OUR FOUNDING MEMBERS
JACQUE TEVIS-BUTLER
Jacque began her coaching career in 1992 as a volunteer coach at Millard North, her alma mater. When Millard West opened in 1995, Jacque joined the teaching staff and began coaching the girls’ freshmen basketball and JV soccer teams. In 1997, she was appointed head coach for the Girls Soccer program, a role she still maintains today. She has led her teams to four Metro Conference Tournament Championships, 17 District Championships, 18 State Tournament Appearances, and 5 State Championships. She has coached four Gatorade Players of the Year, numerous All-State qualifiers and collegiate athletes, and several who have played internationally.
Jacque was inspired to found NWALA for many reasons, but this passion project specifically began in January 2022 when her athletic director asked her to speak to Millard West’s female athletes to celebrate the 50th Anniversary of the passage of Title IX. In preparation for the presentation, Jacque researched the influence of involvement in athletics and was surprised to learn how much more significantly girls are positively impacted than boys. Socially, psychologically, and physically, the research continually showed that girls benefit more from participation in sports. Since the passage of Title IX, the number of female athletes has significantly increased, yet the number of women coaching NCAA sports has decreased. Why? Especially when girls/women have more representation and qualified former players who can transition to coaching. Jacque firmly believes girls deserve to have more women leading them. “If you can see it, you can be it.” Increased numbers of female coaches directly correlate to an increase in the number of girls participating in sports and the longevity of their athletic careers. Moreover, all athletes, male and female, deserve to see women in positions of power.
LINDSAY ALIANO
Lindsay Aliano grew up in Omaha and attended Millard West High School where she played soccer and basketball. After high school, she moved on to play collegiate soccer at Wayne State College. Her experiences playing high school and college athletics inspired her to want to be a coach.
After graduating from college, Lindsay went on to teach at Elkhorn High School where she was an assistant soccer coach and math teacher. When Elkhorn South High School opened in 2010, she was appointed the first ever girls head soccer coach. Lindsay continues to serve in that capacity and also as a math teacher at Elkhorn South. She has led her team to 5 EMC Conference Championships, 1 Metro Conference Championship, 6 district championships, 10 state appearances, and 2 state championships.
Lindsay was approached by her former high school soccer coach, Jacque Tevis-Butler, about being a founding member of NWALA. She has been very supportive of Lindsay since she became a high school coach and now that Lindsay is a veteran coach she wanted to do the same for other women that are entering the coaching field. Lindsay wants to support and advocate for women in athletic leadership positions. She also wants to encourage young women to compete in athletics and continue to be involved in athletics in the future.
TERESA DEGEORGE
Teresa DeGeorge attended Creighton University and assisted with soccer camps during the summers. She volunteered during the school year mentoring future soccer players at grade schools. She never considered truly coaching until after college when a previous coach asked when she was going to start coaching. Soon after she began coaching for the Gladiator Soccer Club. She has coached girls and boys from recreational to elite levels. The last 10 years Teresa has coached at Gretna Elite Academy and Marian High School. Teresa has led Marian to 10 District Championships as well as qualifying for the State Tournament every year. She has led Marian to 3 Metro Tournament Titles, 2 State Runner-ups, and 2 State Championships. Combined, Teresa has coached for 25 years.
​
NWALA is important to Teresa because it is a way to network with other women. Sharing experiences and improving as a coach is one of Teresa's many goals. Teresa is interested in the psychology of sports and how it positively influences lives. NWALA will hopefully encourage more female coaches, increase confidence in women in leadership roles, and inspire females to be strong leaders.
​
​
CHRISTINA ELDER
Christina Elder, a head track and field coach, was inspired to be involved with athletics at a very young age. When she witnessed the powerful women on the 1999 world cup soccer team, she decided she wanted to be involved with sports for the rest of her life. Christina grew up a soccer player, and continued to play soccer in college at Wayne State. While at Wayne State she decided to try being a two sport athlete and joined the track team. She graduated a 2 time All-American, and found a fire for a different sport after my many years in soccer. When Christina found a teaching job at Platteview High School, she decided to coach track and field as well. She was hired as the head coach at a young age and has been there at Platteview for the last 12 years.
Christina is also still an athlete, competing for Team USA Masters Track and Field team in the 400 and 800 meters. She won a bronze medal in 2023 World Championships in the 800m, and recently was part of a 4x400m relay team that set a new American and World record in the 35-39 age group. Christina believes that continuing her athletic career has made her a better coach and mom as she strives to achieve her own goals and dreams!
