Last Updated on October 2, 2026 by Siara Costa
Ben Olsen comes from a football-loving family in Middletown, Pennsylvania, whose support helped shape him into a United States international, one of D.C. United’s most recognizable players and eventually a successful Major League Soccer coach. His parents are Carol and Dana Olsen, and he grew up alongside his older brother Jeremy and younger sister Erin.
Olsen later built a family of his own with his longtime partner and wife, Megan Schoen. Ben and Megan have three children: Ruby, Oscar and Frankie. After spending many years raising their family in Washington, D.C., the Olsens relocated to Houston following Ben’s appointment as Houston Dynamo FC head coach.
Who Is Ben Olsen’s Wife?
Ben Olsen’s wife is Megan Schoen.
Megan was already Ben’s longtime girlfriend during his playing career with D.C. United. The couple married on December 9, 2006, during a seaside ceremony in Jamaica attended by several of Olsen’s former and current D.C. United teammates.
Throughout Ben’s years as a player and coach in Washington, Megan remained an important part of his life away from soccer. Earlier reporting identified her as an educator, and the couple chose to raise their children in Washington, D.C., rather than moving outside the city.
Ben has publicly acknowledged that the demands of professional coaching sometimes limited the amount of time he could devote to Megan and their children. When his long tenure as D.C. United head coach ended in 2020, he said one of his priorities was giving his family more of his time and energy.
Are Ben Olsen and Megan Schoen Still Married?
Yes. Reliable recent reporting continues to identify Megan as Ben Olsen’s wife.
When Ben accepted the Houston Dynamo FC coaching job, he initially moved to Texas before the rest of the family joined him permanently. By late summer 2023, Megan and their three children had relocated to Houston as well.
The move represented a major transition after decades in the Washington, D.C., area, where Ben had spent virtually his entire professional playing and coaching career.
How Many Children Does Ben Olsen Have?
Ben Olsen and Megan Schoen have three children: Ruby, Oscar and Frankie.
Their children have grown up around soccer because of their father’s career, although Ben and Megan have generally avoided placing extensive details about them in the public spotlight.
Soccer nevertheless became part of the next generation of the Olsen family. In 2023, all three children were playing the sport after the family moved to Houston.
Ruby Olsen
Ruby is Ben and Megan’s eldest publicly documented child.
She was still a toddler when her father retired from professional soccer following the 2009 MLS season. At the time, Ben spoke about wanting to be physically capable of enjoying everyday family life with his young daughter after years of dealing with serious ankle injuries.
Ruby therefore grew up during her father’s transition from D.C. United player to assistant coach and eventually head coach.
By 2023, she was one of the three Olsen children playing soccer after the family relocated from Washington to Houston.
Oscar Olsen
Oscar is another of Ben and Megan Olsen’s children.
Oscar has shown a particularly strong interest in soccer. In a 2023 profile of Ben’s new life in Houston, the Washington Post reported that Oscar was playing above his normal age group within the Houston Dynamo development academy.
That created an interesting family connection, with Ben coaching the Dynamo’s MLS first team while his son developed within the club’s youth structure.
Because Oscar is still young, information about his development should not be treated as evidence that he will necessarily pursue professional soccer. However, it does demonstrate that the sport continues to be important within the Olsen household.
Frankie Olsen
Frankie is Ben and Megan’s third publicly identified child.
The Washington Post identified Frankie alongside Ruby and Oscar when describing the family’s move to Houston in 2023.
Like the other Olsen children, Frankie was also participating in soccer at the time.
Ben and Megan have largely kept additional information about Frankie private, allowing their children to grow up away from the level of public scrutiny attached to Ben’s professional career.
Who Are Ben Olsen’s Parents?
Ben Olsen’s parents are Carol Olsen and Dana Olsen.
They raised Ben and his siblings in Middletown, Pennsylvania, a small community near Harrisburg. Soccer was not yet one of the dominant sports in the area when Ben was growing up, but the Olsen family became deeply involved in the local game.
Both parents made substantial commitments to their children’s soccer development, particularly as Ben began competing at higher regional levels.
Ben Olsen’s Mother: Carol Olsen
Carol Olsen is Ben Olsen’s mother.
Carol became closely involved with soccer in Middletown and served as registrar for the Olmsted Regional Soccer Association.
As Ben’s talent developed beyond the local level, his training required frequent trips to stronger clubs and select programs around the Philadelphia area.
Carol regularly drove him on those journeys, sometimes spending at least three hours on the road for a round trip.
Ben later admitted that he did not fully appreciate those sacrifices when he was young. Looking back, however, he recognized that his parents were willing to devote enormous amounts of time to allowing him to compete against better players.
Carol also experienced one frightening event during Ben’s early childhood. The Olsen family lived near Three Mile Island when the nuclear accident occurred in 1979. Carol evacuated with her young children while Dana initially remained behind because of work.
Ben Olsen’s Father: Dana Olsen
Dana Olsen is Ben Olsen’s father.
Dana was actively involved in youth soccer and coached within the local community while the Olsen children were growing up.
At the family home, he even created conditions that allowed Ben and his brother Jeremy to continue playing after daylight disappeared.
The brothers regularly played competitive backyard games, and Dana installed lighting that allowed those matches to continue into the evening.
That simple family environment became an important part of Ben’s technical and competitive development long before he reached elite youth soccer.
Does Ben Olsen Have Siblings?
Yes. Ben Olsen has two publicly documented siblings: an older brother named Jeremy and a younger sister named Erin.
All three Olsen children played soccer, continuing the strong connection between the sport and their household.
Ben Olsen’s Brother: Jeremy Olsen
Jeremy Olsen is Ben’s older brother.
Jeremy was several years older and became one of Ben’s earliest and toughest soccer opponents.
