Staff Directory
Vink-Lainas, Liisi
Liisi Vink-Lainas
- Title:
- Assistant Coach
- Email:
Liisi Vink-Lainas enters her first season as assistant coach in the fall of 2025.
Vink-Lainas comes to Bethlehem by way of the University of Delaware where she served as an assistant coach for two seasons.Â
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Delaware earned its first trip to the CAA Tournament in 2024 since the 2019 season. Kicking off 2024, the Blue Hens began conference play 4-0, while also winning five games in a row which was the best stretch for the Blue Hens since 2011.Â
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As primarily a goalkeeping coach, Vink-Lainas coached Kyla Burns to become the first player in program history to earn the conference Goalkeeper of the Year award in 2024. Burns also was a first team All-CAA selection.
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In 2024, Delaware’s defense allowed six goals in 10 CAA contests. The Blue Hens had a total of eight shutouts with seven in CAA play.
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In her first season at Delaware (2023), the Blue Hens shut out opponents six times, including a shutout over the CAA regular season and tournament champions Towson. The Delaware defense allowed the fewest amount of goals in the conference (13), leading to the second best goals against average in the conference of 0.72. Both those marks rank third all time in program history, and are part of the best defensive season for the Blue Hens since 2009.Â
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Before coaching at Delaware, Vink-Lainas coached in central Illinois for four years with FC Central Illinois and Central Illinois United. She served as the Girls' Assistant Director of Coaching for FC Central Illinois where, in addition to her head coaching duties, she was responsible for player development and coach education. At Central Illinois United, she held head and assistant coaching positions for ECNL RL, USYS Midwest Conference, and pre-Girls Academy teams.
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Collegiately, she played at Penn State University, winning the 2015 National Championship, three Big Ten Conference championships, and one Big Ten Tournament championship. She was named Academic All-Big Ten in 2015 and 2016.
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Professionally after college, Vink-Lainas played internationally, earning caps for the Estonian Women’s National Team and playing for FC Flora Tallinn in the top Estonian and Baltic Region leagues.
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Vink-Lainas holds a USSF D License and is in the process of completing her USSF C License. She graduated from Penn State University with a BS in Biomedical Engineering and Illinois State University with a MS in Biological Sciences – Neuroscience and Physiology.
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Vink-Lainas comes to Bethlehem by way of the University of Delaware where she served as an assistant coach for two seasons.Â
Â
Delaware earned its first trip to the CAA Tournament in 2024 since the 2019 season. Kicking off 2024, the Blue Hens began conference play 4-0, while also winning five games in a row which was the best stretch for the Blue Hens since 2011.Â
Â
As primarily a goalkeeping coach, Vink-Lainas coached Kyla Burns to become the first player in program history to earn the conference Goalkeeper of the Year award in 2024. Burns also was a first team All-CAA selection.
Â
In 2024, Delaware’s defense allowed six goals in 10 CAA contests. The Blue Hens had a total of eight shutouts with seven in CAA play.
Â
In her first season at Delaware (2023), the Blue Hens shut out opponents six times, including a shutout over the CAA regular season and tournament champions Towson. The Delaware defense allowed the fewest amount of goals in the conference (13), leading to the second best goals against average in the conference of 0.72. Both those marks rank third all time in program history, and are part of the best defensive season for the Blue Hens since 2009.Â
Â
Before coaching at Delaware, Vink-Lainas coached in central Illinois for four years with FC Central Illinois and Central Illinois United. She served as the Girls' Assistant Director of Coaching for FC Central Illinois where, in addition to her head coaching duties, she was responsible for player development and coach education. At Central Illinois United, she held head and assistant coaching positions for ECNL RL, USYS Midwest Conference, and pre-Girls Academy teams.
Â
Collegiately, she played at Penn State University, winning the 2015 National Championship, three Big Ten Conference championships, and one Big Ten Tournament championship. She was named Academic All-Big Ten in 2015 and 2016.
Â
Professionally after college, Vink-Lainas played internationally, earning caps for the Estonian Women’s National Team and playing for FC Flora Tallinn in the top Estonian and Baltic Region leagues.
Â
Vink-Lainas holds a USSF D License and is in the process of completing her USSF C License. She graduated from Penn State University with a BS in Biomedical Engineering and Illinois State University with a MS in Biological Sciences – Neuroscience and Physiology.
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