NWALA is important to Christina because when she took her first coaching job back in 2012 she was very intimidated in a male dominated position as a young female. She would have loved to have the support of other female coaches with their wisdom and experiences. That first year of coaching was very hard, especially since she was pregnant with her first child. In fact, she considered quitting multiple times. She's excited to be a part of this groundbreaking group of women to offer support and encouragement to other female coaches!
SARA FJELL
Since 2020, Sara Fjell has served as the Activities Director/Assistant Principal for Elkhorn High School. She is president-elect of the Nebraska State Interscholastic Athletic Administrators Association (NSIAAA), the first woman to serve in this capacity, and sits on a variety of committees composed of NSAA Athletic Directors. Before her move to Elkhorn, Sara was a social studies teacher and instructional and athletic coach at Bellevue East High School for 17 years. At Bellevue East, she was the Varsity Girls Soccer coach for 15 years. In 2014, Sara developed and sponsored a student Leadership Academy, which is still active at Bellevue East today.
As a founding member of NWALA, Sara hopes to help provide ways to inspire and encourage other female leaders and coaches to both grow and educate others in the field of coaching, athletic leadership, and athletic administration. She was inspired to coach because of the coaches who impacted and encouraged her throughout her high school and collegiate athletic career. Sara believes that the more women in coaching and leadership roles within the sports community will build a stronger pathway for women to impact the future of sports and activities for young girls and women.
JEN GILLESPIE
Jen is one of the best soccer players Nebraska has produced. In 2014, in celebration of the 25th Anniversary of the Nebraska School Activities Association sanctioning high school soccer, she was named as one of the Top 20 female players by a group of longtime Nebraska high school coaches. As one of the pioneers in the Nebraska soccer community, Jen played for the Gladiator Soccer Club, the Nebraska Olympic Development Program, and at Omaha Burke High School where she earned First Team All-State Honors from 1992-1994. In 1991, she was selected as one of the Top 18 players in the nation at the Lanzera National Select Camp. Jen moved on to play soccer at Old Dominion University where she earned All Coastal Athletic Association Honors in 1995-1998. She is Old Dominion's 3rd All-Time leading goal scorer and also 3rd in All-Time Career Points. After graduating, Jen went to play professionally for the Hampton Roads Piranhas from 1998-2001. Jen began her coaching career while still playing. From 1998-2001, she was an Olympic Development Coach in Virginia as well as the JV/Varsity Coach for Cox High School. When Jen returned to Omaha, she resumed coaching club soccer for SOFC, the Bellevue Soccer Club, and Omaha United. From 2020-2022, Jen served as an Assistant Coach for Omaha Central High School. For the 2023 season, Jen was named the Head Coach at Central and continues to serve in that capacity today.
​
NWALA is important to Jen because after playing the women's game at the highest level and then moving into a coaching role, she has the experience and expertise to mentor, advocate, and be an ally for other women in positions of athletic leadership. Jen strongly believes that for everyone to be successful, there needs to be a safe, equal, and respectful environment for all to develop and become their best. NWALA will be that resource to help all in doing just that.​​
ANNE LEBOO
Anne Leboo is from Topeka, Kansas, and played soccer at Benedictine College (KS). Before beginning her coaching career, Leboo was a two-time All-Conference player for the Ravens and helped lead the team to the national tournament for the first time in program history. After graduation, Leboo began her coaching career at her alma mater as an assistant coach from 2010-2014, helping the team to Top 25 finishes in 4 of those years. During her tenure at Benedictine, the team saw multiple regular season championships in the Heart of America Conference and finished ranked as high as 7th nationally.
​
In August of 2015, Leboo joined the Elkhorn Soccer Club as the Director of Recreational Soccer. Since then, she has been part of every aspect of the club including being the club administrator, coaching select teams, and leading the Hive Academy in multiple capacities. Leboo continued to work with the club after merging with the Elkhorn Athletic Association and is now the Senior Soccer Director. She has spent time with local high school girls' programs beginning at Bennington High School and then most recently at Elkhorn South High School. While at ESHS, Leboo spent time working with the JV and Varsity teams, coaching goalkeepers, and was on staff during their last State Championship in 2019.
​
Leboo has her USC Premier Diploma, United Soccer Coaches Advanced National Goalkeeping Diploma, and was a member of the NSCAA 30 Under 20 (2016-17) program being recognized as an up-and-coming coach who is leading the way in developing soccer players and enhancing the game.
