Men's Soccer

Alex Van der Sluijs took the reins as Wilmington College head men’s soccer coach on Jan. 1, 2018.

In the spring of 2021, which replaced the normal 2020 season in the fall due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Wilmington broke through in the Ohio Athletic Conference (OAC), finishing third with a record of 7-3-1 overall. That seed earned the Fightin' Quakers an OAC Tournament home game, which Wilmington defeated Capital University 2-1, before falling in a penalty kick shootout in a semifinal at Marietta College. The victory marked the program's first postseason win in 15 seasons, a team that Van der Sluijs played on. 

Five Quakers earned All-OAC honors in the spring of 2021 including Zach Burgmeier, Elorm Dogbey and Ian Molfenter garnering First Team recognition. Burgmeier was also the league's Defensive Player of the Year while Dogbey was named the OAC Forward of the Year, the first Quaker to win the award since his coach did in 2006. Brady Shapiro and Yusef Muqtadir rounded out the All-OAC honorees with Honorable Mention recognition.

In 2019, Wilmington finished with a 10-7-2 overall record and missed out on the OAC Tournament by a single game for the second consecutive season. Van der Sluijs's team began the season 10-2-2 and appeared in the regional rankings, but lost some close games and battled through injuries in the final five contests. Three Quakers - Ian Molfenter (First Team), Zach Burgmeier (Second Team) and Thompson Birch (Honorable Mention) - garnered All-OAC recognition.

In 2018, he led the Quakers to a 9-8-0 record and with a game of the OAC Tournament. In addition, Van der Sluijs mentored Niklas Martensson to First Team All-OAC and Third Team All-Great Lakes Region honors. Martensson's 2018 campaign was one of the best individual offensive seasons in the NCAA era (1991-present). One year later, Wilmington finished with a 10-7-2 overall record and once again fell one game short of the OAC Tournament.

Van der Sluijs is no stranger to the program as the 2007 alumnus was a four-year member of the men's soccer program and finished his career with 29 goals and 20 assists. He was a three-time First Team All-Ohio Athletic Conference (OAC) selection along with being named OAC Forward of the Year on two occasions. He was a key offensive figure on a team that won the College's only OAC title in 2004.

Van der Sluijs came to Wilmington from Chaminade Julienne High School in Dayton, Ohio, where he served as head boys' soccer coach as well as working in development for the high school. He led the Eagles to three consecutive winning seasons.

Prior to Chaminade Julienne, Van der Sluijs spent seven years at Defiance College. He spent his first two years has a soccer graduate assistant while completing a Master’s Degree in Education with a focus on Sport Psychology. Upon graduation, Van der Sluijs was named the head men's and women's soccer coach for the Yellow Jackets. The Defiance women's program improved the first three years under Van der Sluijs's guidance and turned in the program's first-ever winning season in 2012 with a 9-6-4 record. He is currently the 2^nd most winningest coach in program history.

Van der Sluijs coached the men's team for five seasons and ended his tenure as the second-winningest coach in program history. The 2013 Yellow Jackets achieved a 10-9 record and a 5-4 mark in the Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference (HCAC), marking the best season for the program in over a decade.  Van der Sluijs organized a trip overseas to Europe for both programs. He also served as a fitness and wellness instructor at Defiance.

After graduating from Wilmington with degrees in communications and sport management, Van der Sluijs continued his soccer career by playing professionally for the Cincinnati Kings, Dayton Dutch Lions and Dayton Dynamo. While playing for the Dayton Dutch Lions in the USL and PDL, Van der Sluijs was coached and mentored by Ajax legend and Netherlands International Sonny Silooy. Also, while playing for the Cincinnati Kings he was coached by Bolton Wanderers legend John McGinlay.

Van der Sluijs, who was elected to the College's Athletic Hall of Fame earlier in 2017, took over for his collegiate coach, Bud Lewis, who led Wilmington's men's soccer program to over 500 victories in 43 seasons as head coach.

He resides in Beavercreek with his wife, Paige, son, Yori and daughter, Annika.

*Last updated - June 10, 2021