With the expectation of returning the Linfield men's and women's soccer programs to national prominence and spearheading a major facility upgrade, Linfield College has hired former Oregon State University head coach Steve Simmons as its new Assistant Athletic Director and Director of Soccer.
 
Linfield director of athletics Garry Killgore announced Simmons' appointment on Thursday. Simmons brings 15 years of Division I coaching experience at Oregon State and Northern Illinois, in addition to serving five years as head coach of the Linfield men's and women's soccer and women's lacrosse programs from 1996 until 2000.
 
"I'm very excited to have Steve rejoin our team," said Killgore. "He's the most successful soccer coach in our history. To be able to have him back on our staff is a real honor and privilege. His level of experience both here at Linfield and beyond Linfield are going to help with the leadership of the overall soccer program. The goal is to position our men's and women's teams for ultimate success within the conference, and ideally, at the nationally level."
 
Simmons, who owns a career record of 190-166-31 in 20 seasons as a collegiate head coach, will oversee the men's and women's soccer clubs, and serve as an advisor to the women's lacrosse coaching staff. Current men's coach Adam Howard and women's coach Cole McCool will continue to lead their respective clubs on the field.
 
"Steve's main responsibility during his first year is going to be akin to a 'super consultant.' He'll oversee both soccer programs but he'll also have sport supervision for the women's lacrosse program. He'll also provide feedback to me on what we need for lacrosse to really flourish.
 
"I'd like to thank President Davis and Dr. Killgore for providing me the opportunity to rejoin the Linfield Athletics leadership team," said Simmons. "Linfield's rich tradition of academic and athletics excellence continues to transform young people into responsible and successful community members and I want to be a part of that movement. Coming back to help elevate the soccer programs is a privilege, honor and very dear to my heart."
 
Simmons will also have an influence in the areas of alumni and donor relations, with the goal of re-energizing the soccer and lacrosse alumni and ultimately modernizing and enhancing the Linfield soccer/lacrosse facility's playing surface, team areas, pressbox and grandstand.
 
"He has a huge goal to fundraise to install FieldTurf at the soccer/lacrosse facility. His role as assistant athletic director really revolves around his involvement with fundraising and alumni relations, not only for soccer and lacrosse but also providing department-wide support in those areas."
 
As noted earlier, Simmons enjoyed five successful years as head coach of both the Linfield men's and women's soccer programs at Linfield. He took over a men's team that went 1-15-0 in 1995 and led the Wildcats to three seasons of double-digit wins, including a 21-1-1 mark in 2000. That team knocked off top-ranked Ohio Wesleyan in the NCAA Division III quarterfinals losing in the NCAA Division III semifinals to eventual national champion Messiah College. On the women's side, the Wildcats rose from ninth place to fourth place in his final season as coach.
 
Most recently, Simmons spent nine years as head coach of the Oregon State men's soccer program. During his OSU tenure, the Beavers produced three MLS SuperDraft first round picks, including No. 1 pick Danny Mwanga in 2010, No. 13 pick Emery Welshman in 2013 and No. 2 pick Khiry Shelton in 2015. Both Mwanga and Shelton earned Pac-10/Pac-12 Player of the Year honors.
 
Simmons won 63 games with the Beavers in his first seven seasons, including a Pac-10 runner-up finish in 2009. He led OSU to its best season in school history in 2014 on the way to the program's first NCAA Tournament win, a 1-0 defeat of the University of Denver. In 2015, OSU was nationally ranked, climbing as high as No. 3, a program best.
 
Several Oregon State players have excelled in the classroom under Simmons. Travis Anderson and Josh Smith received prestigious CoSIDA Academic All-America awards in back-to-back seasons, and 19 student-athletes earned conference All-Academic honors.
 
Prior to Oregon State, Simmons compiled a 59-47-3 record in six seasons as head coach at Northern Illinois. The Huskies won 56 matches over his final five seasons, the most-ever in a five-year span in school history, won the Mid-American Conference Championship, advanced to the second round of the NCAA Tournament and had 24 players honored with all-MAC accolades.
 
His 2006 campaign at NIU was the best in school history as the team won a school-record 15 games, including a 9-0-0 mark at home. The Huskies earned the school's first-ever MAC Championship and advanced to the second round of the NCAA Men's Soccer Championship.
 
Prior to his arrival at Northern Illinois, Simmons spent two seasons as associate head coach with Oregon State under head coach Dana Taylor. In 2002, the Beavers climbed to No. 18 in the national polls and earned the school's first trip to the NCAA College Cup.
 
Since 2012, Simmons has served as a Program Match Evaluator for Major League Soccer, evaluating MLS matches for the MLS Competition Department. He is a US Soccer Grassroots Instructor, conducting education courses for coaches.
 
He began his coaching career as an assistant at his alma mater, Concordia University-Portland, in 1990 before heading to Gonzaga University in 1994 as an assistant coach. A head coaching position followed the next season at Division III Whitworth University. Simmons led Whitworth to a 9-8-2 record in his first season to earn Northwest Conference Coach of the Year honors before moving on to Linfield.
 
As a collegian at Concordia, Simmons netted first-team All-America honors from the National Christian College Athletic Association and NAIA Academic All-America recognition as a senior. He was a two-time NAIA Northwest All-Region selection and was honored with Concordia's Male Athlete of the Year Award in 1990 and was selected to the school's Athletics Wall of Fame in 1993.
 
A graduate of Chugiak High School in Eagle River, Alaska, Simmons earned a bachelor's degree in business administration from Concordia in 1990. He received a master's degree in physical education from Gonzaga in 1996.
 
Simmons and his wife, Maria, reside in Corvallis with their three children, Keagan, Jordan and Katey.
 


WHAT THEY ARE SAYING ABOUT STEVE SIMMONS

"Steve is the most influential mentor I've had in my coaching career and we have stayed in close contact since working together and building a championship program at Northern Illinois University.  I'm really excited for Steve to go back to his roots at Linfield as I know the school is very special to him, and where he really kick-started his very successful coaching career.  Steve is not only a great coach and mentor for student-athletes but he is also very skilled in coaching and mentoring those that work with him.  Linfield is getting a high performing leader and it's only a matter of time before Linfield Soccer is competing for championships."
Kylie Stannard
Former Northern Illinois University assistant coach
Current Yale Head Men's Soccer Coach

"Every great organization starts with a strong leader. Steve offers a culture of hard working, motivated individuals striving for excellence. As a student-athlete, these lessons transcend the field into our everyday lives molding a future of success."
Chris McDonald '02
2000 NSCAA All-American
2014 Linfield Athletics Hall of Fame inductee
 

"It is a tremendous day and a great boost for our department to have Steve come back to Linfield.  I know Steve to be a very hard worker, he is a man of integrity, and he is truly an expert in the sport of soccer. I have no doubt our student-athletes will greatly benefit from his expertise and directorship. It is great to have Steve back at Linfield."
Joseph Smith '93
Linfield football coach
 

"Without question, this is an exceptional hire by Linfield College.  Steve Simmons is a strategic thinker with great integrity, who understands what being part of a team is all about. He cares about people, works in higher education for the right reasons, and consistently makes those around him better."
Ed Pasque
Commissioner, Sunshine State Conference (NCAA Division II)