Luke Sanford begins his first season as Indiana Wesleyan University men's soccer coach for the 2015-16 season. Sanford was hired to lead the Wildcats in February 2015.
“I look forward to building on the current culture and applying my own ideas and convictions,” said Sanford. “It is imperative that our program align with the mission of the University to develop men of character, scholarship and leadership. We will be hard working, organized and service oriented as a group.”
Sanford was most recently an assistant coach and recruiting coordinator at Point Loma Nazarene (Calif.), a program that recently left the NAIA to compete in NCAA Division II. Sanford was an integral part of turning a two win Point Loma Nazarene team in 2012 into a team that went 7-8-3 in 2013.
He has coaching experience in the USL Premier Development League. Sanford was a coaching intern with the Charlotte Eagles in 2011 and an assistant coach with Southern WV Kings Warriors in 2012. He also coached club soccer with the Charlotte Soccer Academy and Surf Soccer Club.
“We are really happy to have Luke Sanford as our new head men’s soccer coach,” said Indiana Wesleyan Athletic Director Mark DeMichael. “His priorities really matchup well with Indiana Wesleyan’s mission statement. He really wants to invest in the spiritual growth of the soccer players as well as make them the best soccer players they can be.”
Sanford played soccer in the NAIA at Houghton (N.Y.) and also played for the Mississippi Brilla in the PDL. He was a graduate assistant and then an assistant coach at Nyack out of New York. In 2011, Nyack earned its first ever NCAA Division II postseason bid.
“He has a very diverse coaching experience,” said DeMichael. “He has coached on the eastern part of the country and the western part of the country. He has great coaching DNA with his dad being a very successful coach and a brother who coaches. It makes Luke a great fit at Indiana Wesleyan.”
Luke is married to his wife Margaret, and the couple has one son, Cliff, who was born in April 2015.
