Masaki Hemmi Departs Chicago Stars FC, Ella Masar Named New Interim Head Coach

The Chicago Stars will have their third coach of 2025 when they resume training this week.

Stars interim head coach Masaki Hemmi, who was elevated into the role when Lorne Donaldson was fired in April, has departed the club, and assistant coach Ella Masar will be the new interim head coach. Hemmi went 0-4-3 as Chicago Stars FC’s interim coach, and sources have told On Tap Sports Net that he is expected to make a move to a club in the USL Super League.

Masar was the Stars interim head coach for the 2023 regular season finale after then-coach Chris Petrucelli was dismissed. The former trophy winner with VFL Wolfsburg is highly regarded by players and coaches throughout the league and will get her second opportunity to take charge of the club as they try to make something out of their 2025 season.

Joe’s Thoughts

The writing was on the wall for this move to be made, as Hemmi had not generated a win for Chicago in seven tries and apparently has his next gig lined up already. As someone who came up as a coach under his predecessor, Lorne Donaldson, nobody was expecting wholesale changes when Hemmi took over as the interim, but the lack of results forced a change.

Masar is a great coach, but the club should be aiming to hire a full-time coach before the NWSL regular season resumes in August.