Kansas State soccer coach Mike Dibbini decided to step down from the soccer program on Monday to focus on his health, according to a release from K-State Athletics.
“Due to some health concerns that I have dealt with over the last 18-24 months, I have decided to step away from K-State soccer to focus on my health,” Dibbini said in the release. “It has been an honor to be the first soccer head coach at K-State. I am proud of what we were able to accomplish during the building process of this program over the last 10-plus years. The current and former players that have been here will always have a special place in my heart.”
Former athletic director John Currie announced the arrival of the K-State soccer program in October 2014, with the first season slated for the fall of 2016.
Currie hired Dibbini as the program’s inaugural head coach in December 2014. At the time of his hiring, Dibbini was a 12-time conference coach of the year who led Kansas Wesleyan and Cal Poly Pomona to 13 postseason tournament appearances.
Dibbini coached for eight years at Kansas Wesleyan, leading both the men’s and women’s programs before moving to Pomona in 2013. After a couple of years in California, Dibbini returned to Kansas to build a brand-new program from the ground up.
“We appreciate coach Dibbini and all he has done to help build our soccer program,” athletic director Gene Taylor said. “Starting a program from scratch is demanding and difficult and he and his staff have made strides over the past nine years. I think the world of Mike Dibbini. We wish Mike and his terrific family nothing but the best.”
During his nine seasons at the helm, Dibbini recorded a record of 38-98-21 (.309) and notched the program’s only appearance at the Big 12 Championship in the 2022 season.
Before Dibbini’s program hit its peak in that season, he had to overcome a personal obstacle. In 2021, Dibbini suffered a stroke while back home in California during the offseason on Dec. 23.
Dibbini led K-State to its first program win and shutout at Oakland University, in Rochester, Michigan in August 2016. The program saw its first win 2-0 against South Dakota in September 2016 before its first conference win in 2017 at Kansas.
K-State signed Dibbini to a four-year contract extension through the 2026 season after the team’s conference postseason appearance in 2022.
Since then, K-State has won one Big 12 game with back-to-back 3-12-3 seasons, including going 0-9-2 in conference play this year.
