A Coach's Journey
Iowa State women’s soccer head coach Matt Fannon announced that he will retire at the conclusion of the 2026 season, bringing to a close a six‑year tenure that has reshaped the program’s trajectory.
Under his guidance the Cyclones posted their most successful campaign in 2023, finishing with a 6‑11‑1 record, and the 2025 start has already delivered a 3‑0 opening stretch, the program’s best beginning since 2010.
Fannon’s coaching résumé stretches back to 2011, when he first served as an assistant at Regis University before assuming head‑coach roles at the University of Wyoming, Wittenberg University and Bowling Green State University, where he earned multiple conference honors.
At Bowling Green he captured three consecutive MAC Coach of the Year awards from 2017 to 2019, guiding the Falcons to two outright conference championships and tournament titles in 2018 and 2019.
The upcoming farewell season will open with a home matchup against Minnesota at 6 p.m. on Wednesday, a game that will kick off a schedule Fannon hopes will serve as a fitting tribute to his time in Ames.
In a statement released to the campus community, Fannon expressed deep gratitude for the support he has received and excitement for the final chapter, noting that the experience has been “both challenging and incredibly rewarding.”