Sohaila Akhavein wrapped up her fourth season at the helm of the IU Kokomo women's soccer program in the fall of 2024 as just the second head coach in program history. Akhavein holds an overall record of 39-25-14 and a conference mark of 25-8-7 in three years as head coach at IU Kokomo.
The Cougars made great strides under the direction of Akhavein in year two, winning the River States Conference Championship to clinch the program's first NAIA National Tournament berth. Akhavein and first year assistant coach Kaleb Preston played a key role in leading the Cougars to the program's first ever winning record in just the fourth season of competition, finishing with a record of 14-3-3 and an 8-1-1 RSC mark. Akhavein coached and developed the 2022 River States Conference Player of the Year, Offensive Player of the Year, and Newcomer of the Year.
In year one at IU Kokomo in the fall of 2021, Akhavein led the Cougars to a 6-9-2 overall record, and a 6-4-1 River States Conference mark, the program's first ever winning record in conference play.
Akhavein comes to IU Kokomo after four years as the head coach at Blackburn College in Carlinville, Illinois. In her time at Blackburn, Akhavein has produced four all conference players in one of the toughest NCAA DIII conferences in the country. Prior to Blackburn, Akhavein spent time with the Oshkosh United Soccer Club in Oshkosh, Wisconsin.
Akhavein spent three years at Ripon College in Ripon, Wisconsin. In 2013, Akhavein helped lead the Redhawks to a then, program-best, 10-7-1 record as an assistant coach.
A 2011 graduate of Marian University in Fond du Lac, Wisconsin, Akhavein has also spent time coaching the Oshkosh Youth Soccer Club as well as the Sports Coordinator at the YMCA in Oshkosh.
