Head W. Soccer Coach @ Brown U. 2019, 2021, 2022, 2023 (4-PEAT) Ivy League Champions. Former Pro Soccer Player. Aspire to inspire the next generation of women.
What I LOVE about this play is it actually came from a mistake from Ertz initially, but she doesn’t give up/hang her head/throw her hands up, she REACTS, recovers, and makes a world class tackle. Great lesson for defenders - mistakes happen, but react...it’s not over. 👌🏽👏🏽👌🏽👏🏽
Easily one of my greatest moments as a Head Coach. The energy and passion amongst the players and the crowd was electrifying last night. 4 years of hard work to bring us to this point: 2019 Ivy Champs 🏆🌿⚽️ and going to the Big Dance 💃🏽
There’s no greater feeling than setting goals as a team, chipping away at them week after week, and then seeing it all come together with the reward at the end. This program is special. Been tellin y’all - champions are built here.
4-PEAT IVY LEAGUE CHAMPIONS
🏆🏆🏆🏆 😎👌🏾
Love this staff and what we have built (and continuing to build) here at
@BrownU_WSoccer
. Mediocrity doesn’t like high achievers and high achievers don’t like mediocrity. I have a staff and team of high achievers. Always pushing the bar and seeking greatness.
#uncommon
The Ivy League is incredible, but incredibly hard too. Somehow these women make it look easy. Love this program and what we have built here…it’s special. 💍💍💍 3PEAT CHAMPS - what a feeling. ❤️💪🏾🙌🏾
@BrownU_WSoccer
@IvyLeague
So proud of this team. They have been through such a rollercoaster, winning in ‘19, having our season cancelled in ‘20, and then coming back to win it again in ‘21. True character is revealed through adversity & this team has proven they are CHAMPIONS in every sense of the word
Edit: STAFF OF THE YEAR. Unbelievable season, and unbelievable coaching staff to help make it all happen. Thank you for all your hard work and commitment to BWS -
@MattMones
@CoachAndreReis
and Raleigh DeRose. Can’t thank you all enough. Let’s keep the good times rollin’! 🏆
for the third time, Kia McNeill is named Ivy League Coach of the Year.
McNeill led Brown to its fourth consecutive Ivy League title and undefeated conference season
#EverTrue
Proud doesn’t even begin to describe my feelings towards this 2019 team. Picked to finish 6th in the Ivy, but finished 1st AND undefeated. Up until yesterday, we had 1 loss in 3 months. WE believed. OUR family & alums believed. BROWN believed. That’s all we needed. Thank you 🙏🏾
Recap: The Bears fell to No. 1 seed Florida State in the
@NCAASoccer
Second Round, but Brown can take tremendous pride on a season that made history, set records, and laid a foundation for years to come.
📰:
#GoBruno
#NCAASoccer
🐻⚽️
Bittersweet day for Brown W. Soccer, but so proud of my girl Raleigh. She’s been incredible the past 8 years here at Brown and I’m so excited for what you will do at Illinois State - congratulations my friend! Go do big things! 💪🏾🙌🏾❤️
⭐️STAFF OF THE YEAR⭐️ Definitely biased but I feel like I have one of the best staffs in the country. Seasons like this don’t just “happen.” We have all poured so much into
@Brown_WSoccer
. Thank you for your commitment and hard work
@MattMones
@RaleighD5
@CoachAndreReis
💍❤️🥳
Love this! ❤️
@BriScurry
is a huge reason I got into the game of soccer - simply seeing someone who looked like me. So proud to be in a position now at
@BrownU_WSoccer
to give back to the game and show REPRESENTATION MATTERS …I can relate with so much said in this video.
"You'll go up to a little girl and she'll either look at her mom or her parents will look at me and go 'She looks just like you!' You see their eyes light up..."
@USWNT
's
@_alana_cook
,
@100Purcent
and
@naomi_girma
joined
@briscurry
to discuss why representation matters.
