Central Methodist University

Central Methodist University Athletics
411 Central Methodist Square Fayette, MO 65248

NAIA Missouri Midwest

Private Small Competitive team

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Coaches

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Dan Schmidlin

Dan Schmidlin entered his sixteenth season as the head women’s soccer coach in 2023. Schmidlin’s first six seasons in Fayette saw him pull double-duty by coaching the men’s soccer program, as well.

Entering the 2023 season, Schmidlin has amassed a 201-89-21 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 an 157-39-15 record.

Central Methodist has qualified for the NAIA Women’s Soccer National Championship in six straight seasons, the first women’s soccer teams to do so in Central Methodist history. In 2017, the Eagles won the regular season Heart of America Athletic Conference Championship for the first time in school history and repeated the feat in 2019. The 2019 squad also claimed the program’s first conference tournament title in a thrilling double-overtime victory over Benedictine.

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. 7 in November 2017, holding a Top 15 national ranking for eight consecutive weeks during that 2017 season. Central Methodist reached a program-high ranking of No. 3 in the 2021 season.

In 2017, Schmidlin was named the Heart Conference Coach of the Year and his staff was named the United Soccer Coaches Association Midwest Regional Staff of the Year. He and his staff received both awards again after a record-breaking season in 2019. Schmidlin surpassed 100 career wins against William Penn on Oct. 21.

Under Schmidlin’s guidance, the women’s soccer program has produced 69 All-Conference honorees, 93 NAIA-Daktronics Scholar-Athletes, and 20 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), Heart Defensive Player of the Year (Mireia Lopez, and Laura Riesenbeck), and Heart Freshman of the Year (Sheila Sanchez, and Marcella Helena)

Central Methodist has recorded 12 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.

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Tyler Watkins

Tyler Watkins entered his sixth season as the head assistant coach with the women’s soccer program in 2023.

In his six seasons on staff, Watkins has helped guide the Eagles to four-straight Heart Regular Season and Tournament Championships, as well as five appearances at the NAIA National Tournament. Central's best finish at the national championship came in 2021, when the Eagles reached the semifinals before falling to William Carey.

In 2019, he helped the Eagles return to the NAIA Women’s Soccer National Championship Opening Round for the third straight season while securing the first final site appearance in program history. Central Methodist set a new single-season wins record with a 22-0-1 finish and reached a program-high ranking of No. 5 in the national polls.

In 2019, Central swept the conference titles after claiming just the second regular-season banner in the program history. The squad also secured the program’s first-ever postseason trophy with a thrilling double-overtime victory over Benedictine in the Heart of America Women’s Soccer Conference Tournament championship match.

Watkins came to Central Methodist after a two-year stint at Kansas State University. He was in charge of coaching the goalkeepers, video analysis, and scouting. He also served as the Assistant Director of camps and clinics. During his time in Manhattan, KSU goalkeepers ranked in the top 50 nationally in multiple statistical categories. Watkins played a crucial role in setting the foundation for a new program competing in the Big 12 Conference.

Prior to arriving at Kansas State, Watkins served as the head women’s soccer coach at Clarke University (Iowa) from 2012-15. He coached 37 Academic All-Conference athletes and 12 MCC All-Conference players during his tenure. Before taking the reins of the women’s program, Watkins pulled double-duty as an assistant coach for both the men’s and women’s soccer programs for two seasons.

Watkins began his coaching career as an assistant at his alma mater, NCAA D-II Upper Iowa University, in 2008. Since then, he has accumulated over 10 years of coaching experience at the club, state ODP, and regional ODP levels throughout the Midwest. He has an NSCAA national diploma, an NSCAA advanced national goalkeeping diploma, and a USSF “D” License.

Before jumping into the coaching ranks, Watkins was a two-year starting goalkeeper at Upper Iowa. His college career ended in his junior season due to a knee injury.

Watkins graduated from Upper Iowa in 2008 with a degree in Sport Management and minor in coaching.