Butler University Athletics

Rob Alman was hired in 2012 and enters his 15th season as a co-head coach of the Butler women’s soccer program in 2026. The previous 14 years, alongside Co-Head Coach Tari St. John, have produced the most transformative and successful period in the program’s history.

The duo has overseen the Bulldogs transition to the BIG EAST Conference after previously competing in the Atlantic 10 Conference and the Horizon League. St. John and Alman have seen 10 winning seasons working together, compiling an overall record of 133-69-34 to post the best winning percentage of any coaching staff in program history.
 
St. John and Alman have achieved considerable postseason success that includes three NCAA Tournament appearances (2021, 2017, 2015), a BIG EAST Tournament title (2015), and four appearances in the BIG EAST Tournament championship match (Spring 2021, 2018, 2017, 2015).
 
Under the duo’s guidance, Butler has posted double-digit victories in 10 of 14 seasons. The program has seen national rankings as high as 17th in 2022, 22nd in 2018, and 20th in 2017. Since joining the BIG EAST in 2013, Butler has finished among the top three teams six times – including first in the Midwest Division in Spring 2021 – and has qualified for the BIG EAST Tournament in 11 of the 13 seasons. Ranked opponents that have been defeated by Butler include #9 Michigan (2022), #4 Georgetown (2018), #20 Notre Dame (2018), #10 Texas A&M (2017), and #11 Michigan (2013).
 
Alman has become synonymous with high-level player development. Under his tutelage, Butler players have earned accolades at record numbers. Since 2012, 60 players have received postseason all-conference recognition, including four player-of-the-year awards and five for Freshmen of the Year. Two players – Serina Kashimoto (2015) and Paige Monaghan (2017) – have received USC/NSCAA All-America Second Team honors, Talia Sommer (2025) received fourth-team recognition, and 28 have been All-Region selections for their on-the-field performances. Academically, since 2006, two student-athletes have received CoSIDA Academic All-America honors, and six have received USC/NSCAA Scholar All-America accolades, while numerous others have been recognized at the district/region level.
 
Alman has also helped guide and develop multiple Butler players into national team programs and professional soccer careers upon their graduation. Talia Sommer was drafted and added to the roster at NWSL club Gotham FC in 2025. Katie Soderstrom was awarded a trial at NWSL club Angel City FC after the 2022 season and eventually signed with Odense Boldklub Q in Denmark. Amanda Kowalski earned a spot with the NWSL Chicago Red Stars after the 2021 season, seeing 12 starts and scoring 3 goals in her first professional season. Annika Schmidt (2019) first played in Sweden and ultimately signed with the Houston Dash. Paige Monaghan (2018) was selected by Sky Blue FC with the 10th overall pick of the 2019 NWSL College Draft, becoming the first player from Butler to be drafted in the NWSL. In recent years, Alman and St. John have worked with players who have represented Israel, Canada, Germany, Japan, Puerto Rico, and the USA during their time at Butler. Monaghan, who earned the first call up of her career following a stellar 2017 campaign, joined the U23 US National Team. More recently, Talia Sommer saw several CAPs with the Israeli National Team in World Cup qualification matches.
 
With 148 victories as a team, Alman and St. John have more than twice the number of victories than any other women’s soccer coach at Butler. The pair were honored in 2017 as the BIG EAST Coaching Staff of the Year.
 
A native of Leicester, England, Alman joined the Butler staff in the fall of 2011 as a volunteer assistant coach after living in New Jersey for seven years. During that time, Alman worked as the Director of Coaching for a club and also led a full-time professional coaching staff of 26.
 
Alman has four years of head coaching experience in the National Premier Soccer League (NPSL) and Women's Premier Soccer League (WPSL) pro leagues. In addition, he was a part of the NPSL technical staff and was selected to coach a league all-star team in 2010.
 
As a standout player, his experience includes time at the youth and reserve levels with professional clubs in England, Northampton Town and Kidderminster Harriers. A captain for every team during his playing days, he was also selected to represent the British Colleges team.
 
Alman currently holds an 'A' coaching license from the United State Soccer Federation (USSF) as well as a degree in sports science from Leicester College in England. He married Tari St. John in 2012.