Steven Lindquist completed his first season as head coach of the Southern Utah women's soccer program in 2026, leading the Thunderbirds back into the Big Sky Conference. He was named to the position on April 3, 2026, after serving as interim head coach during the spring. In that role, he led all aspects of the team's spring training and offseason recruiting.
His hiring capped a steady climb through the Southern Utah staff. Lindquist joined the Thunderbirds as a volunteer assistant ahead of the 2021 season. He was promoted to assistant coach and recruiting coordinator after one year and was named associate head coach in July 2024. As associate head coach, he oversaw training implementation, recruiting coordination, video analysis, travel logistics and budget management.
The 2026 Season
Lindquist's first team went 5-10-3 overall and 2-5-2 in the Big Sky and scored the most goals by an SUU team in a head coach's first season. The Thunderbirds scored 30 goals, second only to the 2022 team (31) in the program's 26 seasons and more than twice their 2025 total (14). The 30 goals ranked second in the Big Sky, and SUU's .159 shot percentage was the best in any full season in program history.
The defense improved just as sharply. Southern Utah allowed 26 goals, 22 fewer than in 2025 and tied for the fifth-fewest in program history, and posted five shutouts, the most since 2022. The Thunderbirds also committed a Big Sky-low 123 fouls.
Lindquist's five wins tied Fred Thompson (2017) and Kai Edwards (2020-21) for the most by an SUU head coach in a first season, and the Thunderbirds' three road wins were the most since 2022.
The season was full of firsts:
- First win:Â 1-0 at South Carolina State on Aug. 14, on Gracen Blieschke's goal in the 48th minute. SUU followed with a 1-0 win at The Citadel on Aug. 17 for its first back-to-back wins since 2023.
- Record night:Â an 18-0 win against Justice on Sept. 6, the most goals and largest margin of victory in program history. Thirteen different Thunderbirds scored.
- First Big Sky win since returning:Â 1-0 against Portland State on Oct. 4, on an Ashlyn O'Malley goal.
- First Big Sky road win since 2021:Â 3-2 at Eastern Washington on Oct. 22, on O'Malley's game-winner at 83:32.
A young core led the way. Freshmen led SUU in goals, points, assists, shots and saves, and 13 Thunderbirds scored their first goal for Southern Utah. O'Malley led the team with seven goals and 16 points, both tied for third in a season in program history, and scored five of SUU's six Big Sky goals. Blieschke added five goals, four assists and a team-high 46 shots, and goalkeeper Tatum Trout started all 18 matches, ranking third in the Big Sky with 88 saves.
Lindquist's players also earned postseason recognition. O'Malley was named the Big Sky Freshman of the Year, the first Thunderbird to win the award, and a First Team All-Big Sky selection, SUU's second first-team pick and its first as a freshman. She was the first SUU player to win one of the Big Sky's major end-of-season awards since MaKenzie Lawrence took the Golden Boot in 2019. Senior defender Nao Yasuda, who led the team with 1,489 minutes and started every match, earned All-Big Sky Honorable Mention.
Building the Thunderbirds
Before taking over the program, Lindquist was part of one of the most successful stretches in program history. In 2022, Southern Utah's first season in the Western Athletic Conference, the Thunderbirds put together a program-best five-match winning streak on the way to a 9-6-2 finish. The next season, Southern Utah reached its first conference tournament in 15 years.
Player development has been a hallmark of his tenure, particularly with defenders and goalkeepers. With Lindquist working with the backline and keepers, Southern Utah set program records in 2022 for shutouts in a season (8) and shutouts by an individual (Megan Short, 6). That work showed again in his first season as head coach, when Trout started every match as a freshman and the Thunderbirds cut their goals allowed nearly in half.
His recruiting has brought high-level talent to Cedar City, including players with experience with the U.S. U17 National Team, the Mexican U20 National Team and multiple international programs.
"I look forward to continuing this program's commitment to developing strong, confident young women who excel athletically, academically, and personally," Lindquist said when he was hired.
Before Southern Utah
Lindquist came to Cedar City from Oakland University in Michigan, where he spent four seasons on the women's soccer staff beginning in 2017. During his time with the Golden Grizzlies, he coached six All-Horizon League players, three All-Freshman selections and four All-Horizon League Tournament honorees, and he helped make the program a consistent postseason contender.
He also has head coaching experience at the collegiate, club and high school levels, with stops at Washtenaw Community College, Michigan Premier Soccer Academy and the Illinois Mathematics and Science Academy.
Education and Personal
Lindquist earned a bachelor's degree in education from Valparaiso University and a master's degree in higher education leadership from Oakland University. He and his wife, Kelsey, are part of the Southern Utah and Cedar City community.
