Today, Chicago Stars announced changes to the coaching staff, with head coach Marin Sjögren and assistant coach Anders Jacobson parting ways. The club appointed Karina Báez as interim head coach.
Sjögren’s tenure comes to an end after joining the Stars prior to the start of the 2026 season and being appointed as head coach in August 2025. In the case of Jacobson, he served as an interim head coach for the club from September 2025 through the end of that season.
“We are determined to make our club a serious contender in the NWSL and have a plan in place to do so beginning now and leading into the 2027 season,” said Chicago Stars FC President Karen Leetzow. “We wish Martin and Anders the best in their future endeavors, and we’re grateful to Karina for stepping into this leadership role, as well as Lorne Donaldson for his disposition to return to our club and help guide the team during this transition period as we rebuild the infrastructure of our sporting department.”
Báez is not new to the team, as this is her third season as an assistant coach and she has been head coach in Mexico. Additionally, former club head coach Lorne Donaldson will return as interim director of coaching. Both Báez and Donaldson will function in these roles for the remainder of the 2026 season.
Báez was focused on Chicago’s analytics department but she also has experience in the scouting department due to her time working for the Mexican Women’s National Team. The interim coach also served as an assistant coach for Liga MX Femenil’s Pachuca and Tigres and was named head coach for Pumas in 2021.
Additionally, Nicole Lukic has joined Chicago as a full-time assistant coach after serving as head coach of USL Spokane Zephyr FC and Director of Talent Identification for U.S. Soccer’s Women’s Youth National Teams. Her job inside the organization will focus on the players’ development and make sure they reach their potential.
