HAMMOND, La. – As the Southeastern Louisiana University women's soccer team closed out its spring schedule, Willem Kelson will join fifth-year head coach Nathan Gillespie's coaching staff in preparation for the upcoming 2026 fall season.
Kelson's hire is pending approval of the University of Louisiana System's Board of Supervisors. Kelson will serve as an assistant coach for the program, along with aiding in duties as the head of goalkeeper development. This addition to Coach Gillespie's staff will help to elevate the Lions' defensive side of play to an elite level.
"The hiring of coach Will means that we will now be able to give every position the attention that it deserves," stated Coach Gillespie. "The expertise and feedback Will can provide brings a wealth of knowledge and insight that will strengthen our defensive play and allow us to continue growing as a team."
Kelson continues his coaching experience after three seasons at Western Illinois as a graduate assistant (2023-25) before serving as the men's and women's soccer assistant and goalkeeper coach this past season. During his time with the Leathernecks, men's soccer goalkeeper Micah Ramirez finished second in Division 1 for total saves in 2025. Under his guidance, women's soccer goalkeeper Ariel Bernard was selected to the 2025 USYNT Women's College Talent ID Camp alongside Mahe-Lee Caron being called up to Senior Haiti Women's National Team.
Before gaining his first collegiate coaching experience, Kelson worked as the goalkeeper coach for the North Carolina Football Club in 2023 before a season at Charles E. Jordan High School as a volunteer goalkeeper coach. Kelson also earned experience aiding as the team coach for the Carolina Girls' Soccer Camp over the summers of 2022-25 while previously spending two seasons as the goalkeeper coach for the Santa Clara Sporting Soccer Club (2020-21).
"Willem will have an immediate impact on our goalkeepers through detailed position-specific training and film review," said Gillespie. "His expertise will help us become more solid in goal, which will ultimately strengthen our defensive play and reduce the number of goals we concede."
The Los Altos, California native served as a practice player for the North Carolina Tarheels' women's soccer team and goalkeeper for UNC men's club team (2021-23) after starting his collegiate athletic career at the University of San Diego (2019-2020) in the West Coast Conference and West Valley College (2021). For eight years, Kelson competed as a goalkeeper and captain for the Santa Clara Sporting 00B Green (2014-19).
A graduate of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Kelson earned his bachelor's degree in Neuroscience along with a minor in Chemistry in 2023 before attaining his master's degree in Business Administration at Western Illinois in 2025.
"I'm incredibly grateful to Nathan for giving me the opportunity to join SLU and the community here in Hammond, America," commented Kelson. "Everyone has been so welcoming from the start and I feel so fortunate to call this place home."
SCORE ONE MORE CLUB/S CLUB
Fans interested in becoming active supporters of the women's soccer program are encouraged to join the Score One More Club. Lion alums are encouraged to join the exclusive S Club, which is restricted to Southeastern athletic letter winners. All membership fees and donations to Score One More Club are available for the exclusive use of the Southeastern soccer program. Membership information is available by contacting the Lion Athletics Association at laa@southeastern.edu or (985) 549-5091 or visiting www.LionUp.com.
SOCIAL MEDIA
For more information on Southeastern Soccer, follow @LionUpSoccer and @Nathan90G on X, like /SLUathletics on Facebook and follow slusoccer on Instagram.
