BIOGRAPHY

Entering her fifth season at the helm of the Washington women's soccer program, Nicole Van Dyke has more than 15 years of experience as a head coach at the collegiate level. During her coaching career, Van Dyke has set her players up for both team accomplishments and individual success, having guided numerous all-conference, all-region and all-American honorees.

In her four seasons in Seattle, Van Dyke has amassed a 35-22-16 record, guiding the Dawgs to the 2020 NCAA Sweet 16. Over the course of 17 seasons as head coach at Cal State Stanislaus, Cal State Bakersfield, Penn and UW, the veteran gaffer owns a 138-120-51 career record.

Just as importantly, Van Dyke has developed and positioned her players for future success. Van Dyke has guided three NWSL draft picks during her stint with the Huskies in Olivia Van der Jagt (2022, 33rd overall), Shae Holmes (2023, 19th overall) and Summer Yates (2023, 39th). In the last three years alone, Van Dyke, a former professional player in Scandinavia herself, has seen 13 of her former Huskies move on to professional careers around the world.

Van Dyke's pro Dawgs include Jessika Cowart (Çaykur Rizespor, Spartak Subotica, IFK Kalmar, Perth Glory), Ameera Hussen (ÍBV), Olivia Van der Jagt (Seattle Reign FC), Shae Holmes (Seattle Reign FC), Kala McDaniel (Racing Power FC), Vanessa Millsaps (C.F. Pachuca), Evelina Pettersson (Trelleborgs FF), Olivia Sekany (Racing Louisville FC), Shaye Seyffart (S.F. Damaiense), Alice Sondergaard (U.C. Sampdoria, Hellas Verona FC), Cori Sullivan (Cruz Azul, Glasgow City), McKenzie Weinert (Melbourne Victory, Seattle Reign FC) and Summer Yates (Orlando Pride).

Under Van Dyke's tutelage, Yates became UW's first All-American selection in nearly 20 years, collecting four All-Pac-12 honors along the way. Yates is joined by Holmes and Van der Jagt as Husky standouts coached by Van Dyke to receive All-Pac-12 nods.

Replacing a roster that lost 10-of-11 starters from the previous season, Van Dyke led a youthful Husky squad to a 9-5-5 record in 2023, including 4-4-3 in UW's final Pac-12 season. Among the highlights of the season was a 1-1 draw at No. 2 Stanford, the Huskies' first point off the Cardinal since 2004. Washington also claimed the Apple Cup for a second year running, topping Washington State 2-0 in front of the second largest crowd ever at Husky Soccer Stadium. Washington closed the campaign strong, going undefeated over the final seven matches of the season, amassing a 4-0-3 record.

The Huskies put together another solid campaign together during Van Dyke's third year in charge in 2022, posting a 10-6-3 record and protecting their home turf with a 7-1-1 mark at Husky Soccer Stadium. U Dub's offense scored in bunches, bagging 40 goals on the year, UW's most since 2010. The Dawgs reached as high as 15th in the United Soccer Coaches Poll after putting together the program's first-ever undefeated non-conference season. The Huskies also capped the year with a historic victory, going into Pullman and pulling out Washington's first Apple Cup road victory since 1996.

After the campaign, three Huskies were named All-Pac-12 as Summer Yates earned a First Team nod, Shae Holmes landed on the Second Team and Kelsey Branson garnered Pac-12 All-Freshman honors. With their Husky careers wrapped up, the bulk of UW's roster moved onto the next level, with 10 former Huskies turning pro.

In her second season, Van Dyke led the Huskies to a 6-8-4 record but had the Dawgs playing their best when it mattered most. Washington posted a 4-4-3 mark in Pac-12 play, finishing in the top-5 in the league table for the third consecutive season. Following the season, All-Pac-12 star Olivia Van der Jagt became the third Husky ever drafted into the NWSL.

Van Dyke's first season at Washington was as memorable as they come, with the Huskies making their sixth Sweet Sixteen appearance and first since 2014. Van Dyke coached a Husky defense that allowed just 12 goals all year, matching the program record set in 2001. The Huskies finished third in the Pac-12 and spent six straight weeks ranked, their longest streak in the rankings since 2004. Four Huskies earned All-Pac-12 honors, including two First Team honors for Summer Yates and Ameera Hussen. Yates also earned All-American honors, the first Husky to earn an All-American award since 2004. Three Huskies earn all-region honors: only once in program history, 2000, have the Huskies had more all-region awards.

Six different Huskies set new career highs in scoring as well. Washington recorded 10 total shutouts, its fourth season with double-digit shutouts and just one shy of the program record. Washington had a five-game shutout streak that stretched into the NCAA Tournament, Washington's second-longest shutout streak ever and the longest since 1991. The Huskies would only trail in five of 18 matches and allowed multiple goals only once. At the end of the season, the Huskies were ranked 15th in the United Soccer Coaches poll, their highest end-of-year ranking in over a decade and their third-highest ever.

Prior to moving to Montlake, Van Dyke spent five seasons at Penn, going 41-24-15 and winning the Ivy League for the fourth time in school history. The Quakers outscored their opposition by 57 goals and finished in the nation’s top 20 in goals against average three times. That included leading the nation in GAA and save percentage in 2018, when Penn recorded 12 shutouts and allowed only five goals all season, a school record. Van Dyke coached the Ivy League’s Defender of the Year that season, as well as three All-Ivy League First Team selections and the only Scholar All-American in the league.

Before leading Penn, Van Dyke spent four seasons at Stanford, three as an assistant coach and one as the associate head coach. During that time, Stanford made three College Cup appearances and won the 2011 national championship. Van Dyke helped Stanford earn eight All-American awards, 26 All-Pac-12 selections, and 42 Pac-12 All-Academic honorees.

Van Dyke coached her alma mater of Cal State Bakersfield for five years, leading the program during its transition from Division II to Division I. Twice in her five seasons there the women’s soccer team earned the Kegley-McCall award for the highest team GPA at the university. The team earned the All-Academic Team Award twice as well.

Van Dyke’s head coaching career began at Cal State Stanislaus, which she took over as a 23-year-old and led for three seasons. Stanislaus went 35-19-7 under Van Dyke, advancing to the CCAA championship game in 2005. Van Dyke earned CCAA Coach of the Year honors that year. In her three seasons, Stanislaus recorded double-digit wins every year and outscored the opposition 102-67 overall.

A native of Palm Desert, California. Van Dyke played college soccer at Cal State Bakersfield, where she also earned her undergraduate and master’s degrees. She holds the career record for points (88), is second all-time in goals (36), and fifth all-time in assists (16) for that program. Van Dyke has played professionally in Sweden for Mallbacken IF and played for the California Gold in the WPSL. She is married to Jason Werner, with whom she has two sons, Rory and Riley.

  RECORDS & AWARDS

2005 CCAA Coach of the Year

2018 Ivy League champions

2005 CCAA North Division champions

46 All-League selections as a head coach

One Scholar All-American

Two Kegley-McCall awards for highest team GPA at Cal State Bakersfield

Career record: 138-120-51

  COACHING HISTORY

2020-Present: Washington head coach

2015-2019: Penn head coach

2014: Stanford associate head coach

2011-13: Stanford assistant coach

2006-10: Cal State Bakersfield head coach

2003-05: Cal State Stanislaus head coach

2001-02: Cal State Bakersfield assistant coach