Liberty adds Eric Beltran to women’s coaching staff

Liberty women’s soccer head coach Lang Wedemeyer has announced the hiring of assistant coach Eric Beltran.

Coming from the University of Incarnate Word, coach Beltran will work primarily with the goalkeepers.

“We are super excited to welcome Eric to our women’s soccer program,” Wedemeyer said. “He is an amazing young coach with a lot to offer our players on and off the field and will be a tremendous addition to our staff.”

Beltran spent the last three seasons at UIW where his primary duties where recruiting coordinator and working with the goalkeepers. In his three seasons at UIW, the Cardinals’ goals against average (GAA) improved every year, as the UIW ranked third in the Southland Conference last season, posting a 0.95 GAA.

“I am so proud to be a part of the Liberty family, and am very grateful to Lang Wedemeyer and Erin Hagen for the opportunity,” Beltran said. “I would also like to thank my family, friends, and the LU community for their incredible support during this transition for me. The moment that I stepped foot on Liberty’s campus, I could tell that this was a special place. I am humbled and eager to serve these young ladies in my role as assistant coach and am excited to see what The Lord has in store for the future of this program.”

Prior to the University of the Incarnate Word, Beltran was at Erskine College, an NCAA Division II institution in Due West, South Carolina, where he served as the assistant coach and worked with the goalkeepers and reserve team during the 2017-18 season. In his year at Erskine, the Flying Fleet qualified for postseason play for the first time since the 2011 season while setting program records for goals against and goals against average. Under Beltran’s guidance, the team also recorded the second-highest save percentage in program history.

Prior to his time at Erskine, Beltran was the goalkeeping coach for FC Dallas West Texas from 2015-17.

Beltran played for Dallas Baptist University (2012), Jefferson College (2013), and The University of Texas of the Permian Basin (2014-2016). At Jefferson College, he recorded a goals against average of 1.3 on the way to conference and regional championships. The team was ranked as high as fourth in the country.

He was a two-year captain at UTPB, finishing sixth in the country for NCAA Division II saves and saves per game in 2014. He also played semi-professionally for Alamo Soccer Club, where he was the leader in goals against (.66) at the national tournament in 2013. As a senior at Fredericksburg High School, he was a top 100 National Recruit for the class of 2012 by TopDrawer Soccer as well as an academic all-state honoree and a four-time all-district selection.

Beltran graduated with Magna Cum Laude honors from UTPB with a major in communications and a minor in business. He graduated from UTPB with a master of science in Kinesiology with a special focus on athletic administration and coaching in the summer of 2018. He holds United Soccer Coaches Goalkeeping credentials, USSF licenses and two diplomas.