Alex Collier, a 2015 Butler graduate, returned to the university as an assistant coach with Butler’s women’s soccer program in July, 2019.
During his time with the Butler women’s program, the Bulldogs have been ranked as high as 17th in the nation and have wins over multiple top-25 opponents. The program has qualified for the BIG EAST Tournament each season, and, in 2021, advancing to the semi-final match and then securing an at-large bid for the program’s third appearance in the NCAA Tournament. In the spring 2021 campaign (delayed due to COVID-19), Butler posted a 10-2 mark, won the BIG EAST's Midwest Division, and advanced to the championship match of the BIG EAST Tournament.
Collier has played an integral role with goalkeepers. Under his direction, Stephanie Rodriguez was named BIG EAST Co-Goalkeeper of the Year (2020-21) and was an All-BIG EAST Second Team selection. She was also a United Soccer Coaches Scholar All-Region selection who tied the school record with nine shutouts in one season and is third all-time at Butler with 14 career shutouts. Another goalkeeper Collier trained, Emma Martin, was named to the 2021 BIG EAST All-Freshman Team and was a three-time BIG EAST Goalkeeper of the Week. She is fifth all-time for the Bulldogs with a .73 single-season GAA, and she is tied for fourth with 11 career shutouts. In addition to goalkeepers, 24 total student-athletes have received postseason recognition from the BIG EAST while Collier has been a part of the coaching staff. Four – Paige Monaghan, Annika (Schmidt) Creel, Amanda Kowalski, and Katie Soderstrom – have moved on to professional soccer playing careers.
Collier returned to his alma mater after spending the previous four years coaching and training soccer players at a variety of levels, including the professional ranks.
In 2018, Collier led the start-up of a soccer training facility, Sogility., in Westfield, Indiana. Collier specializes in the technical training curriculum based around TOCA (or “touch”) Trainers. He also served as an assistant coach for the Indy Saints FC in their first year of semi-professional play. In 2017, the Saints competed in the Champions Soccer League, sanctioned by the United State Adult Soccer Association (USASA). Collier has also spent time in Salvador, Brazil volunteering with FIFA.
Collier’s prior collegiate coaching experience includes serving as graduate assistant at Defiance College in Ohio where he was the junior varsity coach and the lead goalkeeper trainer for the Yellow Jackets during the 2017 and 2018 seasons. He also spent two seasons (2015-2016) at Millikin University in Illinois as an assistant coach for the men’s soccer team as well as the primary junior varsity coach. While attending Butler, Collier worked with the men’s soccer program as the student operations manager during the 2014 and 2015 seasons. Under head coach Paul Snape, Collier assisted with daily practices and operations.
Collier also has experience with high school student-athletes. He spent the 2018-19 season at Guerin Catholic High School, where he was the head coach for the junior varsity “Gold Team.” A Shelbyville, Indiana, native, he started his coaching career as a volunteer coach for the Shelbyville High School men’s soccer program in 2011 and 2012.
Collier is certified through United Soccer Coaches and the United States Soccer Federation.
Collier graduated in 2015 from Butler with a degree in human movement and health sciences education. He went on to earn a master’s degree in business administration, with a concentration in coaching leadership, from Defiance College in 2018. He and his wife, Molly (Butler '15), were married in 2019 and welcomed their son, Kai, in 2021.
