Heidi Axtell enters her 15th season as the head coach of the Cortland women’s soccer program in 2018. She has posted a career record of 139-98-36 and is second all-time in wins at Cortland.
Axtell led the Red Dragons to NCAA Division III tournament "Elite 8" and an 14-6-3 overall record in 2011. That season was Cortland's best campaign since the program won 1992 NCAA Division III title. Cortland tied for fifth nationally and won the SUNYAC regular-season-title for the first time since the conference went to one division in 1995. In 2012, her squad won the SUNYAC tournament crown, advanced to the NCAA Division III "Sweet 16" and finished 12-5-6.
In all, Axtell's teams have reached double-figure wins eight times, most recently in 2017 with a 10-5-3 mark and a tie for third in the SUNYAC tournament. The Red Dragons were 12-5-3 in 2009, 11-6-3 in 2010, 12-6-2 in 2007, 12-9 in 2005 and 10-8-1 in 2006, in addition to the seasons mentioned above. Cortland has finished as SUNYAC tournament runner-up six times under Axtell's guidance. She was named SUNYAC Coach of the Year in 2007.
Axtell's players have earned 61 All-SUNYAC honors, including one Player of the Year and two Rookie of the Year designations, along with 17 all-region, seven All-ECAC and three All-NYSWCAA awards.
Axtell is a 2002 graduate of Nazareth College, where (as Heidi Brown) she earned her bachelor’s degree in psychology and was a starting center defender for the nationally ranked women’s soccer program. As a senior, she was named a second team All-American and the Empire 8 Player of the Year. A 2010 Nazareth Sports Hall of Fame inductee, she was a two-time all-region and three-time all-state and all-conference selection. She earned her master’s degree in sports science from the United States Sports Academy in the summer of 2005. She served as an assistant coach for the Red Dragons for one season prior to becoming head coach.
Formerly Heidi Woodcock during her Cortland coaching tenure prior to 2016, Axtell and her husband Steve, the Cortland men’s soccer coach, live in Tully with their daughter, Allie, and Heidi's two daughters, Mari and Kenzie.
