Our Staff

Sue Patberg was appointed head women’s soccer coach at Emory University prior to the 2005 season and has since led the program to unprecedented success. In 2012, she became the first Emory women’s soccer coach to be named National Coach of the Year by D3Soccer.com.

Known for consistently producing one of the top defenses in the nation, Patberg has guided the Eagles to the NCAA Tournament 15 times in her 20 seasons at Emory, including three trips to the NCAA Division III Women’s Soccer Championship match (2012, 2024, 2025) and a quarterfinal appearance in 2010.

Her most notable season came in 2025, when Patberg and her staff led Emory to the best season in program history, recording the program’s first 21-win campaign and setting a school record with 18 shutouts. Emory’s 2011 squad also set a program record with a 0.24 goals-against average. For their efforts, Patberg and her staff were named United Soccer Coaches Region VI Coaching Staff of the Year in both 2011 and 2025.

At the conclusion of the 2025 season—her 32nd year as a collegiate head coach—Patberg owns a career record of 405-167-74, including 23 NCAA Tournament appearances. Her 20-year mark at Emory stands at 259-80-56, good for a .764 winning percentage. She and her staff were also named University Athletic Association Coaching Staff of the Year in 2019 and 2025.

Under Patberg’s leadership, Emory has produced seven All-Americans, including defenders Grace Lam (2007, 2008), Lauren Gorodetsky (2010–13), Lily Dresner (2021), Michelle Davidson (2025), forwards Kylie Hall (2022) and Kaitlyn Nimmer (2024, 2025), and goalkeeper Sophia Garcia (2025). Gorodetsky earned D3Soccer.com Defender of the Year and NCAA Tournament Most Outstanding Defensive Player honors in 2012.

The program has also produced five UAA Players of the Year, two UAA Defenders of the Year, and a UAA Rookie of the Year, along with 100 All-UAA selections, 45 all-region honorees, 11 Academic All-Americans, and 27 Academic All-District selections during Patberg’s tenure.

In 2012, Patberg led Emory to its first NCAA Final Four appearance, earning a semifinal victory over Wheaton College (Ill.) to advance to the national championship match. She also became the first Emory coach to post back-to-back 16-win seasons (2007–08) and later guided the Eagles to a 16-2-4 record in 2010, finishing fifth nationally in the final NSCAA poll—the highest ranking in program history at the time.

Prior to Emory, Patberg spent 12 seasons coaching at the Division I level, earning 146 wins and eight NCAA Tournament appearances. She served as head coach at the University of Georgia from 2000–04, leading the Bulldogs to two NCAA appearances and an SEC Tournament finals berth in her first season. Earlier, she was the first women’s soccer coach at the University of Minnesota, compiling a 97-42-9 record, five consecutive NCAA Tournament appearances (1995–99), and earning Big Ten Coach of the Year honors in 1995 and 1997.

In addition to her collegiate success, Patberg has contributed at the national level as U.S. Under-16 National Team head coach (2003–05) and as an assistant coach with the U.S. Under-21 National Team (2000–03).