Entering his 32nd season leading the Dominican University men's soccer program, Erick Baumann has established himself as one of the most successful coaches in NCAA Division III history. Over more than three decades, Baumann has compiled an outstanding 470-127-54 career record and a .763 winning percentage, placing him among the winningest coaches in NCAA men's soccer history.
Under Baumann's leadership, Dominican has become one of the Midwest's premier collegiate soccer programs, earning 18 NCAA Division III National Tournament appearances, a 2009 NCAA Division III Final Four appearance, Elite Eight appearances in 2003 and 2006, and a Sweet Sixteen appearance in 2012. His teams have also claimed championships across multiple conferences and competitive eras, including the Chicagoland Collegiate Athletic Conference, Northern Illinois-Iowa Conference, Lake Michigan Conference, and Northern Athletics Collegiate Conference.
Throughout his coaching career, Baumann has been recognized for sustained excellence and competitive success. He has earned 12 conference Coach of the Year awards, four regional Coach of the Year honors, including NCAA Division III Central Region Coach of the Year recognition in 2009, 2011, and 2020, and NAIA Region VII Coach of the Year honors in 1999.
A hallmark of Baumann's tenure has been the development of student-athletes. He has coached more than 50 All-Region selections, 11 All-Americans, and numerous Academic All-Americans, Academic All-Region performers, conference MVPs, regional players of the year, and scholar-athletes. Most recently, Dominican standout Dylan Alic earned both United Soccer Coaches All-America and Scholar All-America honors in 2023 and 2024.
Beyond the sidelines, Baumann has played a transformative role in intercollegiate athletics administration. As Director of Athletics for more than 15 years he provided leadership and strategic vision for a department consisting of 13 NCAA Division III programs, overseeing budgets, staffing, compliance, facility enhancements, strategic planning initiatives, and conference and national representation.
During his administrative tenure, multiple Dominican athletic programs achieved record-setting success, and Baumann helped strengthen the university's athletic infrastructure, alumni engagement, and competitive profile. He was instrumental in cultivating a robust men's soccer alumni network that helped support the development of West Campus Field.
A former student-athlete at Rosary College, he captained the Rebels men's soccer team from 1990-1993, earning team MVP honors and NAIA All-District recognition during his senior season. Prior to his appointment at Dominican, he served as an assistant men's soccer coach at Lewis University, worked as a staff coach with the Illinois Olympic Development Program, and spent more than two decades coaching within the Arsenal Soccer Club system.
Baumann's achievements have been recognized through numerous distinctions, including induction into the inaugural Dominican University Athletics Hall of Fame class in 2011 and receipt of the Rosary College Graduate of the Last Decade (G.O.L.D.) Award. He remains Dominican University's all-time winningest coach and one of the most respected leaders in collegiate soccer, known for building championship teams, developing outstanding student-athletes, and advancing the mission of collegiate athletics through leadership, integrity, and competitive excellence.