Thank you
@tamerra_nikol
&
@TheAthleticSCCR
for taking the time to highlight our program, & what makes it so special. Beautifully written piece & just so humbling to see how far this program has come. Special ppl make special programs, & we have some of the best
@BrownU_WSoccer
Glad Dawn spoke up here…I can definitely relate. 3 undefeated championships and some ppl still try to denounce what we’ve done. Different sport, but same narrative…and I don���t have to tell you the common theme 🤔👀. BUT as always we will keep our head down and work ✊🏾👌🏾
Huge CONGRATULATIONS to my friend
@daadams9
being named Head Coach at
@PacificWSoccer
. Very meaningful b/c there are only 3 black women HCs in D1 of 340+ schools (last I checked). Must do better but we will continue to break barriers and give pathways to other minority women. 🙏🏾
So proud of this team. Wasnt our best day but we found a way. Made history today going 7-0 in the Ivy League…first Brown W. Soccer team to do that. Looking forward to the NCAA selection show Monday - cant wait to share that moment with my team 🙌🏾🥳
#ivychamps
#movingtheneedle
I’ve been trying to tell y’all…this team can play. They battle, compete, and play for each other day in and day out. Even when others doubt us, we NEVER stop believing in ourselves. Special teams garner special results.
#uncommon
What a great crowd and atmosphere at our game last night - loved the energy from the stands! Absolutely packed! Thank you for your support all season long, and look forward to continuing this journey out in California next - NCAA TOURNEY - ROUND 2
Special atmosphere last night on College Hill
THANK YOU to all of our incredible fans who cheered on
@BrownU_WSoccer
in their NCAA Tournament Round 1 victory 🐻
#EverTrue
Love this team. They fight for each other day in and day out and the passion they play with is real (which makes postgame cellys that much more exciting) 4-0 in the Ivy League - let’s keep it going!
One of the first and most important lessons I learned while playing sports at a young age was to win humbly, and lose graciously. Its not always easy, but it’s the right thing to do. Good leaders know this. Wish ALL leaders knew this. Maybe they needed more time in sports. 🤷🏾♀️😷
BRITTANY GOES NATIONAL 🤩🇺🇸
Brittany Raphino has been called up to the U.S. U-23 Women's Youth National Team for their upcoming Thorns Preseason Tournament!
📰 -
#EverTrue
Kara Lawson spot on w/ this speech. POWERFUL 🙏🏾✊🏾🖤
“We need you. We can’t do this without you. It’s necessary. It’s urgent. And it supersedes anything in our life right now. There’s nothing more important than equality and building a better future for myself and my players”
"We need you. We can't do this without you. ... It supersedes anything in our life right now."
Kara Lawson gave a powerful and important speech at today's protest in K-Ville.
(via
@DukeWBB
)
Diversity matters. Representation matters. Happy to be the leader of a program and work at a school who understands the importance, and reaps the benefits on and off the field.
@BrownAthletics
Thank you
@RandiRichTV
for this special article
To kick off
#BlackHistoryMonth
, we’re celebrating former pro turned coach,
@KiaMcNeill
! Kia made headlines as one of the youngest Head Coaches in Division I and won 2019 Ivy League Coach of the Year. Be sure to follow her and
@Brown_WSoccer
as they prepare for Spring competition!
Knew she would be a pro from the first time I met her. So happy to see your dreams come true. Thank you
@AgentMaggieNtim
and
@FutFemSCP
for seeing her greatness and believing in her. The sky is the limit for you
@BrittanyRaphino
!!!! So lucky to be a part of your journey. 🫶🏽💪🏾❤️
Signed and ready! Congratulations
@brittanyraphino
on signing your 1️⃣pro contract. Thank you for trusting in the process, the
@trinity3agency_
team and I to get this done for you. So excited and know you’re going to do great things in Lisbon. Ty
@FutFemSCP
.
#agentlife
🔥
Huge honor to be COY of such an incredible conference. Every HC knows an award like this is a reflection of the whole staff - can’t be done without the day-in and day-out support, hard work, & loyalty of my amazing assistants. Thank you 🙏🏾
@MattMones
@RaleighD5
@CoachAndreReis
Looking forward to being on this panel tomorrow - hope to share some insight to allow other women and people of color to find their place in the game. Always want to extend a hand and help, just like those who helped me. 🙏🏾⚽️
Wow…brilliant. Love and hate this video at the same time (you’ll get what I mean when you watch it). Excited for the World Cup to start AND
@BrownU_WSoccer
season starting up shortly after 🤩 ⚽️
One of the most brilliant ads & ways to promote women’s sports I’ve ever seen.
Even if you don’t like soccer, stay till the end.
They did an incredible job revealing biases that exist around men & women athletes.
A great visual representation of why yesterday was so special. Huge ceiling shattered for all women...hard to not feel empowered and hopeful for our next generation of young women.
#RepresentationMatters
#SeeitTobeit
Very thankful for the opportunity I was given years ago to lead this program. The journey has been incredible. You know you have something special when your job doesn’t feel like something you have to do, but something you WANT to do and ppl you WANT to show up for.
