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DEKALB, Ill. – Northern Illinois University women’s soccer head coach Michael O’Neill announced the hiring of Luke Aspinall-Stanton and Gabi McAlpine to the Huskie women’s soccer staff. Aspinall-Stanton joins NIU as an assistant coach while McAlpine will serve as a graduate assistant. 

“I’m thrilled to have them on board, Luke and Gabi will both add immense value to the program,” said O’Neill. “Both will impact different areas of the program but their love and passion for the game will have a positive effect on our players and will help us improve and take the next step. 

“It has only been a couple of weeks since they have been on board, but in that short time they have both made a significant impact, on and off the field.”

Aspinall-Stanton has spent the last two seasons as an assistant coach with the men’s team at Benedictine University. In his two seasons at Benedictine, Aspinall-Stanton helped mentor three All-Northern Athletics Collegiate Conference (NACC) honorees and four NACC Players of the Week. 

In addition to his time at Benedictine, Aspinall-Stanton also worked with the Evolution Soccer Club in Naperville, Ill., spending two seasons as a club coach before being promoted to the Director of College Recruitment in the summer of 2024. 

Prior to moving to Chicagoland, Aspinall-Stanton was an assistant at his alma mater, Louisiana State University at Alexandria, working with both the men’s and women’s soccer teams. Aspinall-Stanton also served a brief stint as the interim head coach for the LSUA women’s team. 

McAlpine comes to NIU following one season at Iowa Western Community College where she helped the program win district and regional championships and was part of the JUCO Division I Region Staff of the Year. The Reivers recorded a 16-0-4 record, bowing out of the NJCAA D1 Championship on penalties in the semifinals. McAlpine also spent time as a data analyst intern with the Iowa Western men’s soccer program. 

A native of Sydney, Australia, McAlpine also coached with Sporting Nebraska FC and served as a strength and conditioning coach and head recruiter for D1 Training in Omaha, Neb.