Eric Bell was hired as the Horned Frogs’ new head women’s soccer coach on Dec. 17, 2011.

On Aug. 21, 2025, Bell became the winningest coach in TCU women’s soccer history, earning his 152nd win at the helm. He heads into his 15th season as the head coach in 2026 with 167 total wins and looks to add onto his program-leading mark. Bell is just the third women’s soccer coach in TCU history.

The 2025 season saw TCU reach new heights as a program. The Frogs clinched their first-ever trip to the NCAA College Cup with a 2-1 overtime win over No. 1 seed Vanderbilt in the NCAA Quarterfinals on Nov. 29. TCU’s eventual run to the College Cup did not come without the dramatics, as the “Cardiac Frogs” had eight game-tying or game-winning goals in the 80th minute or later throughout the course of the season. TCU also went on to win the Big 12 regular season crown for the fourth time in the past six seasons, and Bell took home Big 12 Coach of the Year honors at the conclusion of the regular season.

In 2024, Bell was named the Big 12 Coach of the Year for the third time during his tenure at TCU. He guided the Frogs to their third Big 12 Regular-Season title in five years. The Frogs became one of 17 teams nationally to make eight of the last nine NCAA Tournaments and one of 20 teams to host five of the last eight first rounds. TCU won its first round game for the fourth straight NCAA Tournament appearance. TCU’s offense ranked first in goals (54) and points (155) in the Big 12 while finishing second in assists (47). Bell’s squad led the league with 10 all-conference selections and six first-team selections which was a program record.

Bell guided to its eighth straight season of double-digit wins in 2023. On Oct. 1, Bell won his 130th game at TCU as the Horned Frogs took down Oklahoma State, 1-0 in
Fort Worth. The Horned Frogs had five All-Big 12 honorees with two on the first team and three on the second team.

In 2022, TCU once again put together another solid campaign, posting a 14-5-5 record and a 5-1-3 conference record. The Horned Frogs were tabbed the No. 5 seed in the Notre Dame quadrant. For the third straight season, TCU advanced to the Sweet Sixteen. For the third straight year, the Horned Frogs were ranked in the Top 10 nationally at the end of the season, checking in at No. 10 in the final United Coaches poll. Six Horned Frogs earned All-Big 12 accolades, while Grace Copinger was tabbed the Big 12 Freshman of the Year. Gracie Brian and Messiah Bright were tabbed All-Americans. Bright went on to become TCU's fourth NWSL draft pick, going in the second round to the Orlando Pride.

TCU's rise to national prominence continued in 2021 as it set new standards in wins (19), shutouts (13), goals scored (60), assists (72) and points (192). For the second straight season, the Frogs finished ranked in the Top 10, finishing 9th. TCU, a No. 4 National Seed, served as a first round host in the NCAA Tournament and advanced to the Sweet Sixteen. Bright and Brandi Peterson earned All-America accolades. Bell claimed his second consecutive Big 12 Coach of the Year award after leading TCU to another regular season title.

Bell was at his coaching best in 2020 and his efforts were rewarded as he was named the Big 12 Coach of the Year after guiding TCU to an 8-0-1 conference record and the first-ever regular season title in program history. Playing soccer during a global pandemic, TCU made 2020-21 a season to remember. TCU completed the unique season with a 12-2-2 mark, earned the No. 4 National Seed in the tournament and advanced to the Elite Eight.

Accolades were plenty as Emily Alvarado (1st-team), Yazmeen Ryan (1st-team) and Grace Collins (2nd-team) were tabbed the program's first-ever All-Americans. Ryan made even more history as she was drafted with the sixth overall pick in the 2021 NWSL Draft by the Portland Thorns.

Another run to through the Big 12 Championship game in 2019 helped pave the way to a fourth straight appearance in the NCAA Tournament. TCU put together another double-digit win season, posting an 11-8-3 record. TCU earned its highest-ever national ranking at No. 17 and was ranked for multiple weeks during the season, another program first. For the second year in a row, TCU tallied a trio of wins over ranked opponents. Ryan and Bright earned first-team all-conference accolades in addition to earning All-Region honors. Gracie Brian and Collins were recognized on the Big 12 All-Freshmen squad.

TCU's 2018 squad made history advancing to the second round of the NCAA Tournament after topping BYU 2-1 in the first round at Garvey-Rosenthal. The Horned Frogs amassed a record of 13-5-3 overall and a 5-3-1 mark in the league. The 13 wins are the second-most in program history. Additionally, the Frogs cracked the Top 25 of the TopDrawerSoccer.com (25) and the Soccer American (21) polls for the first-time ever. The squad picked up a trio of top-10 victories, including a 1-0 defeat of No. 6 Texas.

