Former Illinois Soccer coach Jill Ellis wins another World Cup

Maybe you knew this, maybe you didn’t, but as you were watching the U.S. Woman’s National Team at the Women’s World Cup the past few weeks, they’re coached by a familiar face.

Head coach Jill Ellis was the coach of Illinois Soccer from 1997-98, which is right before she started a 12-year stint at national powerhouse UCLA.

Now Ellis has won her second World Cup as head coach of the national team.

The U.S. rolled past Netherlands with goals by Megan Rapinoe and former Wisconsin Badger Rose Lavelle.

They were so dominant the entire time, and it’s pretty cool that their coach — the one of the No. 1 team in the world — used to call the Illinois Soccer Stadium home.

At Illinois, Ellis led the Illini to a 12-8 record in 1998 — and the program’s first-ever Big Ten Tournament berth. Between her time at UCLA and Illinois, she went 248-63-14.

Ellis was named 2015 FIFA World Coach of the Year in 2016 after winning the 2015 World Cup.

Now just if she could coach the men’s team.....