2016 NSCAA Regional Coaching Staff of the Year | 2016 and 2021 NEWMAC Coach of the Year

Steph Riley-Schafer, who touts eight winning seasons and NEWMAC tournament appearances, brings an 106-60-28 (.619) record into her 12th season at the helm of the Engineers in 2024.

WPI posted a 7-8-4 overall mark with a 3-4-4 conference record as the Engineers earned the seventh seed for the 2023 NEWMAC Women's Soccer tournament. The Crimson and Gray traveled to second-seeded Babson for the NEWMAC quarterfinal in which the Engineers got on the board first and exchanged leads throughout the tilt until the hosting Beavers marked the game-winning goal in the 84th minute for the 3-2 win over WPI. Postseason honors featured freshman Jess English who was named to the All-NEWMAC second team and senior Hannah Wolfgang was named to the United Soccer Coaches All-Region II team and senior goalkeeper Lili Hellerman was selected to the 2023 NEWISA Senior Bowl. 

The Engineers finished the season ranked fourth in the NCAA Division III Region II rankings after posting an 11-6-3 mark to record the sixth-straight season WPI won at least 10 games in a single season under head coach Steph Riley-Schafer in 2021. WPI tallied 10 team shutouts while holding opponents to a 0.92 goals-against average. Riley-Schafer’s team battled in tough matchups throughout the season including a comeback victory over nationally-ranked MIT which broke their 15-match winning, 18-match conference regular season winning, and 46-match unbeaten streaks. WPI’s push continued through a pair of scoreless outings against Babson including a 3-2 shootout victory in the opening round of the NEWMAC Tournament before falling to No. 9 MIT in the semifinal round.

Riley-Schafer and co-head coach Sue Silva were named 2021 NEWMAC Women's Soccer Coaches of the Year with Sofia Orrico and Annika Keck earning All-NEWMAC first team and Grace Casey garnering second team praise. Other accomplishments for Riley-Schafer’s program include United Soccer Coaches Region II first team selections for Orrico and Keck, NEWISA Bowl Selections for Orrico and Jenna Hirshfeld in addition to a CoSIDA Academic All-America honor for Hirshfeld.

In 2019, WPI equaled the school records for victories in a season with 16 and reached the NEWMAC Tournament championship game for the second time in four seasons under seven-year head coach Steph Riley-Schafer. The season rewarded the efforts on the field and in the classroom of Senior goalkeeper Mandy St. Germain, who was selected to the Division III Women's Soccer Academic All-America first team by CoSIDA. Four time All- NEWMAC Senior Midfielder, Kristen McCrea earned her second straight USC All-East Region Award, as well as, her second CoSIDA Women's Soccer Academic All- District accolade. Junior Leah Beauton and first year Annika Keck were also recognized as all NEWMAC players.

In 2017 and 2018, Kristen McCrea was first team All-NEWMAC honoree, while Gabi Hoops garnered first teams honors and Leah Beauton picked up second team accolades in 2018. Both years WPI tied nationally-ranked MIT, preventing Cambridge's Engineers perfect seasons both times.

The 2016 season featured a number of program firsts culminating with their first NEWMAC Championship, NCAA tournament appearance and NSCAA Regional Coaching Staff of the Year honors. The 16-2-3 club boasted the best single-season winning percentage (.833) while being the first to host any round of the conference tournament, as well as the semifinals and finals following a 8-1-1 conference schedule. The Engineers traveled to Geneva, NY and played a double overtime draw with Trinity (CT), who advanced via penalty kicks.

Individually, Hoops was named as the first-ever NEWMAC Defensive Player of the Year while McCrea was tabbed as the second in program history to garner NEWMAC Rookie of the Year honors and Schafer was selected by her peers as the NEWMAC Coach of the Year. Susannah Gray joined McCrea on the All-NEWMAC first team.

The 2015 season (11-5-3, 5-3-2 NEWMAC) was successful on the field and off with Emily Doherty racking up a number of All-America honors, including a pair of academic accolades from CoSIDA and the NSCAA. The team also bested Springfield for the first time in program history. Doherty was an All-NEWMAC first teamer while Gray was a second team honoree for the second consecutive year.

In 2014, the team went 8-7-4 overall, with a conference record of 5-2-3 making it to the NEWMAC quarterfinals for the second year in-a-row. With the success of 2014 campaign the team posted back-to-back winning seasons for only the third time in program history and first time since 2003-04.

In her first season at WPI, Schafer posted a 10-7-2 record (4-5-1 NEWMAC) which qualified the Crimson and Gray for the NEWMAC tournament for the first time since 2010. Megan Forti was the lone WPI All-NEWMAC representative with a first team nod.

Prior to Riley-Schafer coming to WPI she was the top assistant at Division I Wagner College. She was heavily involved with the Seahawks in designing and implementing practice and training sessions as well as in recruiting.  Riley-Schafer also took an active role in academic monitoring, scheduling, team travel and fundraising. Prior to her time at Wagner, she spent three seasons as an assistant at Curry College where she helped the Colonels reached the CCC Tournament in 2008 and 2010.

Riley-Schafer also spent five seasons with the Boston Breakers serving as the Senior Team Coordinator, Equipment Manager, Team Manager and Director of Operations over those five seasons. Among her many duties, Riley-Schafer managed player personnel, coordinated practice and game schedules, organized team travel and oversaw the host family program that places 20+ athletes in rent-free housing.

A native of the Philadelphia area, Riley-Schafer played collegiately at Division I Temple University, where she earned a bachelor's degree in sports and recreation management with a minor in business. In 2013, she graduated from Wagner with her master's in secondary education with a social studies concentration.