Heidi Axtell enters her 22nd year as the head coach of the Cortland women’s soccer program in 2025. She has posted a career record of 207-122-57 (.610), along with three SUNYAC tournament titles and five NCAA Division III tournament appearances, and is also Cortland's career wins leader.
In 2024, Axtell led the Red Dragons to an 11-4-4 overall record and a share of the SUNYAC regular-season title. Cortland also reached the finals of the SUNYAC tournament for the sixth year in a row. The Red Dragons had nine players receive All-SUNYAC honors, and one United Soccer Coaches all-region honoree. Axtell also became the first coach in program history to reach 200 career victories in a 2-0 victory at Plattsburgh.
In 2023, Axtell guided Cortland to an 11-3-5 record and both the SUNYAC regular-season and tournament titles for a spot in the NCAA Div. III tournament. She and her assistants were named the SUNYAC Coaching Staff of the Year, marking the third time she's been recognized by the conference. She also was SUNYAC Coach of the Year in 2007 and 2019.
In 2022, Axtell's Red Dragons finished 13-1-5 and won the SUNYAC regular-season title. Cortland finished second in the SUNYAC tournament on penalty kicks and earned an at-large berth into the NCAA Division III playoffs. In 2019, Axtell led the Red Dragons to a 12-6-2 record, the league tournament title and an NCAA berth.
Axtell led the Red Dragons to the 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 the 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 14 times, including seven straight seasons from 2017-19/2021-24. Her 2018 squad went 11-5-2 and her 2021 team was 10-5-3, with each placing second in the SUNYAC tournament, and the 2017 team was 10-5-3 and tied for third in the league playoffs. 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. Cortland has finished as SUNYAC tournament runner-up 10 times, in addition to its three league crowns, under Axtell's guidance.
Axtell's players have earned 103 All-SUNYAC honors, including one Player of the Year, one Offensive Player of the Year, two Defensive Player of the Year and two Rookie of the Year designations, along with 29 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.
Axtell was also inducted into the Liverpool High School Hall of Fame in 2017.
Formerly Heidi Woodcock during her Cortland coaching tenure prior to 2016, Axtell and her husband Steve, the head coach of the Cortland men’s soccer team, live in Tully with their daughter, Allie, and Heidi's two daughters, Mari and Kenzie.
updated 5/21/2025
