“Erin was a key piece of my first full recruiting class at Wake Forest. She had every attribute a top level ACC goalkeeper needed, size, strength, range, great reactions, fearlessness and leadership,” said Wake Forest women’s soccer head coach Tony da Luz. “Erin’s self confidence and strong presence gave our teams a defensive edge on our opponents. She intimidated opposing attackers but was a caring, unconditional teammate who was all in for our team and our program and Wake Forest University.
“When Erin told me years ago that she was going to be a firefighter/first responder, I thought ‘What a perfect fit.’ All of the traits that made Erin a phenomenal goalkeeper quite naturally carried over to her calling to be a firefighter. I am so proud of all she has accomplished, she is a true example of Pro Humanitate and deserves the Pat Tillman Award for Service. I know she will be the first to acknowledge that she is part of a team of LA County Firefighters. Erin represents her firefighting team with pride as she always did at Wake Forest.”
A distinguished member of the women’s soccer program from 1998-2002, Regan established multiple records that still hold the top spot in the record books. As a freshman, she recorded 75 saves in goal, ranking third in program history in a single season. Additionally, the Rancho Santa Margarita, Calif., native leads the program with 347 career saves and sits second with 6,621 minutes in net.
The former first-team All-ACC goalkeeper set several single season records during her sophomore campaign as well. She leads the program with 113 saves in a single season and held the record for goals against average at 0.71 until this past season in which Valentina Amaral helped guide the Demon Deacons to a historic run to the National Championship game.
In her second season with the Deacs, Regan recorded nine total shutouts, second in program history in a single season.
Following her graduation in 2002, Regan pursued a professional career with the Washington Spirit of the former Women’s United Soccer Association before joining the Los Angeles County Fire Department in 2008.
Beyond her work done within the LACoFD, Regan brought her talents to teaching the next generation of female firefighters by co-founding the Girls’ Fire Camp in 2015 to encourage girls to consider a career in firefighting. The camp allows girls to meet with current and former firefighters, as well as learn some of the basics of the business in hopes of increasing female representation in a largely male-dominated field. Alongside her work developing the younger generation of girls, Regan also co-founded the Women’s Fire Prep Academy, providing mentorship and hands-on training to prepare women for the fire academy and a hopeful future in fire service.
About the Pat Tillman Award
The Pat Tillman Award is given out annually during the ESPYs to a person who has a connection to sports and also served others in a way “that echoes the legacy of the former NFL player and U.S. Army Ranger, Pat Tillman.”
About the Pat Tillman Foundation
The Pat Tillman Foundation identifies remarkable veterans and military spouses as the next generation of leaders and helps them scale their impact as they enter their next chapter of service beyond self through academic scholarships, lifelong leadership development, and a global community of peers and supporters. For more information on the Pat Tillman Foundation and the impact of the Tillman Scholars, visit pattillmanfoundation.org.
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