Heather Dyche Named as New Head Coach of U.S. Under-23 Women’s National Team
Long-Time College Head Coach Takes Over as Full-Time Head Coach for Oldest Age Group in the USA’s Youth National Teams Program
ATLANTA (Nov. 5, 2025) – The U.S. Soccer Federation has hired Heather Dyche as the full-time head coach of the U.S. Under-23 Women’s National Team.
U.S. Soccer has not had a full-time head coach for this age group since Matt Potter, whose tenure was massively impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. Dyche comes to U.S. Soccer after serving as the head coach for the University of New Mexico (UNM) women’s soccer program for the past 11 seasons.
“Our continued growth of the U-23 program and the increased opportunities for competition for this age group are vitally important to the continued success of our senior Women’s National Team,” said USWNT head coach Emma Hayes. “It was important that we have a full-time head coach to give maximum attention to this age group of players while working closely with our Women’s National Team staff and (Head of Women’s YNT Development) Tracey Kevins. Heather has been involved with U.S. Soccer at many different age levels and she will be a great leader and steward for these players whom I view as part of our larger WNT player pool.”
Dyche (pronounced Dike) is a long-time collegiate head coach. She has worked for U.S. Soccer several capacities, including as an assistant coach for every age group of U.S. Soccer Youth National Teams, as an assistant coach during the U.S. U-20 cycle in 2020 (that was cut short by the pandemic), and as an opposition analyst for the 2016 Rio Olympics and the Concacaf W Championship in 2022 that served as World Cup and Olympic qualifying. She holds a USSF National “A” license. She has been in two U.S. U-23 WNT events this year, working the camp in April in Los Angeles and serving as head coach for two matches in Germany in May/June.
“It is with great enthusiasm that I step into this role during a pivotal moment for our National Teams program,” said Dyche. “The investment and strategy being implemented from top to bottom are significant, bold and exciting, and I’m energized by the opportunity to be part of that vision. My years with U.S. Soccer – as a youth National Team coach and senior team scout – have led me to a role that perfectly aligns with my passion for developing players and strengthening the bridge between youth and senior levels.”
Dyche, who has been at New Mexico since 2015, was named the Mountain West Coach of the Year in back-to-back seasons in 2020 and 2021. She won four regular season titles and the Mountain West tournament title in 2021. Dyche finishes her stint in Albuquerque with the best winning percentage ever by a UNM head coach.
“Leaving the University of New Mexico was not an easy decision,” said Dyche, who is an Albuquerque native. “The program has been instrumental to my growth as a coach and person, and I will always be proud to support my hometown team. I am deeply grateful to U.S. Soccer for entrusting me with this opportunity to help shape the next generation of Olympic and World Cup players. It has always been an honor to wear the crest and I’m thrilled to continue contributing to our nation’s soccer legacy.”
During her time at New Mexico, Dyche also served as technical advisor for USL team New Mexico United. At the time, she was one of only two women in the country involved with men’s professional team staffing. She is also the former vice president of United Soccer Coaches, the world's largest professional organization for soccer coaches, dedicated to advancing the sport through education, advocacy, and recognition for coaches at all levels.
Dyche is a part of the U.S. Soccer Senior Instructional Staff and teaches the National “A” and “B” licenses. She is currently the only American woman on the FIFA Women’s Development Team as a technical expert.
She has also played a part in the development of women’s soccer in the Concacaf region, assisting the Caribbean National Teams of Antigua, St. Kitts and Nevis and Grenada while also serving on the instructional staff for Concacaf, teaching courses and licensing coaches throughout our confederation.
Dyche was also a long-time U.S. Youth Soccer Region IV ODP head coach and was a co-founder and head coach of LEAD (Leadership and Empowerment through Athletic Development) Academy Soccer – an all-girls soccer leadership training school located in Albuquerque.
The Albuquerque native has deep roots in New Mexico, coaching multiple state- and regional-champion club teams in New Mexico while helping more than 60 players move on to college soccer.
A 1997 graduate of Eldorado High School where she was a four-year All-State defender, Dyche was a two-time district Player of the Year and the 1996 Defensive Player of the Year. She played college soccer at the University of Nebraska (1997) before transferring to Florida State and played there from 1998-2001, serving as the team captain her senior year. She played briefly in the semi-professional ranks in Norway following her college career.