The brothers spent hours competing against each other in the backyard of their family home. Ben later recalled that Jeremy rarely made things easy for him simply because he was younger.
Their improvised matches required the brothers to use tight spaces around a backyard playhouse, encouraging ball control, strength and creativity.
Jeremy was also an accomplished soccer player in his own right. He went on to play at the college level for James Madison University and Temple University.
Although Jeremy did not develop the same professional profile as Ben, his influence during Ben’s childhood was significant.
Ben Olsen’s Sister: Erin Olsen
Erin Olsen is Ben’s younger sister.
Like her brothers, Erin played soccer while growing up in Middletown.
One of the unusual features of the Olsen brothers’ childhood games was a wooden playhouse originally built for Erin. Ben and Jeremy transformed the structure into part of their backyard soccer field, using its doors, windows and narrow surrounding spaces as targets and obstacles.
Erin has maintained a considerably more private profile as an adult, and reliable soccer reporting provides relatively little information about her later life.
How Ben Olsen’s Family Influenced His Soccer Career
Ben Olsen’s path toward professional soccer began within his own household.
His father coached, his mother helped administer local soccer and both Jeremy and Erin played the game. Ben therefore had opportunities to train and compete almost constantly.
When the local level was no longer challenging enough, his parents supported increasingly demanding travel to elite clubs and select teams closer to Philadelphia.
Those journeys exposed Ben to stronger competition and ultimately helped him develop into one of the top high-school players in the United States.
He later attended the University of Virginia before joining D.C. United in 1998.
Carol and Dana Olsen Supported Ben’s Rise
Ben’s parents were publicly recognized alongside him even before his professional career began.
After Ben became a Parade All-American during his high-school career, Carol and Dana accompanied him during recognition by the Pennsylvania legislature.
By that stage, years of practices, long-distance travel and local soccer involvement had begun producing results.
Ben subsequently became an important player at the University of Virginia and entered Major League Soccer with D.C. United.
Ben Olsen’s Own Family During His Playing Career
Ben married Megan during the later years of his D.C. United playing career.
The birth of their daughter Ruby added another consideration as Olsen struggled with recurring ankle problems.
When he retired in November 2009, his decision was not based solely on whether he could continue playing professional soccer.
He also considered his long-term health and his ability to remain active as his daughter grew older.
That perspective showed how fatherhood had begun changing his priorities away from the field.
Ben Olsen Balancing Coaching and Fatherhood
Olsen moved almost immediately from playing into coaching.
He became a D.C. United assistant coach in 2010 and then took over as head coach later that year.
His coaching career became highly demanding, with daily training, travel, scouting and match preparation occupying much of his time.
By 2020, Ben and Megan had three children.
When D.C. United ended his tenure as head coach that year, Olsen publicly admitted that his family had received less of his time than he wanted during his decade in charge.
The unexpected break from coaching gave him an opportunity to spend more time with Megan, Ruby, Oscar and Frankie.
Ben Olsen’s Family Moves to Houston
Houston Dynamo FC appointed Olsen as head coach in November 2022.
The appointment represented the first major coaching move of his career away from Washington, D.C.
Ben initially relocated to Texas while his wife and children remained behind. His family later joined him permanently in Houston during 2023.
The transition gave the Olsens an opportunity to experience a completely different city after decades connected to Washington.
Ben described the move as a significant change but also a welcome fresh start for both his professional and personal life.
The Olsen Children and Soccer in Houston
Soccer remained part of everyday family life after the move.
By late 2023, Ruby, Oscar and Frankie were all participating in the sport.
Oscar had even entered the Houston Dynamo development academy and was playing above his age group at the time.
That development created a new chapter in the Olsen family’s long soccer tradition, which had begun generations earlier with Carol, Dana, Jeremy, Erin and Ben in Pennsylvania.
Frequently Asked Questions About Ben Olsen’s Family
Who is Ben Olsen’s wife?
Ben Olsen’s wife is Megan Schoen. They were longtime partners before marrying in Jamaica in December 2006.
Is Ben Olsen still married?
Yes. Recent reliable reporting continues to identify Megan as Ben Olsen’s wife, and the couple relocated with their children to Houston after Ben became Dynamo head coach.
How many children does Ben Olsen have?
Ben and Megan Olsen have three children: Ruby, Oscar and Frankie.
Who is Ben Olsen’s daughter?
His eldest publicly documented child is Ruby Olsen. She was born during the later years of Ben’s playing career with D.C. United.
Who are Ben Olsen’s sons?
Ben and Megan’s other two children are Oscar and Frankie. Public sources do not consistently specify additional private details about the children.
Who are Ben Olsen’s parents?
Ben Olsen’s parents are Carol and Dana Olsen.
Who is Ben Olsen’s mother?
His mother is Carol Olsen. She served as registrar for the local soccer association in Middletown and regularly drove Ben long distances for elite youth training.
Who is Ben Olsen’s father?
His father is Dana Olsen, who coached youth soccer while Ben and his siblings were growing up.
Does Ben Olsen have siblings?
Yes. Ben has an older brother named Jeremy and a younger sister named Erin.
Who is Ben Olsen’s brother?
Ben’s older brother is Jeremy Olsen. Jeremy played college soccer at James Madison and Temple and was one of Ben’s earliest competitive influences.
Who is Ben Olsen’s sister?
Ben’s younger sister is Erin Olsen. She also played soccer while growing up in Pennsylvania.
Where is Ben Olsen’s family from?
Ben grew up in Middletown, Pennsylvania, with his parents and siblings. He later spent most of his adult life in Washington, D.C., before moving with his wife and children to Houston.
Siara Costa is a football editor and writer covering both European men’s and women’s football, with a focus on league competitions, match coverage, and in-depth storytelling.