The individual accolades were many, headlined by Bright becoming TCU's first-ever Big 12 Co-Freshman of the Year. Ryan, Karitas Tomasdottir and Maddy Warren also earned postseason accolades from the Big 12 and the United Soccer Coaches Association.

The 2017 campaign saw TCU turn in its best-ever performance in conference play, finishing third in the Big 12 with a record of 6-2-1. For the second straight year, TCU played its way into the championship game of the Big 12 Tournament. The Horned Frogs finished the season with a 12-7-3 record. At the end of the season, four Frogs earned postseason accolades, while Ryan Williams became the first-ever player to get drafted.

On the field, the squad put up impressive numbers. The 35 assists were third-most all-time, while the 103 points ranked fifth all-time. Emma Heckendorn and Allison Ganter left their marks on the record book. Heckendorn leaves as TCU's career-leader in assists (22) and ranked 10th in goals (17) and fifth in points (56). Ganter ranked eighth in goals (18) and ninth in points (46).

In 2016, for the first time in program history, the Horned Frogs posted an undefeated record (8-0-1) in non-conference play. A furious run in the Big 12 Tournament that saw the Horned Frogs reach the championship game for the second time under his tutelage lent itself to an at-large bid in the NCAA Tournament. In addition to history being made as TCU earned its first-ever berth in the postseason tournament, the Frogs were selected as a first-round host.

Heckendorn, Michelle Prokof and Cachet Lue all earned postseason accolades on a team that was one of the best statistically in program history. Offensively, the Frogs tallied the second-most assists (40), points (114) and tied for fifth all-time in goals scored (37). Defensively, the Frogs tied for the most shutouts in a single season (8) and third all-time with a 1.04 goals against average.

For the fourth time in four years under Bell, TCU qualified for the 2015 Big 12 Tournament. The Horned Frogs raced out to an 8-4 record and closed the season with a school-record four consecutive ties to post an overall 8-7-4 record, including a 2-3-3 mark in Big 12 play. The team posted the fourth-lowest GAA at 1.06, while posting the fifth-highest points total (97) in program history.

At the conclusion of the regular season, TCU had a trio of representatives named all-conference. Bobbi Clemmer became the first Horned Frog since Jordan Calhoun to be a two-time first-team all-conference performer. Additionally, Prokof and Heckendorn were named second-team all-conference.

The 2014 season showed more signs of growth as the Horned Frogs vaulted to a 7-3 record and an RPI ranking in the top 50. TCU ultimately earned its third straight berth in the Big 12 Championships. Clemmer continued to earn respect from the Big 12 community, earning second-team all-conference accolades. Newcomer Ryan Williams, switching to a different position for the first time in her career, also blossomed under the coaching staff's tutelage. She was named to the Big 12 All-Newcomer squad for her efforts in helping TCU post six shutouts and a 0.96 goals against average.

A talented influx of freshman in the fall of 2013 set the stage for big things to come. Freshman Michelle Prokof paced the team offensively en route to earning second-team all-conference accolades. Clemmer earned first-team all-conference accolades.

TCU again qualified for the Big 12 Tournament, improving its seeding as the Frogs finished seventh in the standings with two conference wins.

In his first season on campus, Bell and company gave Frog fans a glimpse of things to come. His immediate impact was felt on the defensive side of the ball as the Horned Frogs tied the school record with eight shutouts. Freshman defender Clemmer earned a spot on the Big 12 All-Newcomer team, playing every minute of the season up until an injury in the semifinals of the Big 12 Championship Tournament in San Antonio.

He had the Frogs playing their best soccer at the right time as they blazed a trail to the championship game of the Big 12 Championship Tournament. Qualifying as the eighth-seed in the tourney, Bell's squad upended the Big 12 Conference champions, West Virginia, by a 2-0 score. In the semifinals, it took penalty kicks to decide the team to advance as TCU and Texas battled to a 0-0 score after two overtimes. The defensive star of the tournament, Vittoria Arnold outdueled the Texas goalkeeper and the Frogs advanced to the championship game against Baylor.

Prior to coming to TCU, Bell spent the previous six seasons with the Seminoles. After arriving as an assistant coach in 2006, he was promoted to associate head coach in 2008. Bell was Florida State's recruiting coordinator his entire tenure in Tallahassee.