​
Most recently, Leboo was tabbed the head coach of the Nebraska Fierce, a U21 side competing in the WPSL for the first time in the summer of 2024. The WPSL has grown into a leading advocate for women's soccer by creating multiple avenues for developmental opportunities and is considered the largest women's soccer league in the world. Nebraska Fierce is made up of high school and college players.
​
NWALA is everything. It's an alliance for women to provide support, advice, help, guidance, networking, and a safe and shared space where women can come to grow in their leadership. The fact that it's embedded in sport makes it more important as it's an area where women are often under-represented but an area where our expertise is needed now more than ever. I'm proud to be involved in this organization not only personally for myself, but for the opportunity to carve a space for more women to make an impact.
SARAH PRITZA
Sarah Pritza began her coaching career in the fall of 2003 as a recreational coach for the Catholic Youth Soccer League (CYSL). She has coached boys and girls of all age groups in her tenure. In 2018, Sarah began coaching competitive soccer at United Association Football (UAF). That same year, she was named JV Coach and Assistant Varsity Coach for the Roncalli Catholic Boys Soccer team. She took over the program as Varsity Coach in 2022. Her leadership guided Roncalli to a top 8 ranking and home-hosted district final in 2024. She has coached six All-State honorable mention players. In summer of 2024, Sarah joined the coaching staff of the newly formed Nebraska Fierce U-21 women’s team and was appointed the Director of Coaching at UAF. When not on the coaching sideline, Sarah can be found as a center or assistant referee for recreational, competitive, and high school soccer. She has been a certified referee since 2017.
The creation of NWALA allows Sarah to join the ranks of those desiring to give back to the community. She strives to make female athletic participation an upward trending statistic. Sarah is a proud mother to four daughters and wants them and others to see, feel, and experience the value of female leadership at all levels, in all sports, both male and female.
RENEE SAUNDERS
Renee Saunders is one of the best Nebraska high school athletes and coaches in state history. Saunders was a two-sport standout in basketball and volleyball and after her senior season was named Nebraska’s Female Athlete of the Year by the Omaha World-Herald and Lincoln Journal Star. Renee attended the University of Nebraska-Lincoln and uniquely played both basketball and volleyball in Division I. As a freshman in 1995, the Omaha native helped the Husker volleyball team win its first national championship. After her playing career, Renee transitioned to coaching and has excelled in this role for more than two decades. Following a nine-year stint with the Omaha South volleyball team, Renee became the head coach at Skutt Catholic. Under her leadership, the SkyHawks have been transformed into one of the premier volleyball programs in the country, with a state record nine consecutive Class B Volleyball titles from 2015-2023. Renee has been named the National Coach of the Year by the AVCA, Volleyball Mag, Athletico, and MaxPreps and was honored to be selected as an honorary coach for Nebraska’s historic Volleyball Day. She has also been named Nebraska Coach of the Year by the Omaha World Herald and Lincoln Journal Star, the first person to win the award as both a player and coach.
NWALA is important to Renee because she wants to see more women coaching in Nebraska. She endeavors to instill confidence in young female coaches and support women in every sport at every level. Though being a female coach is challenging, NWALA is here to empower women to pursue their dreams, and Renee is excited to be part of this initiative.
JENNIFER WRAGGE
Jennifer will be entering her 28th year of teaching and coaching and 19th year as the head girls basketball coach at Elkhorn High School. Jennifer is a Bruning High School product where she was a 3-sport athlete throughout her high school career. She moved on to Midland University and graduated in 1997 with her teaching degree. While at Midland she was able to play for the legendary and inspirational coach, Joanne Bracker. She was a four year starter and received honors including being selected as an All-American. In 2007, Jennifer was inducted into the Midland Athletic Hall of Fame. Jennifer began her teaching and coaching career at Crete High School where she spent 4 years as an assistant varsity volleyball and basketball coach. She also coached middle school track during that time. In 2001, she moved to Elkhorn High as an assistant basketball and track coach. In 2006, Jennifer was appointed the head girls basketball coach. To date, she has led Elkhorn High to 6 Eastern Midlands Conference Championships and 2 Runner-Up finishes. In 2011, Jennifer led the team to a Class B State Runner Up trophy and captured the Class B State Championship in 2018. Jennifer and her husband have been married for 19 years and is the proud parent of 2 teenage children who will attend Elkhorn High School.
NWALA is important to me because I feel it is important for our profession to have strong female leaders who can serve as role models for our young female athletes. Too often, coaches enter this profession without strong mentors or support. Specifically for females, it is difficult because there are even less female leaders who can provide their perspective, advice and guidance. I would like to provide any support and assistance I can to encourage more females to enter this profession.