SAN DIEGO – San Diego State head women’s soccer coach Mike Friesen has announced the hiring of Kai Edwards as an assistant coach. Edwards comes to The Mesa after serving as the head coach at Southern Utah for the last six seasons.
In 2025, Edwards’ Thunderbirds played Boise State to a 1-1 draw on August 21. The 2024 squad held WAC regular season champion Seattle U without a goal in a road match, tying the Redhawks 0-0. In 2023, Edwards guided the Thunderbirds to consecutive wins over Abilene Christian and Tarleton State late in the season to send Southern Utah to its first WAC Tournament appearance in 15 years. During the 2022 campaign, Edwards’ squad set program records in wins (nine), consecutive wins (five), goals scored (31), scoring average (1.76) and shutouts (eight). Southern Utah also finished WAC play with a 9-6-2 record, good for its highest finish in conference play since 2014. In his first fall season in Cedar City, the Thunderbirds excelled in the classroom, winning the United Soccer Coaches Team Academic Award. Edwards started out at Southern Utah for the spring 2021 season, leading the team to the best winning percentage in team history (.611) with a 5-3-1 record, the best finish since 2007.
Edwards spent the 2019 season at California, serving as volunteer assistant coach. The Golden Bears had five players named All-Region and the team finished 13-5-3 and qualified for the NCAA Tournament but fell in overtime of the opening match to Santa Clara.
During 2018, Edwards was an assistant coach for the Oakland Golden Grizzlies, in Auburn Hills, Michigan. He helped the team to the second round of the Horizon League tournament, where it tied regular season champion Milwaukee 1-1 but came up short in penalty kicks 4-2.
The year prior, Edwards was at the University of Michigan as an assistant coach and the director of recruiting. The Wolverines had multiple selections to the All-Big Ten team and one of the nation's top recruiting classes.
For the 2015 and 2016 seasons, Edwards was in Tempe, Arizona, with Arizona State. The Sun Devils went 9-8-1 in 2015 including a 5-5-1 mark in Pac-12 play. He also was the girls coaching director for the Sereno Soccer Club during that time.
The first six seasons of Edwards’ time as a head coach came with Saint Mary’s from 2009-14. During his time in Moraga, California, Edwards led the Gaels to seven ranked wins as well as appearances in the regional top ten in four different seasons. Under Edwards’ tutelage, Saint Mary’s had 21 players named to All-West Coast Conference teams. In 2014, SMC went 7-10-3 with a win at Oregon State and a draw with Brigham Young. The 2012 squad played the Oregon Ducks to a 2-2 draw. The Gaels knocked off Utah in 2011 on their way to a 10-8-2 record. Saint Mary’s also beat the Utes in 2010 as part of a 7-0 start to the season. SMC finished 9-7-3 with draws at Southern Methodist and against California. In Edwards’ first season as a head coach, his second career win came on a neutral site against the Texas Longhorns by a 2-1 score on September 4. During his time in the East Bay, Edwards also coached the Mustang and Rampage soccer clubs, winning an ECNL Championship as an assistant for Rampage.
Prior to going to Saint Mary’s, Edwards spent three seasons at UC Santa Barbara as an assistant coach, eventually working his way up to associate head coach. In his last season with the Gauchos, Edwards helped UCSB to a 12-7-3 record, winning the Big West Tournament title and earning the squad its first NCAA Tournament bid in over a decade. The Gauchos picked up wins over Tennessee and at Arizona during the course of the season. In his first season at UC Santa Barbara, the Gauchos went 8-6-6 including a 5-2-3 mark in Big West play.
Before heading down the coast, Edwards spent time at Sonoma State and helped the Seawolves to a top six ranking in the region.
To begin his coaching career, Edwards was an assistant coach and head of recruiting at Western Washington in 2004 and 2005. He helped the Vikings to a 21-15-3 record during his two seasons in Bellingham including a 13-9-2 tally in GNAC (Great Northwest Athletic Conference) play.
Edwards began his collegiate career at San Francisco State, playing two seasons for the Gators, including serving as team captain for the 2001 season. From SF State, he went to Sonoma State in Rohnert Park, California, for his final two seasons. During his time playing for the Seawolves, Edwards led the team to the NCAA Division II national championship during the 2002 campaign. He also had a brief professional stint, playing for Seattle Sounders Select in 2002, while competing at Sonoma State, before playing multiple seasons with Canada’s Surrey United following graduation.
Outside of soccer, Edwards holds a black belt in Taekwondo.