Coaches
Head Coach Travis Eschenmann (Email: vpitrav@vt.edu)
Entering the 2022 season Travis has been coaching both Club and High School teams for the past 17 years and currently holds both a Regional NSCAA and National D USSF license. Travis is entering his 14th season as the varsity coach for the Blacksburg High School Girls soccer team, while he previously coached the JV team for two seasons. His record is 228-39-11 (84%) through his 13 seasons. In 2016, Travis was named the Mid-Atlantic Region Coach of the Year and was one of 8 coaches eligible for the National Small Public School Coach of the Year by the NSCAA.
Travis’s club coaching experience includes various age groups such as the 2004 Boys, U-18 and U-13 Girls teams for the NRUSA. Travis has also served as the Head Coach for the NRU U9 and U10 Boys Academy. In addition to his coaching experience, Travis has spent six years as a certified referee for the VHSL, USSF and PIAA. As a referee Travis officiated rec, club, high school and semi-professional games.
Travis has been named the River Ridge District Coach of the Year (2010, 2011, 2012, and co-COY in 2013, 2018), Conference 32 Coach of the Year (2014, 2015, 2016, 2017), Region IV Coach of the Year (2011 and 2012), Region 3A West Coach of the Year (2014, 2015, 2016) and All-Timesland Coach of the Year (2010, 2011 and 2013, 2014, 2015 and 2016). Travis was also selected to coach in the 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016 and 2017 VSCHA All-Star games. In 2018 Travis helped to run the inaugural Virginia Soccer Coaches Associate (VSCA) Senior Showcase.
In 2014, Travis was award the “Virginia Coach of the Year-Small Public School” by the NSCAA. In 2015, Travis was named the “East Region Coach of the Year” for TopDrawer Soccer’s All-Region Team covering all High Schools in the states of Virginia and Delaware. In 2016, Travis was award the “Virginia Coach of the Year-Small Public School” by the NSCAA for the second time.
Travis holds a Ph.D. from Virginia Tech in Curriculum and Instruction.
Travis serves as a past President and current member of the Board of Directors for New River United, a member of the women’s soccer committee of the VHSCA Legislative Council, Executive Committee for the VSCA and a former VHSCA 3A All State Classification Chair for Girls Soccer.
Travis and his wife, Megan, have three children: Wyatt, Ethan and Carter. Home Phone: 540-951-1104 Email: vpitrav@vt.edu
Assistant Coach: Kelsey Fuller
Kelsey is in her 7th season as a member of the Blacksburg coaching staff. As a player Kelsey was a 4 year starter for the BHS Girls Soccer Program. In 2011, Kelsey set the school record for career shutouts(45) and also recorded a record number (16) shutouts in a season. She helped lead the Blacksburg girls program to its first State Championship appearance and was selected to the VHSCA All Star Game in 2011. Kelsey will be working with both JV and Varsity goal keepers.
Assistant Coach: Kasey Monaghan
Kasey Monaghan has a BS in Chemistry and played college soccer at UNC Chapel Hill and Campbell University where won two ACC and NCAA titles. She is in Garner Senior High School’s Hall of Fame and CASL’s Hall of Fame (her youth club team). She has coached all levels from recreation to collegiate (Va Tech) and also in the Olympic Development Program for the states of NC, NJ, and VA. She holds her Regional NSCAA and National C USSF license and this is her third year in assisting at Blacksburg High School. Her greatest enjoyment outside of spending time with her family is tinkering in her garden. Coach Monaghan is in her 4th year of working with the BHS Soccer Program.
Assistant Coach: Travis Bishop
Coach Bishop is starting his 2nd year with the Blacksburg Girls program after 16 seasons coaching on the boy’s side. While coaching with the boys side he was an assistant coach on 8 state championship teams and 5 state runners-up. In 2012, Coach Bishop was named NSCAA East Region Assistant Coach of the Year and was one of 4 coaches eligible for National Assistant Coach of the Year.
Coach Bishop has been an active member of the soccer community in the New River Valley for many years. Coach Bishop has coached for both New River United and Christiansburg Soccer Club and has served on the Board of Directors for New River United.
Assistant Coach: Neil Schmidt
Coach Schmidt is in his 5th year of working with the BHS Soccer Program. Coach Schmidt assists both the JV and Varsity teams and works with Goal Keepers. Previously, Coach Schmidt was the head boy’s soccer coach for Giles High School from 1990-2007. In 2006 he began the program’s first girls soccer team.
