US women’s national team head coach Jill Ellis and US Soccer agreed to a contract extension on Wednesday, with the 2015 Women’s World Cup champion manager signing a new, multi-year deal.
Ellis, age 48, took over as US head coach in May 2014. She lead the USWNT through the CONCACAF World Cup qualifying tournament and guided the Americans to a first-place finish in the World Cup’s “Group of Death,” before winning three tightly contested knockout games and beating Japan in the final to give the country its third World Cup title this summer.
"When we hired Jill, we all knew the great challenge that was ahead of her and the team," US Soccer President Sunil Gulati said in a statement released by the federation. "She met that challenge with tremendous passion and knowledge to win what was perhaps the most difficult Women's World Cup tournament in history. As we look towards the Rio Olympics and build towards the 2019 World Cup in France, we think Jill is the ideal person to lead the next generation of the Women's National Team."
Ellis, who has an overall record of 29-2-9, will lead the US on their 10-game victory tour this fall to celebrate the World Cup title. The 2016 Olympics are the next major competition on tap for Ellis and the USWNT, with CONCACAF qualifying for the Rio de Janeiro games slated for early next year.
"To watch our players achieve their dreams and continue to inspire fans across the country and the world was one of the most satisfying experiences of my coaching career," said Ellis. "Nothing is ever easy, and everything in this game is always earned, but I sincerely appreciate the opportunity to continue to work with these great players with the tremendous resources that U.S. Soccer dedicates to the women's game. We had a really exciting year, and we are looking forward to more exciting times ahead."
"We are going to have some turnover on the National Team as we look towards the Olympics and the next Women's World Cup in France, but that's always part of the natural evolution," she added. "It will be the job of the players and staff to keep up the world-class level of effort and intensity to meet the high expectations of this program. It's a challenge we are all looking forward to."
The first four matches of the USWNT’s victory tour have been announced, with the Americans set to take on Costa Rica in Pittsburgh on Aug. 16 and in Chattanooga, Tenn. on Aug. 19 before facing Australia in Detroit on Sept. 17 and in Birmingham, Ala. on Sept. 20.
