Michigan State women’s soccer program hires Jeff Hosler as head coach

EAST LANSING, Mich. – Michigan State Vice President and Director of Athletics Bill Beekman announced the hiring of Jeff Hosler as the Spartans’ next women’s soccer head coach.

Hosler will succeed Tom Saxton, who was at the helm of the Spartans for 30 years.

Hosler, who concluded his seventh season as head coach of the Grand Valley State women’s soccer team this spring, posted the highest winning percentage of any coach in Laker history, led GVSU to three NCAA Championships, five NCAA title game appearances and reached at least the Elite Eight in six seasons (there was no Division II NCAA Tournament in 2020-21 due to the COVID-19 pandemic). He leaves GVSU with an overall record of 144-12-6, the best winning percentage in all of NCAA Soccer during that span, and a 63-2-2 mark in GLIAC play.

“I’m pleased to welcome Jeff Hosler to the Spartan family as our new women’s soccer coach,” Beekman said. “He’s experienced exceptional success at Grand Valley State, including three national championships, while his student-athletes have been recognized for their performance on the field and in the classroom. Michigan State has a great soccer tradition, and I’m excited to watch Coach Hosler put his own mark on the Spartan program.”

“I am so honored and grateful to Athletic Director Bill Beekman, Deputy Athletic Director Jen Smith, head men’s soccer coach Damon Rensing and the entire search committee for entrusting me with the opportunity to lead this program,” Hosler said. “I also want to thank Tom Saxton, Tammy Farnum and Stacy DeLonge for their dedication, and the incredible example they demonstrated to so many generations of Spartans. The pursuit of excellence for women’s soccer in all facets begins now, while competing at the highest level within the Big Ten on and off the field. MSU and this community is a special place with amazing people, and I couldn’t be more excited to come home.”

With Hosler at the helm, 32 Lakers captured All-America honors and 43 earned All-Region. Twelve different Lakers were honored as CoSIDA Academic All-Americans and 56 Lakers garnered All-GLIAC honors. He also coached three Lakers to National Player of the Year honors, while guiding Marti Corby to the U-23 US Women’s National Team camp in 2016.

Under Hosler’s leadership, the Lakers dominated GLIAC play, winning six conference regular-season titles and seven GLIAC Tournament championships. The Lakers have also claimed the Midwest Regional title in six seasons and have reached the NCAA Elite Eight in 11 straight seasons.

In 2019, GVSU captured the program’s sixth national title, a Division II record. The Lakers went 25-1, matching the single-season wins record, and scored a program-record 117 goals while guiding the nation’s top offense.

Prior to GVSU, Hosler spent eight seasons at his alma mater Alma College. During his time, the Scots earned a 91-55-12 overall record, winning their only Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association (MIAA) regular season title in 2010. Alma also claimed the 2011 MIAA Tournament title to make its first-ever NCAA Tournament appearance.

As a two-sport student-athlete at Alma, he was a four-time All-MIAA honoree, earning All-Mideast Region and All-NCAA Tournament honors during the Scots’ first trip to the Final Four in 1999. Hosler left Alma as the all-time leader in assists and ranked inside the top five in career points.

He also holds a United States Soccer Federation (USSF) National “B” License and USYSA National “Youth” License.

The East Lansing native earned a bachelor of arts in business from Alma College in 2002. He and his wife, Rochelle, are the parents of two daughters, Charlie and Kennedy, and a son, Steven.