WASHINGTON – After five seasons on the Hilltop as an assistant coach for the Georgetown University women's soccer team,
Lyndse Hokanson has been named the head women's soccer coach at Colgate University. Hokanson's duties with the Raiders will begin immediately.
"There is always a part of you that never wants to get to the day where you have to say goodbye, but I feel immensely grateful to have something here that is so hard to leave," said Hokanson. "I couldn't be more grateful to all that Georgetown has given me over these past five years. I'm thankful that Dave took a chance bringing me here all that time ago, and for all that I've learned from him in the time since. Additionally, it has been such a pleasure working alongside of
Kristen Meier and getting to learn from and with her. Couldn't have asked for a better administrative team who have supported me through this journey, most directly
Dan O'Neil and
Lee Reed of course, but not excluding all of the other people in the department who have invested in me. Finally, I have been so fortunate to have the pleasure to get to work with some of the most phenomenal women over the course of my time here at Georgetown. I don't think they'll ever know just how much I cherish the time we spent together, memories we've made, and all that they have taught me over these years. They assure me that the future is bright with all they will contribute to the world. I hope to make them all proud in this next step of my coaching journey at Colgate."
During her time on the Hilltop, Hokanson has helped turn the Georgetown soccer program into one of the top teams in the country. She has coached two players who were drafted into the NWSL, one MAC Hermann Trophy finalist, four Hermann Trophy semifinalists, nine All-Americans, seven Scholar All-Americans, 22 All-Regional players, 10 BIG EAST Players of the Year and 35 All-BIG EAST honorees.
Hokanson has stood alongside Nolan over the past five years and was part of a staff that has been named the National Staff of the Year twice by the United Soccer Coaches in 2016 and 2018, as well as the 2018 BIG EAST Staff of the Year. She helped the Hoyas reach two College Cups in three seasons, three-straight BIG EAST Championship titles and back-to-back BIG EAST Regular Season titles. The Blue & Gray has also been ranked among the top 25 in all five seasons that she has been a part of and received an overall No. 1 seed in the 2018 NCAA Tournament, as well as qualified for the postseason tournament each year.
"Obviously we are all very excited for Lyndse for this wonderful opportunity to take on a program of her own at Colgate University," says Georgetown Head Coach
Dave Nolan. "She has played such a strong part in our most recent successes: three BIG EAST Championships, two College Cup appearances and also helped develop a large number of All-Americans, both on the field and in the classroom."
While at GU, Hokanson worked closely with the team's goalkeepers. She helped the Hoyas set multiple team records, including the program record for most wins twice (21 in 2018 and 20 in 2016) and most shutouts (17 in 2017 and 2016) in a season. Her tutelage helped
Arielle Schechtman (B'19) break the NCAA shutout percentage record (.809) as Schechtman recorded 17 shutouts in 21 games. Schechtman was named the BIG EAST Goalkeeper of the Year two years in a row (2017 and 2018), a MAC Hermann Trophy semifinalist, a First Team All-American and a Scholar All-American. Schechtman also went on to set multiple NCAA records.
"She will do an outstanding job at Colgate," said Nolan. "Her knowledge and work rate, her dedication to get better as a coach every day and also her ability to inspire people on a daily basis lead me to believe that she has the necessary attributes to be great college coach. Personally, I am very grateful for everything she has done here and I know everybody here will miss her terribly; however, we wish her well and know that she will have left us with some incredible experiences and some lasting relationships."
Prior to Georgetown, Hokanson spent a season as a graduate assistant at Valdosta State, helping the Blazers win their first ever Gulf South Conference Championship, as well as the goalkeeper coach at Chantilly High School in Virginia. Hokanson was a three-year starter and team captain at George Mason University. She was named Second Team All-Atlantic 10 and All-Academic in 2013, as well as being a United Soccer Coaches Scholar-Athlete. Hokanson finished in the top 10 all-time in saves, save percentage, goals-against average and shutouts for the Patriots. She was also a three-time Provost Scholar-Athlete. She earned her master's degree in sports industry management from Georgetown's School of Continuing Studies in 2017.
This past fall, Hokanson was named to the 2019-20 United Soccer Coaches 30 Under 30 Program. She was selected to the 2018-19 WeCOACH Coaches Council, a chosen group of individuals who ensure that the organization is strategically serving women coaches from all sports and levels. She also received the Cecile Reynaud Coaching Mastery Award from WeCOACH in the spring. Additionally, Hokanson is a graduate of the 44th class of the NCAA Women Coaches Academy that was held in Denver in 2018.
