PARKLAND – Longtime assistant coach and former Pacific Lutheran baseball player Nolan Soete will take over as interim head coach of the PLU baseball program for the 2015-16 academic year, PLU athletic director Laurie Turner announced.
Soete, a 2006 PLU graduate, has served as an assistant on PLU's baseball coaching staff since finishing his playing career in 2005. He replaces longtime head coach Geoff Loomis, who accepted the head coaching position at his alma mater NCAA Div. I University of Portland.
"Coach Loomis has created a culture of excellence here at PLU and built a program that is respected on the national level," Soete said. "The foundation is in place and I'm in a position where I just want to keep this program moving in the right direction. I would like to thank Coach Loomis, Pacific Lutheran University and specifically Laurie Turner for providing me with the opportunity to represent PLU as the head baseball coach. I look forward to leading this great group of young men."
Soete has been the program's hitting instructor for the past nine seasons, overseeing team offensive performances that rewrote the PLU record books in 2009 and 2010. He has also served stints as PLU's infield instructor, recruiting coordinator, catching instructor and outfield instructor. Since 2011 he has been the assistant head coach for the Lutes.
"Nolan has been involved in every aspect of the program since he joined the staff in '06," Turner said. "His understanding of institutional culture and his engagement with our current student-athletes and recruits will minimize the disruption to our program."
Soete was a second-team All-Northwest Conference performer in his senior season, batting .317 with four home runs while playing first base for the Lutes. He was a four-year baseball letter winner and earned his Bachelor of Arts in Physical Education from PLU with a health & fitness endorsement and a Washington State Teach Certification. He earned a Master of Arts in Teaching with an emphasis in teacher leadership. Since 2009 he has taught physical education at Lakes High School.
Soete takes over a PLU program fresh off its third Northwest Conference championship and its second NCAA Regional Tournament appearance. The Lutes finished the 2015 season 32-14, claiming the NWC regular-season title with an 18-6 record and advancing to the final day of the NCAA Div. III South Regional Tournament. PLU had a pitcher selected in the 2013 and 2014 Major League Baseball amateur drafts, and the Lutes ranked 17th in the final d3baseball.com national poll in 2015.
"Change is always challenging," Turner said. "With the departure of Coach Loomis, I am very excited to have a longtime assistant in Coach Soete step into the head coaching position. Under Nolan's leadership, with the returning student-athletes and the strong recruiting class that is committed to PLU, we will once again be in the hunt for the NWC title in 2016."