Nikki Izzo-Brown Names Eric Beltran as Assistant Coach

West Virginia Univesity women's soccer head coach Nikki Izzo-Brown Tabs Eric Beltran as assistant coach

Tuesday afternoon, West Virginia University women’s soccer coach Nikki Izzo-Brown announced the hiring of Eric Beltran as an assistant coach on the Mountaineer women’s soccer staff.

Beltran will work primarily with the goalkeepers, while assisting with the team’s daily training sessions and game preparations.

“We are thrilled to have Eric join our staff and be a part of our West Virginia family,” Izzo-Brown said. “He will immediately make the program and team better with all of his experience, leadership and coaching philosophies. His commitment to excellence will only enhance our student-athletes’ development on and off the field, and we are so excited for him to be here!”

“I’m excited and honored to join the Mountaineer women’s soccer staff, a program known for its longstanding success, excellence and dedication to its student-athletes,” Beltran said. “I’d like to express my gratitude to Nikki, her staff and the administration for providing me with this opportunity. I can’t wait to serve our student-athletes in their pursuit of championships.”

With the goalkeepers, Beltran coached the 2022 ASUN Goalkeeper of the Year, Ainsley Leja, who earned the nod in just her sophomore season. Leja started all 21 games for the Flames in 2022, tallying a 0.62 goals-against average, 56 saves and a 0.812 save percentage.

Before his time at Liberty, Beltran spent three years at the University of Incarnate Word, where his primary duties were recruiting coordinator and working with the goalkeepers. In his three seasons at UIW, the Cardinals’ goals-against average improved every year, as UIW ranked third in the Southland Conference with a 0.95 GAA in Beltran’s final season with the team.

Beltran was at Erskine College, an NCAA Division II institution in Due West, South Carolina, prior to arriving at UIW. While there, he served as the assistant coach and worked with the goalkeepers and reserve team during the 2017-18 season. In his year at Erskine, the Flying Fleet qualified for postseason play for the first time since the 2011 season, while setting program records for goals against and goals-against average. Under Beltran's guidance, the team also recorded the second-highest save percentage in program history.

Prior to his time at Erskine, Beltran was the goalkeeping coach for FC Dallas West Texas from 2015-17.

Beltran was a goalkeeper for Dallas Baptist University (2012), Jefferson College (2013) and The University of Texas of the Permian Basin (2014-2016). At Jefferson College, he recorded a goals-against average of 1.3 on the way to conference and regional championships. The team was ranked as high as fourth in the country.

He was a two-year captain at UTPB, finishing sixth in the country for NCAA Division II saves and saves per game in 2014. He also played semi-professionally for Alamo Soccer Club, where he was the leader in goals-against average (0.66) at the national tournament in 2013.

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