Susie McCreery-Foster joined the Elmhurst University staff as head women’s soccer coach in January 2023.
In 2024, McCreery-Foster was named CCIW Coach of the Year, becoming the first woman in league history to win the award. Under her guidance, the Bluejays reached the CCIW Tournament for the first time in 21 years and posted their highest conference finish since 2018. On October 19, 2025, she reached a career milestone with her 200th career victory, a win over Illinois Wesleyan.
McCreery-Foster has built nationally and regionally recognized programs during her career, leading four teams to NCAA Division III National Tournament appearances and eight conference postseason appearances. She has captured two Midwest Conference Tournament championships and one Midwest Conference championship, with teams reaching as high as 20th nationally and fifth in regional rankings.
Under her leadership, 71 student-athletes have garnered All-Conference selections, along with 10 National Soccer Coaches Association of America (NSCAA) All-Region honors, two Conference Player of the Year awards, and one NSCAA All-American.
She arrived at Elmhurst following 11 seasons as head coach at Carroll University, compiling a 118-65-26 record and making two NCAA tournament appearances. Her most successful season came in 2015, when she led the Pioneers to a 15-5-1 mark, a conference title, an NCAA berth, and Midwest Conference Coach of the Year honors. That season also saw defender Sarah Mahoney become the program’s first NSCAA All-American and Midwest Conference Defensive Player of the Year.
Prior to Carroll, McCreery-Foster spent eight seasons at Carthage College, serving as assistant coach (2003-04) and head coach (2005-11). As head coach, she posted a 68-41-9 record and mentored 24 CCIW All-Conference honorees.
A standout goalkeeper at Northwestern University, McCreery-Foster still holds the Wildcats’ career record for lowest goals-against average. A two-time Big Ten Defensive Player of the Week, she was also a CoSIDA Academic All-American and served as president of Northwestern’s Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC) while representing the Wildcats on the Big Ten committee.
McCreery-Foster lives in Mundelein, Illinois, with her two children—daughter Rylan and son Trey.
