Marsha Harper was hired as head coach of American University women's soccer in December of 2019, and enters her sixth season with the Eagles in the fall of 2025.
American's 4-1-1 non-conference mark in 2024 was the program's best start and highest win percentage since 1996. The Eagles finished 6-6-3 overall, matching their most wins since 2019, and had two All-Patriot League selections in Lailah Stewart, named to the All-PL Second Team, and Izzy Kadzban, named to the All-PL Third Team. Harper had two Eagles earn Academic All-PL honors—Brooke Steel and Avery Klingensmith. It was the second such honor for Steel, and the fifth Academic All-PL selection in Harper's tenure.
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In 2023, Harper led American to its most Patriot League wins in a decade, with the Eagles earning three wins in conference play. For the third season in a row, the Eagles finished higher in the Patriot League standings than in the previous season, finishing seventh. Harper also coached Kadzban to her second All-Patriot League selection.
In 2022, Harper guided American to its highest finish in the Patriot League since 2018, earning two conference wins to finish eighth in the League. She also coached three All-Patriot League selections: Asia Horne (second team), Kadzban (third team) and Natalie Oliver (third team).
During the fall 2021 season, Harper earned her first career win as a head coach and finished with five victories, including a 4-3-1 record on the road. She also coached her first two All-Patriot League selections in Horne and Tate Jordan. Horne later became the first AU women’s soccer player to earn two All-PL selections since 2013. Jordan was also named to the Academic All-Patriot League team, becoming the second such honoree during Harper’s tenure (Tori Kent, spring 2021).
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Hired to lead the program in December 2019, her first season at the helm (Fall 2020) was postponed due to COVID-19 and played in the spring of 2021. Her squad played five games and closed the season with a 1-1 draw against eventual Patriot League champion, Navy.
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Harper is the seventh head coach in women's soccer history at AU and joined the Eagles after two seasons as an assistant coach at the University of Massachusetts, during which time the Minutewomen went 21-12-4.
Harper was part of a full coaching staff change at UMass, working with head coach Jason Dowiak who was a former mentor and colleague from the University of South Florida. While at UMass, Harper was directly in charge of all internal operations such as the development of practices, recruiting, social media, compliance and admissions for the women's soccer program.
Prior to her time at UMass, Harper spent two seasons at Richmond, another Atlantic 10 Conference program. She has also had assistant coaching stints at Bowling Green State University (2015) and Northwestern State University (2014).
In addition to her tenures as an assistant coach at the collegiate level, the USF double-graduate has spent time coaching at the club and Olympic Developmental levels.
After completing her collegiate playing career, Harper volunteered as an assistant coach at USF in the spring of 2014 while also serving as a staff coach for the Future 50 Soccer Camp.
Harper was a member of the University of Florida women's soccer team for three seasons before transferring to USF in 2011. She served as captain for the Bulls during the 2013 season. The collegiate defender earned her bachelor’s degree in applied science in 2012 and her master’s degree in exercise science at USF in 2014.
