Emma Wright-Cates was named an assistant coach by Head Coach Nicole Nelson in 2022. Wright-Cates spent the previous four years as the head coach at UIW. In 2021, the Cardinals finished second in the Southland Conference and made the Southland championship game for the first time. Her UIW teams garnered 16 All-Southland honors and an NSCAA All-Region selection.
SMU went 11-6-1 Wright-Cates' second season with the Mustangs, including a 5-3-1 mark in conference play. Wright-Cates helped SMU reach its second consecutive AAC Tournament Final after finishing third in the conference's regular season. The Mustangs went 4-1-1 at Washburne Stadium, including a ranked win over No. 25 Tennessee and a 1-0 shutout victory over Oklahoma State. SMU received votes in five of the United Soccer Coaches Poll throughout the season in which the Mustangs recorded six shutouts and held opponents to one or fewer goals in 13 matches. Freshman Nyah Rose was named AAC-Co Rookie of the Year and All-AAC after finishing second in the conference with 11 goals. Peyton Annen was named to the All-AAC Second Team, with freshman Emma Alvord joining Rose on the AAC's All-Rookie Team.
In her first season at SMU, the Mustangs finished 10-4-5, reaching the AAC Tournament Final for the first time since 2016. The Mustangs were undefeated out of conference with a 5-0-3 mark and were as high as No. 15 in the United Soccer Coaches Top 25. The program set season records for goals against average (0.68) and save percentage (.854). Courtney Sebazco was a Hermann Trophy candidate and AAC Midfielder of the Year. Jewel Boland and Julissa Cisneros were All-AAC Second Team while Peyton Annen made the AAC All-Freshman Team.
A native of Greater Manchester, England, Wright-Cates has also had coaching stints with George Washington, Christian Brothers University and Southeastern Louisiana.
Wright-Cates briefly stepped away from collegiate athletics prior to the 2014 season and returned to England to help care for her terminally ill father. She returned to the United States in January of 2015 and founded Pass and Move, LLC, a consulting company that trains high school student-athletes in the Dallas-Fort Worth area and assists with the process of searching for and preparing for the right college.
She was an assistant coach at George Washington from 2012-14 where she worked with recruiting, fundraising, scouting, community service and travel. Under Wright-Cates’ guidance, the Colonials improved from 5-12-1 in 2012 to 12-6-1 in 2014.
Prior to her time at GW, Wright-Cates spent three years as club director for Fort Worth FC. Within the club, she helped coach the Forth Worth Panthers of the Women’s Premier Soccer League (WPSL). Wright-Cates’ duties included working with developmental age groups, assisting with competitive teams, fundraising, coordinating and managing spirit wear, producing monthly newsletters and assisting with Fort Worth FC camps and club tournaments.
Before joining the Fort Worth FC staff, Wright-Cates served as an assistant coach at Southeastern Louisiana from 2007-09. She helped the Lions advance to the Southland Conference Tournament semifinals in both 2007 and 2008. In addition to her NCAA Division I coaching experience, Wright-Cates also coached at Division II Christian Brothers University in Memphis, Tennessee, from 2005-07.
Wright-Cates played at the collegiate level at both Division I Central Connecticut State and Division II Slippery Rock. Throughout her three seasons at CCSU, she helped the Blue Devils to their first appearance in the NCAA Tournament's second round. A three-year letterwinner with the Blue Devils, Wright-Cates was a first team All-Northeast Conference selection and was named the Central Connecticut Sportswriters Player of the Year after helping CCSU win two NEC titles. Wright-Cates transferred to Slippery Rock for her senior year and earned All-Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference after helping The Rock to the PSAC West title in 2004.
Before coming to the United States, Wright-Cates played in England's Women's Premier League for both the Doncaster Belles and Everton, the latter of which won the premiership title. She was also a member of the National Women’s Football Academy from 1998-2000 and competed in the England National Team U-18 trials in 1998.
Wright-Cates holds, her USSF Licenses, United Soccer Coaches Licenses, Tovo License, a referee license, and a Goalkeeping Diploma.
Wright-Cates graduated from CCSU in 2005 with a bachelor's degree in art, specializing in graphic design. She completed her master's degree in education at Christian Brothers University in 2007. Wright-Cates is married to Vassar Cates and has three children, Phoebe, Finn and Leo.
