A New Era for Lioness Goalkeeping
Southeastern Louisiana University announced this week that Willem Kelson will join the women's soccer coaching staff as an assistant coach and head of goalkeeper development, a move that awaits final approval from the University of Louisiana System's Board of Supervisors.
Kelson arrives with a robust coaching portfolio that includes stints as a graduate assistant and goalkeeper coach at Western Illinois, a season with the North Carolina Football Club, and a two‑year tenure at Santa Clara Sporting Soccer Club, where he helped shape the development of several emerging talents.
During his time at Western Illinois, Kelson guided goalkeeper Micah Ramirez to a second‑place finish in Division I for total saves in 2025, a performance that underscored his ability to elevate defensive performance.
His influence also shone at the youth level, where Ariel Bernard earned a spot in the 2025 USYNT Women's College Talent ID Camp under his tutelage, and where he previously volunteered at Charles E. Jordan High School and directed the Carolina Girls' Soccer Camp.
Kelson's playing background adds a unique perspective; he served as a practice player for the North Carolina Tar Heels women's soccer team while simultaneously guarding the net for the UNC men's club side from 2021 to 2023, and he captained the Santa Clara Sporting 00B Green squad from 2014 to 2019.
A scholar‑athlete, Kelson holds a bachelor's degree in Neuroscience and a minor in Chemistry from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, as well as a master's in Business Administration from Western Illinois, earned in 2025.
Expressing gratitude, Kelson said he is excited to contribute to the university community in Hammond and to help the program build on its recent successes.