Syracuse has hired Rice’s Nicky Adams to be its next head coach, SU athletics announced Monday. The move comes after the resignation of Phil Wheddon 24 hours after SU’s 2018 squad posted its worst record in program history.

“I am extremely blessed, honored and thrilled to be the next head coach at Syracuse University,” Adams said in a press release. “My family and I are very excited to begin this new chapter and I am looking forward to begin to work with the team.”

Adams played collegiate soccer for Texas A&M between 1997-2001 and is second in program history in goals (57) and third in points (140). Her team won four-consecutive Big 12 championships, including an elite eight berth in her senior season.

She joined the coaching staff at Rice in 2003 as an assistant, was promoted to associate head coach three years later and became the head coach in 2010. Adams coached the Owls to a 87-55-23 record in nine years with two NCAA tournament appearances in 2014 and 2017. Last season, Rice went 7-9-1.

In 2018, Syracuse started 3-2 but posted 13-consecutive losses, didn’t win a conference game and finished 3-15. Wheddon left the program after the season to “pursue other opportunities.”

Adams is the fourth head coach in program history adding to the list of April Kater, Patrick Farmer and Wheddon, who coached the Orange for the last 10 years. She replaces Kelly Lawrence, who was named the interim head coach in Wheddon’s place in November 2018.