Dr. Leigh Sears served as Hope College women's soccer head coach from 2000 to 2023. She became the Flying Dutch's all-time coaching leader in wins and seasons.
Prior to the 2024 season, Sears stepped down to continue teaching and mentoring students as a full-time member in the college's kinesiology department. She continues coaching women's soccer as an assistant for the Flying Dutch. Sears served as an assistant coach during the 2024 season.
Sears led Hope to a 270-130-43 record over 23 seasons as head coach for a .635 winning percentage. In MIAA play, Sears directed the Flying Dutch to a 186-63-25 record (.724).
Sears guided the Flying Dutch to six Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association championships and seven appearances in the NCAA Division III Tournament.
In April 2022, Sears was named recipient of the college's Karen Page Courage Award for her brave fight and recovery from breast cancer during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Prior to arriving at Hope, Sears coached women's soccer at Marietta College (Ohio) for six season and won 310 games over 29 combined seasons. In addition to her teaching and coaching responsibilities at Marietta, she was faculty advisor to the Fellowship of Christian Athletes.
As a collegian, Sears was a three-sport standout at Ohio Wesleyan University. She was an all-conference player in the North Coast Athletic Conference in three sports — soccer, basketball, and track. In her senior year in soccer, she was voted the Ohio and conference player of the year and achieved All-America recognition as a midfielder. In 1998, she was inducted into the Ohio Wesleyan University Athletic Hall of Fame.
Sears earned her bachelor of arts degree in physical and health education from Ohio Wesleyan in 1991. She then went onto receive a masters of science degree in exercise science from Ithaca College (N.Y.) in 1994 and in 2007, she was awarded a Ph.D. degree in exercise science from The Ohio State University.
Sears has served as a chief clinician for women at the Ohio High School Soccer Coaches Association and has been a member of the NCAA Division III Great Lakes region women's soccer advisory committee.
