SAN FRANCISCO, Calif. -- The University of San Francisco women's soccer program and head coach Jim Millinder are proud to announce the addition of Candace Hillegas as an assistant coach ahead of the 2022 season. 

"I'm excited to be adding Candace to our staff," Millinder said. "I have always felt Candace had a very good understanding of the game as a player and was able to give her teammates good information on and off the field. Obviously her injuries shortened her career here, but her ability to share her knowledge will be so helpful to the team. I think she will be a great fit for us here on the Hilltop!" 

Hillegas just wrapped up her final year as a USF student-athlete as she played in nine matches in 2021, which included earning a start on senior day. Overall, the Santa Rosa native appeared in 39 matches with a total of 23 starts as she compiled a total of 1,195 minutes of game action across her four years in the green and gold. 

Candace's time as a Don included a strong sophomore season in 2019, where she played in a career-high 20 games and logged 1,684 total minutes on the pitch. She was a key part of a USF team that finished with a 10-8-2 overall record as the Dons notched non-conference victories over San Diego State, Illinois and UC Riverside that season. 

Notably, Hillegas' career as a student-athlete included receiving the 2020 Dante Benedetti Award, which is given annually to a male and female USF student-athlete who serve as an inspiration to their teammates through their unwavering sense of loyalty, self-sacrifice, unselfishness, positive attitude and hard work. To go along with her excellent work with her team, Candace also exceled in the classroom by posting a cumulative 3.99 GPA while majoring in kinesiology. 

Born and raised in Santa Rosa, Calif., Hillegas was a four-time letter winner at Maria Carillo High School where she helped guide the Pumas a North Bay League and a North Coast Section Championship during her high school career. 

For updates and more information on the USF women's soccer program, be sure to follow @USFDonsWSoccer on Twitter, @USFDonsWSoccer on Instagram and @USFDonsWSOC on Facebook.