25MSOC_Sakuda_Kevin

Kevin Sakuda

Kevin Sakuda was named the SPU men’s soccer interim head coach in July of 2021. Sakuda and the Falcons found great success in 2021. He led the team to an NCAA Division II Tournament berth in his one-season stint as the interim, he was hired to direct the Seattle Pacific program on a full-time basis as head men's soccer coach on November 23, 2021.

2021 | RESULTS | ROSTER | STATISTICS | NEWS |
Honored as the 2021 Great Northwest Athletic Conference Coach of the Year, Sakdua directed SPU to a 12-4-2 record and the school's first national playoff berth in six seasons. His Falcons compiled a 6-2-2 league ledger, capturing their first GNAC championship since 2015.

The SPU men earned the No. 9 seed in the West Region, suffering a 1-0 setback in a first-round matchup with No. 8 Colorado State-Pueblo. They featured GNAC Player of the Year and first-team All-American Alex Mejia, who produced a league-high 14 goals. Goalkeeper Lars Helleren was honored as the GNAC Defensive Player of the Year.

2022 | RESULTS | ROSTER | STATISTICS | NEWS | 
Sakuda's second season with the Falcons was successful on the pitch and in the classroom. The team finished fourth in the GNAC, averaging the most goals per game in the conference at 1.79. Seven Falcons earned GNAC All-Conference honors, highlighted by first-teamers Lars Helleren, Aidan Thrall, and Demian Alvarez. Helleren was named to the United Soccer Coaches Third Team All-American. Alvarez added to his accolades with a D2CCCA West Region Second Team selection. Seven SPU student-athletes earned GNAC All-Academic honors.   

2023 | RESULTS | ROSTER | STATISTICS | NEWS |
Sakuda and the Falcons went 5-9-4 in 2023. The season was highlighted by the selection of Raymundo Mendez as the GNAC Newcomer of the Year. Mendez was joined by six other Falcons in the GNAC postseason awards. Evan Aune, Cameron Yriondo, and Mendez were named to the First Team. Nine SPU men’s soccer players were named to the GNAC All-Academic team, while four Falcons earned College Sports Communicators Academic All-District.

2024 | RESULTS | ROSTER | STATISTICS | NEWS | RECORD BOOK
Sakuda led the Falcons to an 8-6-4 record in 2024. The team finished third in the Great Northwest Athletic Conference Standings. The team scored 38 goals in 2024, the second-most in the GNAC. They added 31 assists to total 107 points, the second-most in the GNAC.
 
Sakuda’s roster continued to earn awards on and off the field in 2024. 12 Falcons were named to the GNAC All-Academic Team. It was the highest total number during Sakuda’s tenure with the Falcons. Four Falcons were named College Sports Communicators Academic All-District.
 
Sakuda can be credited with bringing in one of the best goal-scorers in SPU history Raymundo Mendez. Mendez earned the 2024 GNAC Player of the Year award and was a unanimous First Team All-GNAC selection. Mendez added D2CCA First Team All-West Region to his long list of accolades. Mendez totaled 26 goals in his two seasons at SPU, ending up 21st in conference history despite playing just two seasons in the league. Mendez's pace of 0.74 goals per game was fifth-best in GNAC history.
 
Connor Tollan joined Mendez as a 2024 First Team All-GNAC selection. He scored five goals and led the GNAC in assists with eight this season. Tollan was among the best in the country in assists in 2024. He finished the year with 18 points.
 
Sakuda is only the fourth coach in the 54-year history of the Seattle Pacific program. That list includes the two-year stint of inaugural coach Arnie Aizstrauts, who served from 1968-69, 38 years of Cliff McCrath (1970-2007), and 13 seasons of Collings (2008-20).

AS AN ASSISTANT COACH
Before his interim men's coaching assignment, Sakuda served six years on the SPU women's soccer staff under Arby Busey. He was a volunteer assistant coach in 2015 and 2016 before being elevated to lead assistant in the spring of 2017.
 
From his assistant coaching post between 2015 and 2020, Sakuda helped the women's team compile an impressive 67-31-9 record and three NCAA Tournament appearances.

HIS PLAYING DAYS
Sakuda joined the coaching profession after a successful playing career.
 
Sakuda had a nine-year run in the professional ranks, including six seasons with the United Soccer League version of the Seattle Sounders before that club made the move to Major League Soccer.
 
A product of Mission San Jose (Calif.) High School, Sakuda lettered four years on the Duke University men's soccer squad before graduating in 2002 with a bachelor's degree in psychology, along with a Markets and Management certificate.
 
He was selected by San Jose in the third round, the 39th pick overall, of the 2002 MLS SuperDraft.
 
Sakuda made 148 appearances as a defender with the USL from 2003-08. He played with the Montreal Impact in 2009 and the Austin Aztex in 2009-10.
 
He also played in the Major Indoor Soccer League from 2002-05 with the San Diego Sockers.
 
Sakuda has a United States Soccer Federation National "A" coaching license. He is married to Megan Sakuda, and they have two daughters, Sloane, and Skylar.

Kevin Sakuda SPU Head Coaching Career

SEATTLE PACIFIC
Year     Record     GNAC   Place              Highlights                              
2021     12-4-2     6-2-2  (1st place)        NCAA Tournament 1st round, GNAC champion
2022     7-6-6      6-3-3  (4th place)
2023     5-9-4      3-6-3  (4th place)
2024     8-6-4      5-4-3  (3rd place)

Totals   32-25-16  20-15-11