Oberlin College

Oberlin College Department of Athletics
200 Woodland Street Oberlin, OH 44074

Division 3 Ohio Midwest

Private Small Developing team

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Coaches

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Taylor Houck

Taylor Houck is in her second season as head women's soccer coach at Oberlin College after being hired in the spring of 2022.

In first year a the helm, she led Oberlin to a 7-6-2 mark with the team out-scoring its opponents 26-23. Furthermore, she mentored 2022 NCAC Offensive Player of the Year Heather Benway, who was one of four players to earn All-NCAC honors. Benway, who was a second-team United Soccer Coaches all-region selection, also joined five others as College Sports Communicators Academic All-District honorees.

No stranger to Oberlin, Houck was an assistant coach with the program for two seasons (2014-15), helping guide the Yeowomen to their first winning season in 25 years in 2014 (10-8-0) while tying a program record for wins and shutouts.

After her departure from Oberlin, Houck became the head coach at Caltech (2016-19) where she built the program from the ground up, leading the team to its first win in just their eighth game while growing the roster size throughout her tenure. Houck recruited and coached the first player in Caltech history to earn All-SCIAC honors.

Mostly recently serving as head coach at Knox College for three years and two full seasons of competition, Houck led the Prairie Fire to tremendous success with a 25-12-5 record, which included two Midwest Conference championships and 15-1-0 mark in the league.

In 2021, Houck coached the MVC Offensive Player of the Year and the nation's leader in game-winning goals. She mentored a plethora of all-conference and all-region players in her two full seasons, including seven first-team All-MVC honorees. Throughout her time at Knox, her tireless recruiting efforts were on display as she increased the roster size by eight players from 2019 to 2021.

A former standout player at Villanova University, Houck earned All-BIG EAST honors in 2012 and 2013. She was a four-year starter, two-time team MVP, and two-year captain while earning BIG EAST All-Academic honors in each of her four years in Philadelphia.

Upon graduation, Houck played professional soccer in Finland for Pallokissat for one season and holds a USSF "E" National License, and an NSCAA Goalkeeper Levels 1, 2, and 3 diploma.

She earned a bachelor's of arts degree in Sociology at Villanova in 2013, and in 2019 a master's of education in Positive Coaching & Athletic Leadership from the University of Missouri.

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Lydia Mitchell

Lydia Mitchell is in her second season as assistant women's soccer coach at Oberlin College.

Mitchell helped Oberlin to a 7-6-2 mark with the team out-scoring its opponents 26-23. She coached four All-NCAC honorees, including 2022 NCAC Offensive Player of the Year Heather Benway.

Mitchell was a two-sport standout at Knox College, competing for the women's soccer and track and field programs. She had previously been serving as an assistant coach with the track team at Knox since the winter.

Mitchell finished her collegiate playing career in the fall of 2021, helping the Prairie Fire women's soccer team secure their fifth consecutive regular season MWC title.

A second-team United Soccer Coaches All-Region selection, Mitchell had one of the best individual seasons in school history in 2021 with 16 goals, including nine game-winning finishes. She led the Midwest Conference in goals and ranked second in the nation in game-winning goals.

A two-time All-Midwest Conference first-team selection, she was also the league's Newcomer of the Year in 2018. Mitchell finished her career with 38 goals and 16 assists for 92 total points. A clutch performer throughout her career, 19 of her 38 goals were game-winners.

A proven winner as a player, the women's soccer team had an overall record of 38-17-8 throughout Mitchell's tenure, which included a 23-2-2 mark in the Midwest Conference and an NCAA Tournament berth in 2018.

Mitchell graduated from Knox in 2021 with bachelor's degree in political science.