Women's Soccer

Dan Schmidlin enters his seventeenth season as the head women’s soccer coach in 2024. Schmidlin’s first six seasons in Fayette saw him pull double-duty by coaching the men’s soccer program, as well. 

Entering the 2024 season, Schmidlin has amassed a 220-92-22 record with the women’s soccer program. Since splitting his duties in 2013 and focusing on the women’s program, Schmidlin has guided the Eagles to a 176-42-16 record. 

Central Methodist has qualified for the NAIA Women’s Soccer National Championship in seven straight seasons, the first women’s soccer teams to do so in Central Methodist history. In addition, Schmidlin's program have dominated the Heart of America during that time span, winning six Regular Season Conference Championships and Conference Tournament Tournament titles. 

In addition, the Eagles have dominated their competition at home, going undefeated in 64 consecutive matches at Davis Field from October, 2018 - Novemeber 2023. 

At nationals, the Eagles have reached the Final Site in four of the past five seasons, including a semifinal appearance in 2021. 

After breaking into the national poll for the first time in September 2017, Central Methodist has consistently found itself in the rankings. The Eagles climbed as high as No. 3 in the August 8th, 2022 edition of the NAIA Coaches' Top 25 poll. They will enter 2024 ranked in 50 consecutive polls. 

Schmidlin is a four-time Heart of America Athletic Conference Coach of the Year award winner (2017, 2019, 2022-2023), and his coaching staff has been recognized as the Regional Coaching Staff of the Year twice (2017 and 2019) by the United States Soccer Coaches' Association. 

Under Schmidlin’s guidance, the women’s soccer program has produced 77 All-Conference honorees, 112 NAIA-Daktronics Scholar-Athletes, and 22 NAIA All-Americans. Schmidlin has also coached the Heart Player of the Year and Offensive Player of the Year (Judith Sainz, Anika Kallash, and Sandra Jakobsen), the Heart Player of the Year and Heart Defensive Player of the Year (Alicia Zamora), the Heart Defensive Player of the Year (Mireia Lopez, Laura Riesenbeck, Alicia Zamora), the Heart Newcomer of the Year (Kirstine Lykke), and Heart Freshman of the Year (Sheila Sanchez, Marcella Helena, Mariana Barreto) 

Central Methodist has recorded 13 straight winning seasons, setting the program-record for wins with 22 in 2019 and 2021. Back in 2011, Schmidlin led both the men’s and women’s soccer programs to a winning record and conference tournament berth for the first time in school history. 

Schmidlin holds his NSCAA Advanced National coaching license and several other licenses. He is also a member of the United Soccer Coaches Association (USCA). Schmidlin began his coaching career as the assistant coach at his alma mater, Springboro High School, in Ohio. 

As a player, Schmidlin was a four-year letter-winner as a defender and midfielder for Muskingum University (Ohio). He also played two seasons for Dayton's amateur soccer team.  

A 2004 graduate of Muskingum, he earned a Bachelors degree in Physical Education and a minor in Business. He earned a Masters degree in Education from Central Methodist in 2010.