The winningest coach in program history, John Yorke heads into his 22nd season as head coach of Pacific Lutheran University in 2023 with an overall mark of 247-139-24. A seven-time Northwest Conference Coach of the Year (2003, 2009, 2011, 2015, 2018, 2019, and 2021), Yorke led the 2011 Lutes to a 15-4 overall record, securing the Northwest Conference title for the first time since 1992 while qualifying for the NCAA Division III Tournament for the first time in program history.

Yorke led the Lutes back to the top of the league standings in 2017, earning a share of the title after finishing with an 11-5-3 record and a 9-3-2 mark in league play. The Lutes remained on top in 2018, finishing the season with a 13-6-2 record and a 9-3-2 record in conference play and qualifying for the NCAA Division III Tournament for just the second time in program history. Yorke continued the program's reign atop the standings in 2019, winning the Lutes' third consecutive league crown and punching a ticket to the NCAA Tournament for the second consecutive year. Yorke notched his milestone 200th career win during the 2019 campaign and helped the Lutes to a 14-5-2 record including an impressive 11-1-2 mark in NWC action. 

In the pandemic shortened spring 2021 season, Yorke guided the Lutes to a 10-4 record, winning the NWC "Washington State" title. That fall, the Lutes won the NWC and advanced to the second round of the NCAA Tournament, finishing with a 14-6 record. PLU returned to the second round of the NCAA Tournament the following season, closing the 2022 campaign with a 17-4 record, sett a school record for wins in a season. 

During his tenure, Yorke has collected 18 winning seasons, including a 15-5 record during the 2015 season, owning an 11-3 mark in NWC action.

Since 1993 until 2018, Yorke has been a social studies teacher and boys varsity soccer coach at Auburn High School, where he earned South Puget Sound League (SPSL) Coach of the Year honors in 2000, 2001, 2004, 2005, 2009 and 2010. He also served as the girls varsity head coach at Auburn High School from 1998-2001. Prior to that, Yorke was the Green River Community College women's soccer coach from 1991-95.

He played two years of college soccer at Green River Community College before playing a year each at Pacific Lutheran and Belhaven (Miss.). He returned to Pacific Lutheran and earned his bachelor's degree in business administration in 1991 and his certification in secondary education in 1992.

Yorke has a United States Soccer Federation (USSF) B License. His wife, Michelle, and he have three kids, Ryan, Keegan, and Kasey.

Career Coaching Record

Overall

Conference

Year

School

W

L

T

PCT.

W

L

T

PCT.

Place

2002

PLU

7

11

1

.395

4

9

1

.321

6th

2003

PLU

11

7

2

.600

7

5

2

.571

4th

2004

PLU

7

12

1

.375

6

7

1

.464

4th

2005

PLU

12

8

0

.600

8

6

0

.571

4th

2006

PLU

12

6

1

.658

9

4

1

.679

3rd

2007

PLU

13

6

1

.675

11

2

1

.821

2nd

2008

PLU

9

8

2

.526

7

5

2

.571

4th

2009

PLU

14

5

0

.737

11

3

0

.786

2nd

2010

PLU

10

8

1

.553

9

5

0

.643

3rd

2011

PLU

15

4

0

.789

12

2

0

.857

1st

2012

PLU

10

7

2

.579

9

4

1

.679

2nd (tie)

2013

PLU

13

4

3

.725

8

4

2

.643

3rd

2014

PLU

10

10

0

.500

7

7

0

.500

4th

2015

PLU

15

5

0

.750

11

3

0

.786

2nd

2016

PLU

10

8

2

.550

7

6

1

.536

4th

2017

PLU

11

5

3

.658

9

3

2

.714

1st (tie)

2018

PLU

13

6

2

.714

9

3

2

.714

1st (tie)

2019

PLU

14

5

2

.714

11

1

2

.857

1st

2021s

PLU

10

4

0

.714

8

3

0

.727

1st*

2021

PLU

14

6

1

.690

11

3

0

.786

1st

2022

PLU

18

4

0

.818

11

3

0

.786

2nd

Totals

248

139

24

.633

185

88

18

.667

* = 1st in NWC Washington Division