Laura Heethuis begins her seventh season as the head women’s soccer coach at Waynesburg University in 2020.
During 2014, her debut campaign in orange and black, Heethuis guided the Yellow Jackets to an 8-9-3 overall mark and a 4-4-1 record in Presidents’ Athletic Conference (PAC) play. The Jackets also qualified for the Eastern Collegiate Athletic Conference (ECAC) Division III South Tournament.
On the individual side, then-junior Karleigh Murphey and then-senior Erica Nordlund were named to the All-PAC teams. Then-senior Natalie Abraham was applauded as a member of the 2014 Capital One Division III Academic All-District team.
A United States Soccer Federation National D Licensed Soccer Coach, Heethius arrived at Waynesburg after holding two volunteer assistant positions in the Division I ranks at the University of Miami and, most recently, her alma mater, Michigan State University.
As a student-athlete at MSU from 2008 to 2011, Laura earned a number of Big Ten and national accolades including being a four-time first-team all-conference award winner, a three-time National Soccer Coaches Association of America (NSCAA)/Adidas All-American, a four-time NSCAA/Adidas first-team All-Great Lakes Region pick and a member of the United States Under-23 Women's National Team for all four years.
She also took home "Freshman of the Year" honors on both regional and national levels.
Laura was awarded a Bachelor of Science degree in kinesiology specializing in health promotions, and garnered recognition for her academic excellence on multiple occasions. She was a three-time Academic All-Big Ten honoree and a first-team member of the 2011 Capital One Academic All-American Team.
She was drafted 19th overall in the 2012 Women's Professional Soccer League draft by Sky Blue FC, which is based in Morristown, New Jersey. That same year, she won the WPSL Elite championship with the Western New York Flash. Later, she was drafted 18th overall by Seattle Reign FC in the 2013 National Women's Soccer Supplemental Draft.
Laura is married to her husband and Waynesburg men's soccer coach, Brad Heethuis, and the two reside in Waynesburg with their daughters Hayden and Harper. She also serves as an assistant coach with the men’s kickers and an Assistant Athletic Director.
