Ben Tierney named head Women’s Soccer coach at Ohio Northern

By Wes Mayberry

ADA — Ben Tierney has been named the head women's soccer coach at Ohio Northern.

"We are excited to welcome Coach Tierney to Ohio Northern. He has had great experience with some outstanding head coaches and is ready to lead a program," ONU director of Athletics Tom Simmons said. "Our women's soccer student-athletes have had a great run of conference championships and NCAA postseason opportunities, and we look for them to build upon their many successes under Coach Tierney."

ONU welcomes Tierney to the position following the departure of Mark Batman, who is now the head coach at Toledo.

Tierney comes to ONU after three seasons as a women's soccer assistant coach at Denison, which finished 7-9-4 overall and won the North Coast Athletic Conference Tournament championship and advanced to the NCAA Tournament in 2022.

"I would like to thank Athletic Director Tom Simmons and the entire search committee for my appointment as the women's soccer head coach at Ohio Northern," Tierney said. "I am incredibly grateful for the opportunity to lead the Ohio Northern women's soccer program. I am looking forward to getting started, building on past achievements and reaching new levels of success on the field and in the classroom."

The Big Red went a combined 18-14-4 overall and 11-2-2 in conference play the past two seasons. The 2020 season, Tierney's first at Denison, was canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

At Denison, Tierney coached under Gail Murphy, who stepped down earlier this year after leading the Big Red to an overall record of 317-133-48 and 15 NCAA Tournament appearances in her 26-year tenure.

Prior to his time at Denison, Tierney spent two seasons as the assistant women's soccer coach at Hanover (Ind.), helping lead the Panthers to a combined record of 28-8-2, including a 16-1-1 mark in the Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference and back-to-back trips to the HCAC Tournament championship game.

Tierney has also worked as a senior team coordinator and coach with the Columbus Express Soccer Club in Columbus, Indiana, where he has helped lead teams to multiple state and tournament championships.

Tierney is a 2018 graduate of Franklin College (Ind.) with a bachelor's degree in sports management. At Franklin, he was a four-year starter and two-time all-conference defender as a member of the men's soccer team.

A native of Wilder, Kentucky, Tierney holds a master's degree in athletic coaching education from Ball State University and currently resides in Westerville.