July 24, 2022: Jen Larrick, Nicole Lukic, Jennie Clark, and Cassie Ulrich all smile after Minnesota Aurora beat the Chicago Dutch Lions 3-1 at TCO Stadium — with permission from the club
What an inaugural year for Minnesota Aurora FC! In the 2022 regular season, they went undefeated (11 W, 0 L, 1 T) to win the USL W League’s Heartland Division. In the USL W national playoffs, they won their quarterfinal and semifinal games. Aurora hosted the USL W national championship, in which they only lost by one goal to an impressive Georgia Tormenta team.
In July 2022, head coach Nicole Lukic was named USL W League Coach of the Year. Last August, the team announced head coach Nicole Lukic would be back as head coach and adding the Sporting Director role to build out the soccer side of club at a greater capacity.
Lukic and her coaching staff imprinted a team-oriented brand of attacking soccer. In the regular season and postseason combined, Aurora scored 39 goals. However, it was not just three or four players. Those 39 goals were scored by 14 different players with 13 different players getting assists. Every layer of their formations scored: Strikers, Attacking Midfielders, Central Midfielders, and Backs. Defensively, MN Aurora only allowed 11 goals. Thus, it is not surprising that MN Aurora announced in October 2022 their defensive specialist Jennie Clark would return.
Last week, MN Aurora FC announced the return of Jen Larrick and Cassie Ulrich. The 2022 Aurora coaching quartet is back together. Forfeiting my frequent foregone futility, I had the fortune to forward the foursome a few questions for fun.
Nicole Lukic – Head Coach and Sporting Director
Born: Waukesha, WI
Grew up: Brookfield, WI
High School Sports: Soccer and Snowboarding
College: University of Wisconsin–Milwaukee
Graduate School: Ohio University
Graduate Degree: Masters of Athletic Administration, Sport and Fitness Administration
Coaching License: USSF A — “Happy to brag that Jennie, Jen, and Cassie are all pursuing coaching education this season!”
Favorite Food: Thai
Current Book: My emails … haha
TV series you cannot stop watching: Law & Order reruns
Music that pumps you up: Pitbull’s Globalization Sirius XM station
Movie you can watch more than once: You’ve Got Mail
What the other coaches say about her:
Enjoys a sweet treat on the sidelines during games
Cool and calm under stress and hosts a great backyard meal!
What was your first soccer memory, playing or watching?
One of my first best memories is playing goalkeeper in a shootout in 5th grade!
What position(s) did you play in college and beyond?
Striker and left outside back
What was your first coaching job?
Rec team when I was 16 (volunteer), Varsity Assistant Coach at Whitefish Bay High School when I was 18 (paid)
Who was your first contact at MN Aurora?
Matt Privratsky and Andréa Carroll-Franck for my first interview! It was on zoom! But my second interview was at The Black Hart!
Least favorite part of coaching?
Weather delays on game days
Most favorite part of coaching?
Seeing individual success and growth from players
Favorite country visited and memory about what you did there?
Ireland and Costa Rica! Both trips had soccer and touristy things.
Jennie Clark – First Assistant Coach
Born: Des Moines, IA
Grew up: Norwalk, IA
High School Sports: Soccer, Track, Basketball
College: University of Minnesota
Graduate Degree: “Nein.”
[Editor’s Note: From 2011-15 Clark went to the “schools” of Sky Blue FC, New York Fury, Lokomotive Leipzig, SC Freiburg, and 1. FFC Frankfurt]
Coaching License: USSF C, currently completing my USSF B License
Favorite Food: Burgers
Current Book: The Winners (original Swedish: Vinnama) by Fredrik Backman
Movie you can watch more than once: Pride and Prejudice [presumably the 2005 version]
What the other coaches say about her:
Loves a good sparkling LaCroix during coach meetings
Very hilarious and a huge supporter of my move overseas when I was nervous!
What was your first soccer memory, playing or watching?
Playing in the street with the older neighborhood kids and the boys calling me Pele while I played
What position(s) did you play in college and beyond?
Center Back
What was your first coaching job?
Volunteer Assistant for University of Minnesota — First paid: High School coach
Least favorite part of coaching?
Cold games
Most favorite part of coaching?
The connections with players, and seeing a team come together
Favorite country visited and memory about what you did there?
Scotland: Isle of Skye, beautiful area and lots of hiking
Jen Larrick – Assistant Coach
Born: Newton, MA
Grew up: Westford, MA
High School Sports: Soccer, Basketball
College: University of Florida, University of Minnesota
Graduate School: University of Minnesota
Graduate Degree: Masters in Youth Development, working on a Doctorate in Sport Coaching
Coaching License: pumped to be in a UEFA B course this June!
Favorite Food: Ice cream for breakfast
Current Book: Queer Phenomenology: Orientations, Objects, Others by Sara Ahmed (University reading!)
TV series you cannot stop watching: Ted Lasso — “I’m obsessed.”
Music that pumps you up: depends on my mood, but always strangely Phil Collins or Post Malone
Movie you can watch more than once: Bend It Like Beckham
What the other coaches say about her:
Is a wizard at coaching on the whiteboard
Can always count on for an insightful chat
What was your first soccer memory, playing or watching?