#GoBruno
I love this photo because it captures the passion this team plays with. Look at their genuine excitement for each other. Great team win. iron👏🏽sharpens👏🏽iron
I have two families to be thankful for today and always - my
@Brown_WSoccer
family, and my McNeill clan. Blessed to have you all in my life - thank you for the laughs, the memories, and more importantly being my motivation everyday.
#ironsharpensiron
Agree 100% 🙏🏾. If I grew up in this era of soccer, me (& a lot of my former pro & college teammates, including nat’l team players) wouldn’t have “made it” simply because we wouldn’t be able to afford it. Politics and financial motivations/limitations filter out a lot of talent.
YES! ...opportunity to change structure...
@USYouthSoccer
@ussoccer
@theECNL
and new Girls Academy League (GAL) Get together, let's not come out of this with the same structure for youth soccer.
Love getting to debrief and brag a bit about my team…wish I could do it more. I want the whole world to know how special this team is to me. On AND off the field these women compete at the highest level❤️💪🏾
#uncommon
On this week's Brown Bears 🐻 Podcast, we talk with 3-time Ivy League Champion
@BrownU_WSoccer
⚽️ head coach Kia McNeill as her team prepares for its second round NCAA Tournament game today. Listen 🔊 here: or wherever you get your podcasts.
Huge congrats to
@sydney_cummings
One of the best I have had a the pleasure of coaching - the future is SO, SO bright for you.
@RacingLouFC
- you got a great one! Ivy League ➡️ Pros.
With her selection by
@RacingLouFC
in the 2022
@NWSL
Draft, Sydney Cummings '21 has become the first Brown women's soccer alum to be drafted into the NWSL!
Congrats, Sydney!
#GoBruno
As the saying goes, “it takes a village.” My staff and I have built something special here and Brown. Could not have done it without them, the buy-in from my players, or the support from
@BrownU_Bears
. Let’s keep raising the bar and chasing greatness
@BrownU_WSoccer
.
This is what being a Brown student-athlete is all about - being self-starters, innovators, leaders, and implementing change on a greater level. Love that my
@Brown_WSoccer
started this initiative and
@BrownAthletics
hopped on board w/ several other teams around the country 💪🏽👏🏽
The first part of a three-part series looking inside the Bears' Workout for BLM initiative with insights from rising seniors Kayla Thompson and Sydney Cummings.
More Info ➡️
#GoBruno
#WorkoutforBLM
#BlackLivesMatter
A living legend. So fortunate to have been coached by you, and I have true respect and admiration for all you have poured into the game over the years. Thank you for paving the way for more women to follow in your footsteps. We’re going to miss you, Nancy ❤️👏🏽✊🏾
Excited to catch up with my good friend and former teammate
@Yael_Averbuch
tomorrow. So proud of her and what she has built with
@technefutbol
. Her and her company are a good example of when hard work and talent combine, great things happen! 👌🏽⚽️😎
🚨We’re excited to have
@KiaMcNeill
, former pro player and current Brown Women’s Soccer head coach, on IG LIVE TOMORROW! You won’t want to miss this one. TUNE IN, 3pm. 🔥
COMMENT BELOW ⬇️ with questions you want answered!
Two of the best assistants (now associates) in the game. Very thankful to have these two by my side the past 6 years to build this program back into the national ranks. Congrats
@MattMones
and
@RaleighD5
.
Incredible player, and more importantly, an incredible young woman. Honored to be your coach and love seeing your growth as a player and person - congrats on your much deserved All-America honor Britt!
“Oh Happy Day” on repeat today...congrats especially to Vice President Harris. You blazed a trail that for a long time we thought was impossible. You were the first, but definitely won’t be the last. 🙏🏾👏🏽
Aretha Franklin: Oh Happy Day via
@YouTube
Proud and humbled to be one of the last 64 teams still standing. Look forward to seeing who we will play at today’s NCAA Selection Show at 4:30pm.
#BrownWSoccer
#GoBruno
Beginning of the decade & end of the decade. A lot of growth personally & professionally between these two photos but still involved with the game I love. Very thankful of the ups & downs in the journey that has brought me to this point. Can’t wait to see what 2020 has in store!
NIGERIA ARRIVES IN STYLE, BRINGS THE JOY. It’s hard to imagine Football being better than it already is, but if every team brought this level of 🫶, it might get even better. 🇳🇬🇳🇬🇳🇬
Once again, thank you
@NicoleHercules1
for the opportunity to share my path from player to coach with my good friend, and former pro teammate
@TinaEllertson
. Some great stuff here! 🙌🏾
Being a coach certainly has its ups and downs, but when you have several of your players tell you “this is the best day of my life,” inevitably, it becomes the best day of your life too. Love this team more than they know. Ahhhhmazing trip!!!
