The 2023 season for the Boston College women’s soccer team was far from perfect, to say the least.
The Eagles’ 3-9-6 season and winless conference record were not atypical for BC’s program over the past five years, but it prompted athletic director Blake James to separate ways with former head coach Jason Lowe immediately after the 2023 season.
Shortly thereafter, Chris Watkins left his job almost 3,000 miles away to take over.
“The team didn’t win a single game in the ACC last year, and I think they’ve won four in the last five years,” Watkins said. “We all definitely have a lot of work to do.”
Watkins enjoyed a seven-year career at Gonzaga, leading the Bulldogs to a 79–33–16 overall record and their first West Coast Conference championship in 2023.
Watkins’ team had one of the strongest offenses in the 2023 season and ranked eighth in the nation in total goals. In the same statistic, the Eagles rank 244th nationally.
Whether Watkins’ expertise can help a team that finished second to last in the ACC, taking 154 shots and scoring 18 goals remains to be seen, especially in a league that just got tougher.
Entering ACC women’s soccer this season are California, Stanford and Southern Methodist – three teams that make it even harder to stand out in an already crowded conference.
Regardless, Watkins made the Eagles’ goal for this season clear.
“That’s definitely our goal, to make sure we get some wins in the conference,” he said. “That’s going to take a lot of work and learning from me and the players. We all have to get a little smarter and better.”
Watkins said that starts with the Eagles becoming a team that pressures the ball far up the court and transitions quickly. But more than either, it requires a new identity.
“We want to be known as a blue-collar team that really fights for every 50-50 ball,” Watkins said. “Slides when it’s time to slide, but runs out every time. Just a team that tries hard.”
Incorporating that philosophy represents a concrete first step for the Eagles after years of disappointing mediocrity. And while Watkins recognizes that perfection cannot be achieved overnight, BC seems ready to take on the challenge of reasserting itself in the ACC.
