Seth Spidahl, the current Director of Coaching for the nationally renowned and locally based Washington Premier Football Club, was named women's soccer head coach and director of soccer at Pacific Lutheran University in February of 2012.

Under Spidahl's direction, the Lutes have grown into a regional and national power, winning six consecutive NWC titles and making five trips to the NCAA Division III Tournament while boasting a 61-5-7 record on the turf at East Field since 2015.

PLU won their sixth consecutive NWC title in 2022, finishing the year with a 17-2-3 overall record and a 13-1-2 mark in conference action. PLU advanced to the second round of the NCAA Tournament in 2022, downing Mary Hardin-Baylor 2-1 in the opening round. The Lutes outscored their opponents 51-13 over the course of the season, collecting 10 shutouts on the year. Five Lutes earned All-Region honors with Ella Merte earning Academic All-American accolades and NWC Defensive Player of the Year. All told, nine Lutes earning All-Conference distinction.  

Spidahl and the Lutes won the program’s fifth consecutive NWC crown in 2021, closing the campaign with an 18-3 overall record and a 14-2 record in league play. That included a sterling 10-0 mark at home at East Field. Eight Lutes ended the fall with All-NWC accolades with Ella Merte earning NWC Defensive Player of the Year and Hannah Cecil collecting NWC Freshman of the Year honors. PLU had five players earn All-Region honors with Merte becoming a First Team All-American.

The Lutes hoisted the NWC title for the fourth consecutive season in 2019, finishing the season with a 16-3-2 overall record and a 14-1-1 mark in conference play. The Lutes were unbeaten at home (7-0-1) and made their third trip to the NCAA Division III Tournament. PLU swept all four NWC major awards with Spidahl landing NWC Coach of the Year, Brianna Hunting landing NWC Defender of the Year, and Meghan Michels earning both NWC Offensive Player of the Year and NWC Freshman of the Year. The Lutes additionally boasted eight All-NWC honorees and one All-Region selection.

Spidahl's crew captured a share of the program's third consecutive NWC crown in 2018, finishing the season with a 13-3-4 overall record and a 12-2-2 mark in conference action. The Lutes posted 11 shutouts during the season and ended the year with six All-Conference selections and three All-Region honorees, including Liz Griffith landing NWC Offensive Player of the Year laurels. 

The Lutes won the NWC title for the second straight season in 2017 with Spidahl again earning NWC Coach of the Year honors. PLU finished the season with a 17-3-2 record and a 13-2-1 mark in NWC play. The Lutes advanced to the second round of the NCAA Tournament, pummeling Whittier 4-0 before falling in a shootout against California Lutheran in the second round. Nine Lutes ended the season as All-NWC selections with three landing All-West Region honors. Machaela Graddy was the NWC Offensive Player of the Year for the second consecutive year and was later named an NSCAA All-American. 

Spidahl was named the Northwest Conference Coach of the Year in 2016, guiding the Lutes to their first undefeated regular season in program history while securing the program's first conference championship since the 1992 season. The Lutes logged 16 shutouts during the season and earned the program's first ever bid to the NCAA Division III Championships. PLU finished the record-setting season with a 16-1-4 overall record and a 13-0-3 mark in NWC play. The juggernaut Lutes outscored their opponents by a 48-7 margin during the season with five student-athletes earning NSCAA All-Region honors while two Lutes secured NSCAA Scholar All-American honors.

In his first season at the helm of the PLU program, Spidahl led the team to its first winning season since 2006 and the end of a 27-match loss streak to cross-town rival Puget Sound. He followed that up in his second year with the program's first double-digit win total since 2006 and the highest conference finish since 2005. His third season saw the team put together its best season in 20 years, winning 14 games and setting a program record with 12 NWC victories while tying for second in the conference standings. The 2015 season saw the program take yet another step forward with 15 victories and sole possession of second in the NWC standings while allowing only nine goals - the program's fewest since 1987.

As Washington Premier's Director of Coaching since March 2011, Spidahl directs a total of 65 boys and girls youth teams, with over 1,000 total athletes. He creates and oversees training curriculum, hires administrative and coaching staff, and also directs fundraising and annual budgets for the club.

In addition, he is involved with the Elite Clubs National League, a 100+-club premier-level girls soccer league in the United States. He coached multiple ECNL girls teams in the past, one of which won two national championships in the 2011/2012 Season. His teams have also won six ECNL NW Conference Divisional Titles, with the '96 ECNL team winning three in a row.

A 1994 Pacific Lutheran University graduate and four-year letter winner as a member of the PLU men's soccer team, Spidahl was first assistant coach for the University of Washington men's soccer team from 2001-09. He served as director of recruitment and player academic development, and during his tenure the Huskies compiled a 83-58-16 record and five NCAA postseason tournament appearances.  

He was also the head coach for the Seattle Wolves, later to become Washington Crossfire U23 PDL, from 2009-11. 

He is a USSF "A" Licensed Coach.

Spidahl and his wife Kristine, have a son named Zach, and a "Grumble" of pugs:  Olive, Cash, and Hank

Career Coaching Record

Overall

Conference

Year

School

W

L

T

PCT

W

L

T

PCT

Place

Postseason Notes

2012

PLU

6

5

7

.528

4

5

7

.469

6th

2013

PLU

11

4

5

.675

9

2

5

.719

3rd

2014

PLU

14

5

1

.725

12

4

0

.750

T-2nd

2015

PLU

15

3

2

.800

11

3

2

.750

2nd

2016

PLU

16

1

4

.857

13

0

3

.906

1st

NCAA Division III Tournament

2017

PLU

17

3

2

.818

13

2

1

.844

1st

NCAA Division III Tournament

2018

PLU

13

3

4

.750

12

2

2

.812

T-1st

2019

PLU

16

3

2

.810

14

1

1

.906

1st

NCAA Division III Tournament

2021s

PLU

6

3

1

.650

6

3

1

.650

--

No Postseason- COVID-19

2021f

PLU

18

3

0

.857

14

2

0

.875

1st

NCAA Division III Tournament

2022

PLU

17

2

3

.841

13

1

2

.875

1st

NCAA Division III Tournament

2023

PLU

15

5

1

.738

13

3

0

.812

1st

NCAA Division III Tournament

Totals

164

40

32

134

28

24