BOILING SPRINGS, N.C. – Head coach Erik Solberg has announced he will step down as head women's soccer coach at Gardner-Webb

In his two seasons at the helm of the Runnin' Bulldogs, Solberg began to engineer a program turnaround that saw GWU reach the Big South Tournament this past fall for the first time since 2022 and finish tied for fourth in the league standings

After a transitional season in 2024 that included a late-season Big South victory over Winthrop, Gardner-Webb was picked ninth in the preseason poll this past fall. What followed saw Solberg guide Gardner-Webb to a series of notable results, and a historic defensive record 

During the 2025 season, the Runnin' Bulldogs scored a pair of home Big South victories over Presbyterian and Charleston Southern, and a road win over defending conference champions, USC Upstate. This was all part of a historic streak that saw the Dawgs keep a program-record five straight clean sheets between September and October, en route to a postseason appearance

Solberg coached several players to All-Big South selections over his two seasons at GWU, including goalkeeper Savannah Dixon who won the first Big South Goalkeeper of The Year award in program history in 2025, as well as Second Team selection Camila Lezcano and Freshman Team pick Sarah Birchall

The search is now underway to find the program's next head coach