In his playing career, Neil was a member of the 1975 University of Pittsburgh men’s soccer team. Coach Schmidt served as Assistant Soccer Coach for the men’s team at Bloomsburg University in 1984 and was an assistant coach for the men’s and women’s soccer programs at the University of Notre Dame through 1990.
Team Trainer: N/A
The Voice of BHS Girls Soccer: Chris Wakley
JV Coaches
Head Coach: Matthew Pickett
Coach Pickett currently owns and operates Loud Valley Productions where he provides services as a film/advertisement media producer and is an adjunct professor at UVA Wise. Since 2015, Matthew has volunteered his time as a guest speaker at Blacksburg High School supporting students seeking to deliver their media skills. Previously, Coach Pickett played under Virginia Tech Coach Mike Brizendine on a college developmental team hosted by New River United Soccer Club. Through NRU, Coach Pickett coached various age groups including the U13 Girls.
Head Coach: Bob Lyle
Coach Bob Lyle joins us a JV Girls Head Coach from W.T.Woodson High School in Fairfax County where he attended in the last century and coached the JV Boys in 2018 and 2019. He coached JV Boys at McLean High School in 2016 and 2017 and JV Boys at Flint Hill Prep School in 2017. He coached Travel Soccer for Braddock Road Youth Club (BRYC) from 2000 to 2006. His public school high school coaching record is 29-18-9. Coach Lyle also served on the Board of Directors of BRYC from 2000-2008 and for the Northern Virginia Soccer League from 2002 to 2010. He founded NVSL40 which won the Over 40 Virginia State Championship 2007-2011. Coach Lyle holds a USSF National D license. He has no left foot 🙂
Assistant Coach: Gabrielle Johnson
Coach Johnson was a two-year starting midfielder at Veritas High School (Richmond, Virginia), and served as a team Captain and record setting goal scorer. In High School Gabby was also received the National Latin Exam Award and was a Veritas Performing Arts Award recipient. Gabby started her collegiate career at Delaware University where she made 42 appearances before transferring to Virginia Tech where she joined the Hokies as a member of the 2021 Women’s Soccer Team and graduate student.
Previous Coaches
Parker Martin: (JV Assistant Coach (2020 – 2021)
Jessi Wollmann: Varsity Assistant Coach (2019)
Eric Ruppert: JV Head Coach: (2018, 2019)
Cory Carroll: Varsity Assistant Coach: (2014, 2015, 2016, 2017)
Sam Perry: JV Assistant Coach: (2016, 2017)
Karen Strat: Varsity Assistant Coach (2015, 2016)
Nikki Hladik: JV Head Coach (2016)
Riley Butler: JV Head Coach (2015)
Kelly Conheeney: Varsity Assistant Coach (2014)
Sarah Hill: JV Head Coach (2014)
Lindsey Henderson: Varsity Assistant Coach (2013)
Christine Linker and Jessie McGraw: JV Co-Coaches (2013)
Kyle Henderson: JV Head Coach (2012)
Hayley Rhoades: Varsity Assistant Coach (2010 – 2012)
Katie Kooiman: Varsity Assistant Coach (2012)
Christie Djordjevic: JV Assistant Coach (2012)
Caity Flint: JV Assistant Coach (2011)
Kevin Voelker: JV Head Coach (2010-2011)
Molly Mallon: JV Head Coach (2010-2011)
Jennifer Harvey: Varsity Assistant Coach (2011)
Ashley Owens: Varsity Assistant Coach (2009-2010)
Kelly Mitchell: JV Assistant Coach (2010)
Erin Crede: JV Head Coach (2008-2009)
Matt Williams: Varsity Assistant Coach (2008-2009)
Heather Hallberg: Varsity Assistant Coach (2008)
David Burch: Varisty Head Coach (2003 – 2007)
Katie Dolan: Varsity Assistant Coach (2007)
Kacie Brosious: JV Assistant Coach (2009)
Kristin Cox: JV Assistant Coach (2007)
Andrea Angelos: Varsity Assistant Coach (2006)
Angie Rossi: Varsity Assistant Coach (2005)
Elaine Giuliani: Varisty Assistant Coach (2004)
Julie Stoops: Varsity Assistant Coach (2003)
Julio Opazo: Varsity Head Coach (?-2002)