Peel Named Richland Women's Soccer Head Coach
DALLAS -- Stephanie Peel was named head women's soccer coach at Dallas College Richland.
"I'm grateful that Dallas College Athletic Director Sadiaa Jones and Richland Athletic Director Lynn Nabi have trusted me with this opportunity, and I'm excited to get started," Peel said. "I have seen the positive and far-reaching impact that great athletic programs in Dallas College, like Richland soccer, have had on the lives of many student-athletes I've coached and taught over the years. When I saw the opportunity to be a part of that, I had to go for it. I've loved working in soccer and education in this community, and coaching at Dallas College Richland will allow me to continue to do that from a new angle that I expect to be both challenging and rewarding."
From 2015-23, Peel served as the head girls varsity soccer coach at Woodrow Wilson High School in Dallas. Her team won District 11-5A championships in 2018 and 2021. She was named District Coach of the Year in 2018 and 2021. From 2010-13, she was an assistant coach at Moravian College, an NCAA Division III institution in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania. While in Bethlehem, she also coached with FC Lehigh Soccer Club's Under-12 and U-11 girls teams as well as the U-7 academy program from 2007-08 and 2010-13.
Peel assisted in coaching and evaluation duties at the Region III Olympic Development Program in Montevallo, Alabama in 2010. She worked a camp for Soccer Without Borders in Nicarauga in 2009, and served as the youth soccer director and coach in Tyreso, Sweden in 2008.
From 2006-08, Peel served as an assistant coach at Lehigh University. She was a graduate assistant coach with the Mountain Hawks from 2004-06.
"Coach Peel brings a myriad of experience as a player and coach," Nabi said. "She played collegiately at the highest level, and has been a high school and college coach for women's soccer. She is a local product of Plano East, and her family is well known in the Dallas-Fort Worth soccer community. The thing that impressed me about Coach Peel is that she is extremely organized in her approach to being a successful soccer coach. I know Coach Peel will lead our women's soccer program, and make it successful on and off the field."
Peel played professionally in the Swedish Professional League in 2008-09. Her team, Tyreso FF, took first place in the league, and was promoted to the top division, Allsvenskan. From 2001-09, she played in the United Soccer League's W League for the New Jersey Sky Blue, New York Athletic Club, New York Magic, Arizona Heatwave, Chicago Cobras, Texas Odyssey and Texas Heatwave.
In college, Peel played four years as a defender at Arizona State University from 2001-04. She was an Honorable Mention All-Pac-10 selection as a freshman, finishing with five assists, four goals and 13 points. She earned three Second Team All-Pac-10 Academic honors. Peel started all 80 games of her Sun Devils career.
She played high school soccer at Plano East High School, earning Dallas Morning News Second Team All-Area honors.
"As I told the players in our first team meeting, I recognize what a strong program Richland soccer is in this community, and I plan to learn from them what has made it so successful," Peel said. "I will also bring in the unique perspective I have gained through my teaching, coaching, and playing experiences to help the program and athletes continue to grow.
"I coach from the perspective of an educator by considering the student-athlete as a whole person. I focus on modeling and fostering the qualities of integrity, hard work, leadership, growth and compassion. I want to support players in reaching their goals on and off the field, and encourage them to play for the love of the game and each other."
Peel earned Bachelor of Arts in secondary education from Arizona State in 2005. She earned a Master of Arts in secondary education from Lehigh University in 2007.