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Seattle Pacific University

Seattle, WA 98119
Washington Northwest
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Arby Busey

Arby Busey enters his eighth season as head women's soccer coach at Seattle Pacific University. Through the 2021 season he directed SPU to a 76-33-10 record and four NCAA Division II Tournament appearances.


This is his 17th season overall in the program after serving nine seasons in an assistant coaching capacity, from 2006-14.


Busey, 51, who led the team to the 2015 playoffs in his one-season stint as the interim, was hired as Seattle Pacific's full-time head coach on Dec. 17, 2015.


Last season, he oversaw one of the finest seasons in school history and earned the 2021 GNAC Coach of the Year award. The Falcons compiled a 19-2-1 record, won the conference regular-season championship at 12-1-1 and then captured the GNAC Tournament title. They received the No. 1 seed in the region for the NCAA Division II playoffs and captured the West Region crown en route to an NCAA quarterfinals appearance.


The 2020 season was actually played in the spring of 2021 due to the Covid-19 pandemic. No conference season was contested, nor was the NCAA Tournament conducted. SPU played a limited, nine-game, schedule and fans were not allowed to attend. The Falcons were undefeated with an 8-0-1 record.


In 2019, SPU posted a 12-8-0 record, was 9-3-0 in GNAC play and advanced to the GNAC Tournament championships game. Despite that resumé, an NCAA invitation was not offered.


After a one-year absence, the Falcons returned to the NCAA Division II Tournament in 2018. They forged a 12-6-2 overall record, tying for third in the Great Northwest Athletic Conference standings at 8-3-1. Matching 2-1 losses at Concordia-Portland dropped SPU out of the first round of both the GNAC and NCAA Tournaments.


Busey guided Seattle Pacific to a 10-7-0 record in 2017 with an 8-4-0 GNAC mark that tied for fourth place.


The Falcons fashioned an 11-5-4 overall record in 2016 and placed third in the GNAC with a 7-2-3 mark. They advanced to the GNAC Tournament championship game for the fourth straight season before losing 3-1 to eventual national champion Western Washington. SPU participated in the postseason for the 14th straight season, falling 2-1 in the first round to Central Washington. Senior forward Hannah Huesers netted 13 goals to lead all GNAC scorers for the third straight season.


As the interim head coach in 2015, Busey directed the Falcons to a 14-5-2 record in 2015 and runner-up result at the GNAC Tournament. Ten of those wins were vacated due to improprieties under the previous coach.


Seattle Pacific advanced to the West Regional semifinals of the NCAA Tournament. Highlighting the season was junior forward Hannah Huesers, who tallied 14 goals en route to 2015 Player of the Year honors for both the GNAC and West Region.


Prior to his interim head coaching assignment, Busey served nine years at SPU under Chuck Sekyra, who resigned in January. From his assistant coaching post between 2006 and 2014, Busey helped the team compile an impressive 95-30-12 record and playoff appearances each season. SPU won the 2008 NCAA championship and reached the 2007 national semifinals during his tenure.


Busey is the third coach in the 22-year history of the program. That list includes the two-year stint of inaugural coach Bobby Bruch, who served from 2001-02.


He is prominent in local club soccer, serving on the staff at Crossfire Premier where he has coached since 2009. He has been a staff member in the Washington State Olympic Development Program and also the Idaho State ODP.


This is his second collegiate head coaching assignment. Busey joined the University of Idaho staff as an assistant in 2000 and became head coach following the 2001 season. He served three seasons at the helm from 2002-04.


After resigning at Idaho, he returned to his alma mater, Villanova, to work as an assistant coach for the 2005 season before joining the SPU staff.


Busey played varsity men's soccer at Villanova and graduated in 1993 with a bachelor's degree in accounting.


He is 1989 graduate of Mercer Island High School. Busey started his coaching career as an assistant varsity coach and head junior varsity coach with the Mercer Island girls program from 1994-98. He coached the boys team from 1997-2000. He also coached the girls U-16 and U-17 programs at the Washington Soccer Club from 1996-2000.


Busey earned a United States Soccer Federation National "A" coaching license in 2012. He is single and lives in West Seattle.

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Sydney Pluhacek

Women's Soccer Assistant Coach

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Kevin Sakuda

Kevin Sakuda enters his second season as head men's soccer coach at Seattle Pacific for the 2022 campaign.


