Former assistant coach for the Seattle Pacific University women’s soccer team, Derek Faulkner, is moving onto bigger things as he was named the next head coach for the St. Martin’s women’s soccer team.

Faulkner was with SPU for two years as the assistant coach. During his time at SPU, Faulkner was part of a team that won the Great Northwest Athletic Conference championship title, made it to the NCAA tournament and all the way to the quarterfinals. 

Faulkner also joined head coach Arby Busey and assistant coach Megan Moore in being named the West Region’s top soccer staff during the 2021 season the year they made it to the NCAA tournament quarterfinals. 

Busey shared his thoughts on getting to work with Faulkner. 

“He’s a great guy. He’s knowledgeable in the sport of soccer. He’s got ideas on how the game should be played and was a really good, honest, loyal companion in terms of helping run this program the last couple years,” Busey said. 

Faulkner was forced into a tough situation being hired as an assistant less than a month before the start of the 2021 season. 

“I think he had a ton to do with [our success]. It was a scenario where he and I didn’t know each other all that well. We had about a week and a half to kind of figure each other out before the season started. We had a group that was extremely motivated to achieve some big things and felt they were primed to make a good run in the season and into the NCAA tournament. His willingness to go with the flow, adjust and adapt to that group and to me as a head coach I think was paramount in us achieving what we were able to achieve,” Busey said. 

Landrey McCann, sophomore defender, joined the women’s soccer team during the same year as Faulkner. McCann was a part of the 2021 GNAC championship team.

“Especially for me and my class that were freshmen that year, he was really helpful because he was learning everything the same as we were,” McCann said. “From a player perspective, I would say he was a very charismatic coach and cared about us. I think he has a very unique coaching perspective. And wants to connect with players on a personal level and help them become the best soccer player that they can be through his knowledge and previous coaching experience.”

As only the third women’s soccer coach in program history, Faulkner is met with high pressure to find early success for the St. Martin’s women’s soccer team, but he is hopeful and thankful for the position.

“I am grateful for the opportunity to be the next head women’s soccer coach at Saint Martin’s University and would like to thank President Bonds-Raacke and Director of Athletics Steve O’Brien for trusting me to lead this program moving forward. My family and I are thrilled to be joining the Saint Martin’s community. I am excited about the opportunity and cannot wait to get after it with the team as we compete in the classroom, in the community and on the field,” Faulkner said. “I would also like to thank [Coach] Busey and all of the players and alumni for making my time at SPU so special. I wish the program nothing but success moving forward.”

As Faulkner coaches for St. Martin’s, there will be plenty of head-to-head matches against SPU as both compete within the GNAC.

“We’re super excited for him and this opportunity that he has to become a head coach again, and we’ll still be seeing him around the GNAC, which is awesome. He’ll be able to take a lot of his experience and go help a lot of other players in another program. He just deserves the best,” McCann said.