournament team honors. In 2010, Alford was named to the M-WAC All-Decade First Team.

Alford is a graduate of Eastern Illinois with a degree in general students.  He and his wife, Ricki, have a daughter, Nico Ella and two sons, Hawke and Caspian.

Union women's soccer coaching records

(NAIA 2005-2011; NCAA DII 2012-present)

2005 -- Brandon Boylan -- 4-11-1, 0-5-1 -- Inaugural Season

2006 -- Brandon Boylan -- 10-8, 4-3

2007 -- Brandon Boylan -- 13-6, 6-3

2008 -- Brandon Boylan -- 13-6, 3-3

2009 -- Brandon Boylan -- 9-6-2, 4-1-1

2010 -- Brandon Boylan -- 9-7-2, 2-3-1

2011 -- Brandon Boylan -- 12-3-2, 5-0-1 (career: 70-47-7, .593) -- TranSouth Regular Season Co-Champions

2012 -- Isaac Brooks -- 8-10-2, 2-5-2

2013 -- Isaac Brooks -- 7-7-3, 4-4-2

2014 -- Isaac Brooks -- 3-13, 1-11

2015 -- Isaac Brooks -- 4-13-1, 4-7-1

2016 -- Isaac Brooks -- 7-5-5, 6-2-4 -- GSC Tournament 5th Seed

2017 -- Isaac Brooks  -- 4-11, 4-10 (33-59-11, .373) 

2018 -- Scott Sinclair -- 0-14-1, 0-12-1 

2019 -- Scott Sinclair -- 3-13, 2-11 

2020 -- Scott Sinclair -- 0-6, 0-5 (career:  3-33-1, .094 

2021 -- Anna Hardin (Interim) -- 4-11, 4-9 (career: 4-11, .267)

2022 -- Josh Alford -- 4-11-1, 3-9-1