Head Women's Soccer Coach Diamond Retires

Following nine seasons as Head Women’s Soccer Coach at MCCC, Elyse Diamond has retired.  Diamond compiled 65 wins in her nine seasons at Mercer and reached the Region 19 Championship three times, most recently in 2022, her final season.  The Vikings went 15-0 in the regular season in 2022, the first undefeated regular season in program history.  Diamond coached the 2022 Region 19 Division II Women’s Soccer Player of the Year, Lisa Schroeder, along with 12 All-Region 19 performers during her nine seasons.  Diamond also coached one All-American, Janine Dennis in 2016, in Diamond’s first season as head coach, the first women’s soccer All-American since 2010.

Diamond was Mercer’s first women’s soccer All-American in 1983.  She is Mercer’s all-time leading goal scorer, scoring 118 goals in 2 seasons.  Diamond was chosen as a member of the 1982-83 US Select Team which played friendly matches against Demark, Germany and Sweden.

Prior to coming to Mercer in 1983, Diamond was a high school All-American.  Diamond set a record of 112 goals in three years and 47 goals in her junior year, both records which still stand today. 

Following her two seasons at Mercer, Diamond received a scholarship to Rutgers University.  She set a single season scoring record at Rutgers of 15 goals, which was broken by former US National Team member and Olympian Carli Lloyd. 

Diamond has earned multiple honors for her soccer achievements including being selected for the MCCC Athletic Hall of Fame in its inaugural year in 2021.  Diamond became the first female soccer player to be inducted into the Mercer County Soccer Hall of Fame.  She was inducted in the Hamilton West Athletic Hall of Fame as a player and the Steinert Athletic Hall of Fame as an Assistant Coach.  Diamond was also the Trenton Select Committee’s female honoree in 2014.  The Trenton Select Committee honors the accomplishments of Mercer County athletic figures.

Diamond at her MCCC Athletic Hall of Fame Induction