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Nicole Van Dyke

Women's Soccer

TBT: Van Dyke Makes Mark at CSUB and Beyond



BAKERSFIELD, Calif. – Our next Throwback Thursday feature captures the career of CSU Bakersfield's women's soccer alum and former head coach Nicole Van Dyke. Van Dyke's journey with the Roadrunners started in 1998 but, now twenty-three seasons from her arrival on campus, her story is still relevant.  
Van Dyke came to Bakersfield by way of Palm Desert, California and earned her undergraduate and master's degrees. She is second all-time in points (88) and goals (36) and fifth all-time in assists.
 
Van Dyke made an immediate mark on the CSUB women's soccer team and was instrumental in the `Runners success in 1998, 99' and 2000. What Van Dyke and company did two decades ago stand as most impressive because the feats remain untouched.
 
As a team, the Roadrunners posted its highest average in goals scored per game Van Dyke's first year in Bakersfield. CSUB's 1999 squad raised the bar breaking records in almost every team category including points, wins, shutouts, and conference wins.
 
A nine-match conference unbeaten streak that rolled into the 2000 season, a seven-game win streak and an all-time low twelve goals allowed also still hold as program records.
 
Van Dyke raised her own bar year after year. Her most notable individual accomplishments came in 1999 and 2000. The California Collegiate Athletic Association recognized her with all-conference selections in both seasons while the NSCAA (now United Soccer Coaches) named Van Dyke to their All-Far West Region Team in both 99' and 2000.
 
The `Runners won twelve matches in 2000 while Van Dyke snagged all-time individual season records in goals (17) and game winners (5). All three feats have yet to be matched or bested.
 
Van Dyke's head coaching career began at Cal State Stanislaus, which she took over as a 23-year old and lead for three seasons. Stanislaus went 35-19-7 under Van Dyke, advancing to the CCAA championship game in 2005 and earning CCAA Coach of the Year honors that year. In her three seasons, Stanislaus recorded double-digit wins every year and outscored opposition.
 
Six seasons removed from playing for Bakersfield, Van Dyke took over for Simon Tobin who had accumulated a .469 winning percentage over ten seasons at CSUB. She coached her alma mater for five years, leading the program during the transition from Division II to Division I. Van Dyke is the second-longest tenured women's soccer head coach behind Tobin.
 
Twice in her five seasons as head coach of the Roadrunners the women's soccer team earned the Kegley-McCall award for the highest team GPA in the department and earned the All-Academic Team award twice under her tutelage.
 
After leading CSUB, Van Dyke spent four seasons at Stanford, three as an assistant coach and one as the associate head coach. During that time, Stanford made three College Cup appearances and won the 2011 national championship.
 
Following Van Dyke's time with the Cardinal, she spent five seasons at Penn, going 41-24-15 and winning the Ivy League for the fourth time in school history. Van Dyke coached an Ivy League Defender of the Year and the only Scholar All-American in the league.
 
Van Dyke joined the University of Washington as head coach in 2020 and will lead the Huskies for the first time this Fall. In her 13 years as a head coach at three different schools, Van Dyke has coached 37 all-league selections, as well as eight United Soccer Coaches All-Region honorees.
 
Tune in next week for another CSUB throwback as we relive indoor volleyball's two NCAA Tournaments bids.
 
~GoRunners.com~
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