SEATTLE – Sometimes, the toughest part about a job isn't starting a new one.
It's leaving the old one – especially the people attached to it.
Mike Simonson knows that feeling today. Atter guiding Seattle Pacific to three consecutive postseason appearances in 2022, 2023, and 2024, Simonson has resigned from his post as head coach of the Falcons to accept the head coaching job at Biola.
"It's probably one of the hardest decisions I've had to make because SPU is near and dear to my heart and to Katie's heart," Simonson said. (Katie Simonson, formerly Benson, is his wife, having played for and coached with the Falcons). "God presented this opportunity to be the next head coach at Biola. We went into this decision being two Northwest people and going to California was a huge leap of faith for us."
Los Angeles-based Biola is a member of the Pacific West Conference.
"The Lord is going to take us on an adventure, especially in coaching," said Simonson, who served two seasons as the lead assistant on Julie Heisey's staff before moving up to the head spot in June 2018. "The timing is right for us to make a big move, and that was a big part of it. But it's hard because of leaving the team and the university. My eight years here have been some of the most profound moments of my life and faith."
"The players I have coached have made such an impact on me, and I cherish every one of those players," Simonson added.
As part of his six seasons as head coach, Simonson's 2022-23 squad went 15-13. That team knocked off Alaska Anchorage in the first round of the Great Northwest Athletic Conference tournament in Bellingham, 69-65, then went down to the wire against host and No. 1 seed Western Washington in the semi, 58-53.
The 2023-24 team faced a must-win situation on the final day of the regular season at Alaska Fairbanks and pulled it out, 72-64, securing the final GNAC Tournament berth.
"Mike Simonson has been part of the fabric of Falcons women's basketball for the last several years, both as the head coach and previously as an assistant. We appreciate his commitment and dedication to the student-athletes that he mentored so earnestly," SPU athletic director Dan Lepse said, adding that a search for a new head coach will begin immediately.
"Mike will be missed on the sidelines at Brougham Pavilion, but we wish him the best in his new position at Biola."
Along with their 61 victories on the court, Simonson's teams also were successful in the classroom. The Falcons had 20 players combine for 36 GNAC All-Academic awards. Natalie Hoff (2023), Hunter Beirne (2024) and Olivia Mayer (2024) all earned College Sports Communicators / CoSIDA Academic All-District honors.
"We've always had a group that was just so confident in who they were on and off the court, and they wanted to achieve," Simonson said. "I was so blessed to work with kids who wanted to do well on the court and in the classroom. We've always had kids who were so driven They made me a better coach because they were driven on and off the court."
A native of nearby Edmonds and a 2006 graduate of Meadowdale High School, Simonson graduated from WSU in 2011, earning a degree in social sciences with an emphasis on history.
SPU SOCIAL
Seattle's only NCAA Division II Scholarship Program | #GoFalcons