Emporia State Athletics announced Friday that head soccer coach Bryan Sailer will not return for the 2024 season. Assistant coach and former Lady Hornet Chloe Marquez will be the interim head coach. After 12 seasons at the helm, Sailer departs as the winningest coach in program history and led the program to all four of its NCAA Tournament appearances. In a news release, the school said, ‘As we continue to evolve ESU Athletics into a Top 25 program in the country, we are committed to performing at the highest caliber in every aspect of our program.’ Sailer took over the team in 2011 and it turned a corner in 2018 by beginning a streak of five-straight seasons with double-digit wins. ESU went 73-25-14 over the last five seasons and the 2021 team had a program-best 19-3-1 record while going 9-2-0 in league play and winning the school’s first-ever MIAA Tournament title.
After leading the Lady Hornets back to the NCAA Tournament in 2022, Sailer brought the program back to the NCAA Tournament for a third-straight year after claiming the program’s second MIAA Tournament title. Sailer was suspended by the school just ahead of the team’s game in the Sweet 16 of this year’s NCAA Tournament after what the athletic department described as violations of athletic department policies and the student code of conduct by ESU soccer players. Sailer departs the program with a 121-87-34 record as head coach. ESU Athletics will begin a national search immediately to select its next head coach.