My older brother and I both played Westford Youth Soccer at the local field, Parker Village. My dad coached, and my mom was a constant fan. Our family would spend all day at the field with both games. I basically lived at Parker Village!
What position(s) did you play in college and beyond?
Holding Mid
What was your first coaching job?
Volunteer coach with Special Olympics in high school — First paid to coach camps in college
Who was your first contact at MN Aurora?
Matt Privratsky: we knew each other from previous community work, and he kindly involved me in some early conversations about the idea of a women’s club in Minnesota. It was at an initial in-person chat … outside in a parking lot in winter, very Minnesotan and hardy!
Least favorite part of coaching?
Usually working nights and weekends, but Aurora trains in the [morning]
Most favorite part of coaching?
When doing soccer together is just so dang fun!
Favorite country visited and memory about what you did there?
Spain: I love the soccer culture there, played and coached, and saw a Champions League game where Messi scored.
Cassie Ulrich – Goalkeeper Coach
Born: Arlington, TX
Grew up: Alburquerque, NM
High School Sports: Soccer
College: University of New Mexico
Graduate School: University of Nottingham, England
Graduate Degree: Masters of Science in Management
Coaching Licenses: UEFA C & USSF D, will have my USSF C in early June!
Favorite Food: Anything spicy, especially Thai and Indian food
TV series you cannot stop watching: Game of Thrones
Music that pumps you up: “300 Violin Orchestra” by Jorge Quintero
Movie you can watch more than once: How To Train Your Dragon
What the other coaches say about her:
She is addicted to hot sauce.
Will be the first to start dancing — and judge my dirty shoes
Built community in Minnesota in just one summer in a super impressive way and loves a good pickle!
What was your first soccer memory, playing or watching?
The earliest soccer memory I have is when my childhood best friend and I combined all the way up the field to score when we were in second grade rec soccer!
What position(s) did you play in college and beyond?
Goalkeeper
What was your first coaching job?
Started coaching in England at the University of Nottingham – paid Futsal Head Coach, volunteer “football” and GK coach
Who was your first contact at MN Aurora?
I think maybe Jennie? Somehow from Utah and with no connection to the USL W, I started following the Minnesota Aurora journey from the time they opened to community owners all the way before the team name and the badge. I just stayed up-to-date with it randomly. Then all of a sudden many months later I saw the job posting for the GK Coach on twitter: felt like fate!
Least favorite part of coaching?
WIND! and 120 degree turf fields
Most favorite part of coaching?
That moment where you can see something “click” for a player and the team!
Favorite country visited and memory about what you did there?
Ireland: been 3 times, somehow was able to walk the Cliffs of Moher multiple times with clear skies!
Tied with a trip to Switzerland: where we were woken up every morning by cow bells, playing games of lifesize chess next to Lake Thun and in Bern, and seeing the waterfall in Lauterbrunnen.
Answers That Read – like a quality coaching staff – Better Together
Favorite women’s club to watch besides Aurora?
Nicole: I follow players more than teams but I will say Lyon [due to] Lindsey Horan
Jennie: Barcelona, Bayern, Wolfsburg, Chelsea
Jen: Barça women
Cassie: Don’t really follow teams, but I watch most of the NWSL games
Favorite Aurora moment of 2022?
Nicole: Winning the Indy Eleven game. They were the best team we played all season. We were in a pickle at half time. We made good adjustments. We scored great goals. It was a fun team win.
Jennie: ^ Gotta copy Nicole
Jen: Watching the players wrap their arms over each other and take a lap to thank the fans after the final
Cassie: To not copy Nicole, Morgan Stone’s selfie celebration!
Soccer pet peeve?
Nicole: The term pivot and double pivot; it bugs me for some reason.
Jennie: Not locking your ankle
Jen: Americans thinking soccer is boring
Cassie: Criticism of GKs getting beat near post for no other reason than it’s near post
What about the 2023 Aurora season are you most looking forward to?
Nicole: Growing relationships, putting quality training sessions together for our players, watching the team score goals, and seeing all of the fans back at TCO!
Jen: Creating something new again. Year two gets to be its own unfolding story, and I am excited to see what we all create together.
Cassie: Everything Nicole said and of course working with our GK crew everyday!
Any non-profits, charities, or other aspects of yourself or Aurora you’d like to boost?
Nicole: A shout out to Mary Pipenhagen (Soccer Operations Manager) and Jen Ireland (Mental Skills Coach) for joining our staff this year! [Team Physician Dr. Christie Heikes also returns to the Technical Staff for a second season.]
Jennie: Futsal Society! Great organization created by some really incredible people
Jen: Cedar Riverside Athletics & Enrichment
Well, readers, whether your arm is sore from holding up a mobile device this whole time or not, this is a wrap. Maybe add an ice pack. The Four Horsewomen of the Aurorapocalypse are back for 2023. Want to know more? Come out to the Minnesota Aurora Meet-the-Team and Kit Unveil this Sunday, May 7, 1-3 p.m. at the Mall of America Rotunda.
Thursday, May 18, 6-8 p.m. the Aurora coaching quartet is also hosting a Coaching Education day at TCO Stadium. It is free but you must register here. The 2023 Aurora season kicks off Wednesday, May 24 at 7 PM at TCO Stadium.
Dominic Jose Bisogno 
Carter Hoffer 
Jeremy Rushing