As recruiting coordinator, Bell made school history as the 2007 class earned its highest national ranking. The Seminoles were recognized by Soccer Buzz with the nation's second-best recruiting class, while grabbing the top spot in the Southeast Region. At the time, both rankings were the highest garnered in program history. Of the 11 freshmen, five ranked in the top 150 by Soccer Buzz while Erin McNulty and Sanna Talonen ranked among the nation's top international recruits.

In 2008, Bell once again made school history as Soccer Buzz awarded Florida State with the top recruiting class in the nation. The publication ranked six freshmen in the top 40 with five receiving PARADE All-America honors. Tiffany McCarty was recognized for her outstanding season, becoming the first Seminole in school history to earn ACC Freshman of the Year honors. The accolades continued to pour in as Tori Huster and Casey Short joined McCarty as Freshman All-Americans.

The 2009 class was ranked as the fourth-best recruiting class in the Atlantic Coast Conference by TopDrawerSoccer.com.

Upon arrival in Tallahassee, Bell helped guide the Seminoles to three College Cup appearances in 2006, 2007 and 2011, including a berth in the school's first national championship game in 2007. In his time at FSU, the Seminoles compiled an overall record of 106-31-13, highlight by the 2011 ACC tournament title. Bell has coached the 2007 MAC Hermann Trophy winner, a pair of national Freshmen of the Year, 18 All-Americans, the 2008 ACC Freshman of the Year, 2007 and 2009 ACC Offensive Players of the Year and a handful of student-athletes who have competed internationally.

In overseeing the defensive scheme, Bell led the Seminoles to a sub-1.00 goals against average in five of his six seasons en route to a 0.83 GAA during that span. The Seminole back line has averaged over 12 shutouts a season under Bell, reaching double digits all six years while posting a school-record 14 shutouts in both 2006 and 2008. In 2008, FSU set the school record for the fewest goals allowed (15) and the lowest goals against average (0.63). In 2010, the Seminoles gave up a league-low five goals during conference play, while leading the ACC in shutouts with 13.

Prior to his arrival in Tallahassee, Bell spent four years as an assistant coach and recruiting coordinator at the University of Illinois. In 2005, he was named NSCAA Central Region Assistant Coach of the Year while working at one of the top soccer programs in the Big Ten.

With Bell on staff at Illinois, the Fighting Illini had tremendous success on the field and on the recruiting trail. After going 9-11-1 in 2002, his first year with the Illini, the team went 16-4-2 the very next season en route to posting an overall record of 44-17-7 from 2003-05. During that span, the Fighting Illini advanced to three straight NCAA Tournaments. In 2004, Illinois made school history advancing to the national quarterfinals of the NCAA Tournament for the first time ever.

As recruiting coordinator, Bell attracted some of the nation's top talent to Champaign. His 2005 recruiting class was ranked 23rd by Soccer Buzz and his 2006 class was ranked ninth with six signees among the top 200 in the nation.

Bell also served as head coach at Indiana University of Pennsylvania in 2000 in addition to being an assistant at the University of Illinois and Ashland University in Ohio.

Bell is a United States Soccer Federation A Licensed coach and a member of the National Soccer Coaches Association of America. He attended the College of Wooster where he earned a B.A. in 1992. As a player, he led his team to two NCAA Division III tournament appearances in 1989 and 1990 and to a North Coast Athletic Conference title in 1989. He was voted the team's best offensive player following the 1991 season.

Bell has two children: Malena and Cameron.

Name	Title	Email Address
Eric Bell	Head Coach/10th Year	tcusoccer@tcu.edu
Ryan Higginbotham	Associate Head Coach/10th Year	tcusoccer@tcu.edu
Tom Serratore	Assistant Coach/4th Year	tcusoccer@tcu.edu
Ana Auger-Crossman	Director of Soccer Operations/1st Year	ana.auger@tcu.edu

Upcoming Events

Upcoming Event: Women's Soccer at SMU on Apr. 11, 2026 at 1 p.m.

Upcoming Event: Women's Soccer at Oklahoma State on Sep. 17, 2026

Upcoming Event: Women's Soccer at Utah on Sep. 24, 2026

Upcoming Event: Women's Soccer at BYU on Sep. 28, 2026

Upcoming Event: Women's Soccer versus Cincinnati on Oct. 2, 2026

2022 Women's Soccer Coaching Staff

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