University of Minnesota Athletics
Ellen Obleman Hired as an Assistant Soccer Coach
6/27/2002 12:00:00 AM | Athletics
"I am enthusiastic to have Ellen back at her alma mater as assistant soccer coach," said Wickstrand. "She brings a breathe of knowledge from several different coaching experiences having coached in the Big 12, SEC and Big Ten, as well as a positive attitude to our program."
When Minnesota added soccer in 1993, Obleman transferred to the Gophers for her junior and senior seasons. A starter in 37 of 38 career matches, she is still on the Minnesota record book's top 10 lists in career points (10th with 24) and assists (9th with 12). Obleman, who played defender, helped the Gophers to a runner-up finish in the first Big Ten Women's Soccer Tournament in 1994. Obleman spent her first two seasons of collegiate soccer at St. Thomas (MN), where she earned All- Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference honors in 1992.
Obleman, a Lake Elmo, Minn. native, has served stints at several major universities before returning to her alma mater. She was a volunteer assistant coach at Illinois in 2001, helping Illinois to its second consecutive NCAA Tournament appearance.
Obleman spent the 2000 season at Georgia, working as the Bulldogs' assistant coach and recruiting coordinator under former Golden Gopher coach Sue (Montagne) Patberg. During the 1998 and 1999 seasons, Obleman served as an assistant at Kansas. She broke into the coaching ranks in 1996, when she was an assistant coach at Kentucky.
Obleman holds two degrees from Minnesota. She earned a bachelor's degree in kinesiology in 1996, then returned to earn a master's degree in education in 1999.
Obleman holds a United States Soccer Federation "C" License. She coached in the Minnesota Olympic Development Program in 1995 and 1996 and was an assistant coach for Wayzata High School in 1995.
Obleman is married to former Golden Gopher track and cross country letterwinner, Rick Obleman. Rick competed for the Gophers from 1993 to 1998 and placed second and third in the steeplechase at the 1997 and 1998 Big Ten Outdoor Championships, respectively.
