Fresh off of leading the Superior City FC women to a 6-2-3 record in his first year at the helm, University of Minnesota Duluth women's soccer head coach Greg Cane has hired Aaron Blanchard to serve as an assistant coach for the Bulldogs ahead of the 2024 season.
"Bulldog Soccer is very fortunate to add Aaron to our soccer staff," said Cane, who will lead UMD into its 31th season this fall. "His head coaching background is notable at Northland College and Superior City FC. He has built a respected reputation among his peers which his players note as well. We look forward to Aaron bringing his experience and expertise in the coming season."
Blachard has already coached eight Bulldogs this summer with Superior -- including junior defender Cambelle Christensen, senior forward and team captain Anna Tobias (who led the team in scoring), senior midfielder Victoria Thorson, senior Morgan Eckerle, midfielder Malory Russ, sophomore midfielder Amelia Pons and incoming freshman Alyssa Doyle and Gwendolyn Lilly. Prior to taking over the Superior City FC this summer, Blanchard was the head women's soccer coach and Fitness Center Coordinator at Northland College. For the three years before that, Blanchard was an assistant coach for both the Jacks and Jill's soccer programs from 2020 until 2023. Blanchard's coaching experience also includes roles at Cloquet High School (JV coach and assistant varsity coach 2019-2020), as well as with the Gitchi Gummi Soccer Club 2018-2020).
Prior to graduating from the University of Wisconsin-Superior with a degree in exercise science and coaching minor in 2020, Blanchard was a defender for the Yellowjackets for two seasons in 2017 and 2018 and played in 32 games. He helped UW-Superior win two UMAC championships over that span and scored the game-winning goal against Augsburg in the first round of the NCAA tournament in 2018 to advance the Yellowjackets to the second round of the NCAA tournament for the first time in school history. Before his time at Superior, Blanchard was a starter for North Iowa Area Community College and is a native of Omaha, Nebraska.