After leading the team to an NCAA Division II Tournament berth in his one-season stint as the interim, he was hired to direct the Seattle Pacific program on a full-time basis as head men's soccer coach on November 23, 2021.


Sakuda, 41, assumed the head men's position on an interim basis in late July after Mark Collings left the Falcons to become an assistant coach at the University of Washington. He made a strong case to have the interim title removed.


Honored as the 2021 Great Northwest Athletic Conference Coach of the Year, Sakdua directed SPU to a 12-4-2 record and the school's first national playoff berth in six seasons. His Falcons compiled a 6-2-2 league ledger, capturing their first GNAC championship since 2015.


"I feel fortunate that I got to be a part of the team this year, and now get to continue coaching them," Sakuda said after the 2021 campaign. "I'm excited. It's obviously an honor to step into this role without the interim tag.


"I understand just how much history there is in this program and what being the head coach of that represents. I'm very aware of the responsibility that comes with this and it's an honor for me to continue the tradition of the coaches that have been here before me."


The SPU men earned the No. 9 seed in the West Region, suffering a 1-0 setback in a first-round matchup with No. 8 Colorado State-Pueblo. They featured GNAC Player of the Year and first-team All-American Alex Mejia, who produced a league-high 14 goals. Goalkeeper Lars Helleren was honored as the GNAC Defensive Player of the Year.


Prior to his interim men's coaching assignment, Sakuda served six years on the SPU women's soccer staff under Arby Busey. He was a volunteer assistant coach in 2015 and 2016 before being elevated to lead assistant in the spring of 2017.


From his assistant coaching post between 2015 and 2020, Sakuda helped the women's team compile an impressive 67-31-9 record and three NCAA Tournament appearances.


He joined the coaching profession after a successful playing career.


Sakuda had a nine-year run in the professional ranks, including six seasons with United Soccer Leagues version of the Seattle Sounders before that club made the move to Major League Soccer.


A product of Mission San Jose (Calif.) High School, Sakuda lettered four years on the Duke University men's soccer squad before graduating in 2002 with a bachelor's degree in psychology, along with a Markets and Management certificate.


He was selected by San Jose in the third round, the 39th pick overall, of the 2002 MLS SuperDraft.


Sakuda made 148 appearances as a defender with the USL from 2003-08. He played with the Montreal Impact in 2009 and the Austin Aztex in 2009-10.


He also played in the Major Indoor Soccer League from 2002-05 with the San Diego Sockers.


Sakuda is only the fourth coach in the 54-year history of the Seattle Pacific program. That list includes the two-year stint of inaugural coach Arnie Aizstrauts, who served from 1968-69, 38 years of Cliff McCrath (1970-2007) and 13 seasons of Collings (2008-20).


Athletic Director Jackson Stava was pleased to make Sakuda's head coaching position permanent.


"I am thrilled to have Coach Kevin Sakuda in the full-time role of head men's soccer coach at Seattle Pacific University. Not only did the results on the field speak for themselves, but the overwhelming response from his student-athletes spoke volumes that he is the leader we need for this program moving forward."


Sakuda has a United States Soccer Federation National "A" coaching license. He is married to Megan Sakuda and they have a 2-year-old daughter, Sloane.


"It was a true pleasure this year to watch Kevin step into this role," Stava added. "His approachability, desire for holistic development, love of SPU and care for each student was evident and made this a very easy decision. I am excited for many years of Kevin, Meg, and Sloane being part of the SPU Family."


Sakuda's second season with the Falcons was successful on the pitch and in the classroom. The team finished fourth in the GNAC, averaging the most goals per game in the conference at 1.79. Seven Falcons earned GNAC All-Conference honors, highlighted by first teamers Lars Helleren, Aidan Thrall, and Demian Alvarez. Helleren was named to the United Soccer Coaches Third Team All-American. Alvarez added to his accolades with a D2CCCA West Region Second Team selection. Seven SPU student-athletes earned GNAC All-Academic honors.

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Josh Swett

Men's Soccer Assistant Coach

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James Ward

James Ward returns for his fourth year as the Falcons’ goalkeeper coach. He was a four-year starter between the pipes at SPU before playing two seasons for the Seattle Sounders.

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Erik Skipper

Men's Soccer Assistant Coach

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Luke Sandblom

Men's Soccer Assistant Coach

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