CHAMPAIGN, Ill. — Jill Ellis, who won back-to-back FIFA Women’s World Cups as coach of the U.S. Women’s National Team, will serve as the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign’s commencement speaker Saturday, May 16, at 9:30 a.m. in Memorial Stadium.
Ellis was the head coach of the national soccer team for five years, from 2014-19. During her tenure, she won two FIFA Women’s World Cups (2015, 2019), earned two FIFA World Coach of the Year honors and coached 132 USWNT games – the most of any coach. She has the most wins in U.S. soccer history and is the only person to win back-to-back Women’s World Cups. She resigned the position in 2019 with a record of 106-7-19. She was previously head coach of the first Illinois women’s soccer team.
Ellis is currently serving as an ambassador for the United States Soccer Federation. In this role, she is promoting and developing the women’s game both domestically and internationally in various job responsibilities. The USSF organization governs U.S. amateur and professional soccer, including the men’s, women’s, youth, beach soccer, futsal and Paralympic national teams.
“It is an honor and privilege to welcome Jill Ellis back to the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign to serve as our 2020 commencement speaker,” Chancellor Robert Jones said. “Illinois gave her an opportunity to start her career more than 20 years ago, and Ellis is an example of what enormous success can come after an Illinois experience. She illustrates how this university can set people up to achieve their wildest dreams.”
Jill Ellis addresses the news media in 1997 prior to her first season as head coach of the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign women’s soccer team, which also was the program’s first year.
Prior to earning international recognition, Ellis received her first head coaching opportunity when she was hired in 1997 to lead the University of Illinois women’s team. Ellis was considering two other head coaching offers, but she said her Illinois campus visit sealed the deal.
“Before coming for the interview, I hadn’t been to the university, and I’m not even sure I had been to (the state of) Illinois,” she said. “But I talked to everyone, I asked a lot of questions and I saw a wonderful opportunity. Illinois is a massive and sprawling campus, but it’s also charming and friendly. Everyone was so supportive and excited about the program. When I got the offer, I was thrilled.”
After two successful seasons at Illinois, she was recruited and hired by UCLA, where she led the team to eight Final Four appearances and six straight Pac 10 championships in 12 seasons. While at UCLA, she also won National Coach of the Year honors in 2000 before being hired by U.S. Soccer full-time in 2011.
The U.S Team’s success from last summer’s Women’s World Cup shone a light on the issue of equal pay, not just in sport but also across all workplaces. Ellis supported her players’ advocacy of pay equity.
“This is a group of strong, socially conscious women, who through their actions, on and off the field, have empowered girls and women everywhere to use their voices for change,” Ellis said.
Additionally, Ellis has also been a role model for LGBTQ athletes by championing inclusion on her teams.
“Jill empowers players to not only be decision-makers on the field, but to use their platform as sports icons to make a positive impact on the world,” said Janet Rayfield, the Illinois women’s soccer coach. “She creates an environment of courage and inspiration for athletes to forge new pathways for themselves and to open doors that other women can now walk through. Women in all walks of life have seen these women – their success, their mentality, their courage and their confidence – and been encouraged and motivated to forge ahead along their own journeys.”
Ellis grew to love soccer as a young girl in Portsmouth, England, but there was no organized soccer for girls in her hometown. Her father, John Ellis, was a soccer ambassador for the British government. A Royal Marine, he was tasked to create soccer programs worldwide. Growing up, Jill would often play with her brother and his friends in neighborhood games. She did not play on an organized team until her family moved to the U.S. She was appointed captain of the Robinson Secondary School team in Fairfax, Virginia, where she led the team to the 1984 girls’ state championship. She later earned All-American honors at the College of William & Mary, where she graduated with a degree in English literature and composition.
Ellis said it is an honor to return to the university that gave her such an opportunity at a young age.
“I am so unbelievably honored to be the 2020 commencement speaker,” Ellis said. “I have such fond memories of my time at the University of Illinois and it was a time of so many firsts in my coaching journey. I truly feel Illinois, the players, my staff and the peers I worked alongside provided me a solid foundation on which to grow. I don’t necessarily think about specific matches, but the warmth and energy of the campus left an impact on me. Honestly, if it hadn’t been a great experience, I might not have ended up pursuing my career in coaching.”
Tickets for the universitywide commencement ceremony are available at the Event Services Office in the Illini Union, located near the Green Street entrance. For the first time at commencement, Memorial Stadium personnel will enforce a clear-bag policy. For more information regarding the ceremony, tickets, the clear-bag policy, reception, regalia and other details, visit commencement.illinois.edu.
Editor’s note: For additional information, contact Allison Vance, content strategy director, 217-300-6171, or email acvance@illinois.edu.