#WWCFrance2019
#BrownWSoccer
If you don’t know her, you need to get to know her. Incredible person AND player…had a hand in all four of our goals this weekend, and giving credit to everyone else. Love that.
#uncommon
#proudcoach
Congratulations to this incredible group of women I had the pleasure of coaching the past 4 years. Time flies when you’re having fun! I can’t wait to see what the future holds for you all and know that you will always have
@Brown_WSoccer
in your corner. Love you all ❤️😢
I know this wasnt the end we all imagined, but don’t let this moment in time overshadow the incredible journey of the past 4 years that brought you to this day. So proud of you 3 & can’t wait to see what this wonderful world has in store for you next!!!
#Brown2020
#brownwsoccer
Congratulations to our 3️⃣ amazing Seniors! Today is your day and we would love to be watching you walk out the Van Wickle gates today🎓
We are thinking about you❤️
Watching these remarks by Dawn, and I can hear the pain in her voice. As a black woman who was once called a “diva” by someone in media in attempt to paint me in an unfavorable light, these tired narratives about black women are lies, hurtful & WRONG.
A historic run for Canada 🇨🇦
At No. 28, Canada's Charmaine Hooper delivered a heroic performance at the 2003 FIFA Women's World Cup to advance to the semifinals and achieve their best result in a FIFA Women's World Cup
This was sooooo fun!!! Thank you
@NicoleHercules1
and
@TinaEllertson
for great conversation and great laughs. Can’t wait for this to come out tomorrow. 👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽
Finally had the chance to unwind and read
#Powerhouse
by
@KristineLilly
. Great read - would definitely recommend to coaches, captains, and leaders in sport and in business. Gave great insight about building high-performing teams and has awesome interviews w/ the best in the game.
NEW HEIGHTS.
Not only did the Ivy League finish 2019 with the 5th best conference RPI alongside the Pac-12, SEC, ACC and Big 12, but also had 4⃣teams sit in top 50 spots on the
@NCAAWomenSoccer
RPI. 🌿⚽️
So proud of this young lady, Miya GC. A true testament of hard work, focus, and determination paying off. Honored to have a
@BrownU_WSoccer
player representing Canada at the U20 World Cup. Athletics AND Academics - best of BOTH worlds. 🥳💪🏾🙌🏾
This Bear is headed to the World Cup! ⚽️🔥🇨🇦
Miya Grant-Clavijo has been selected to represent Canada at the upcoming U-20 Women's World Cup!
📰 -
#EverTrue
Absolute stud on and off the field. Love seeing one of our own being active to help with a solution!! Proud of you Kayla and way to represent
@BrownAthletics
and
@Brown_WSoccer
💪🏽❤️
📹 SLOWING THE SPREAD
Kayla Thompson made an immediate impact for the Bears this fall after transferring to Brown from West Virginia, but she has made an even greater difference this spring as she helps to slow the spread of
#COVID19
.
#GoBruno
#WeAreBrownU
@NCAASoccer
@BeckyBurleigh
Absolute legend. Thank you for being a role model and mentor for all women in the coaching profession. Appreciate you more than you know. 👏🏽❤️
Congratulations to Abby Carchio '20 for her first UEFA Women’s Champions League Goal
@UWCL
for Gintra Universitetas in their First Qualifying Round win!
Welcome to College Hill!
Excited to announce the addition of Kayla Duran, a 5'10 midfielder/forward, transferring from
@BC_WSOC
!
Kayla played for
@BBN_Athletics
and
@starsofma
before earning ACC All-Freshman Team at BC in 2018!
📰:
#GoBruno
🐻
I had the pleasure of talking with
@KiaMcNeill
, HC of
@Brown_WSoccer
, to discuss the state of the defending Ivy League champions. Fresh off of their first
@IvyLeague
title since 1994, McNeill has the Bears on the upswing. My latest for
@NESoccerJournal
:
Couldn’t agree more. Have to have high expectations and standards for yourself, your staff, and your team. That’s the only way success is achieved. Mediocrity doesn’t win championships. Be
#uncommon
.
Teach players to perform at the highest possible level of ability. Don’t let them get away with mediocrity. Lowering your standards because they don’t want to raise theirs isn’t the answer & is detrimental all the way around. Elevate them with high expectations & accountability!