INDIANOLA, IOWA . . . Ryan Sander, most recently the head women’s soccer coach at Waukee High School, has been named the Simpson women’s head soccer coach, athletic director John Sirianni announced Friday.
Sander becomes the fourth head coach in program history, taking over for interim coach Greg Velasquez, who led the Storm during the 2009 season.
“We are extremely pleased that Ryan Sander is joining our athletic staff as head women’s soccer coach,” Sirianni said. “Ryan is an excellent fit for Simpson. His outstanding career as a high school and club coach provides him with a wealth of experience and knowledge that are vital aspects to the continued growth and development of our women’s soccer program. He is truly committed to the principles that Simpson stands for and will be an outstanding representative of the college to all its constituencies.”
Serving as head coach from 2002 to 2009, Sander coached the Warriors to Iowa State Tournament appearances in 7-of-8 his years at the helm. His teams finished lower than second in the CIML-Iowa only once, capturing a conference championship in 2004. Waukee advanced to the state regional semifinals in 2007 and 2008, made the regional finals in 2009 and finished as the state runner-up in 2002.
In addition to his coaching duties at Waukee, Sander is a member of the Iowa Olympic Development camp staff. He also served in a number of capacities at the Vision Soccer Academy in Waukee since 2004, including Director of Curriculum and Player Development for the U-8 and U-10 boys from 2006-2008. Most recently, he held the head coaching position for the U-12 girls. From 2002-2004 Sander was a head coach in the Ames Soccer Academy.
As a player, Sander was a member of the Iowa State University Club Team from 1999-2004, after earning All-Midwest Classic Conference honorable mention honors as a sweeper for St. Ambrose University in 1998. A four-time all-conference honoree as a prep at Dallas Center-Grimes High School, Sander earned first team all-conference recognition as a forward in 1997-98, adding first team all-state honors in 1998.
Sander graduated from Iowa State in 2004 with a Bachelor of Fine Arts in interior design. From 2005-2009, he was a construction project manager at Wells Fargo Financial.
Sander inherits a Simpson team that became the first-ever No. 5 seed to advanced to the tournament championship in Iowa Conference history. The Storm went 11-8 (5-3 IIAC), closing the regular season by winning 7-of-10 contests after starting the year 2-4. Simpson notched 1-0 victories over No. 4 Wartburg and top-seeded Luther in advancing to the final, a 1-0 defeat against Dubuque.
