KALAMAZOO, Mich. — Western Michigan University Vice President/Director of Athletics Dan Bartholomae has announced that men's soccer head coach Chad Wiseman has signed a new contract, securing his leadership of the Broncos program through the 2031 season.
"Chad has elevated the men's soccer program to national prominence and is recognized as one of the top coaches in all of NCAA soccer," said Bartholomae. "In addition to capturing four conference and/or conference tournament championships in the past 4 years, his teams are on an unprecedented streak of 4 straight NCAA post-season appearances where they have advanced every year, and qualified for the Sweet 16 twice. In aligning with our department vision, Chad has also led the way in the holistic development of our student-athletes, highlighted by eight consecutive years with an Academic All-American and a program that ranked ninth among Division I Men's Soccer programs in community impact. In addition to his incredible work with our soccer program, he is a great teammate and leader within our staff and has played a crucial role in elevating this entire department. I am thrilled to continue our partnership at WMU."
Wiseman recently completed his 13th season leading the Brown and Gold, guiding Western Michigan through one of the most successful stretches in program history while establishing the Broncos as a consistent presence on the national stage.
Most recently, Western Michigan captured the Missouri Valley Conference (MVC) Tournament Championship and advanced to the Second Round of the NCAA Tournament following a victory over Clemson in the opening round. The 2025 appearance marked the program's fourth consecutive NCAA Tournament berth and fifth overall under Wiseman's leadership.
Over the course of his tenure, Wiseman has led the Broncos to five NCAA Tournament appearances, including four straight from 2022–25, while advancing to the NCAA Round of 16 three times (2017, 2022 and 2023) — the deepest postseason runs in program history.
Western Michigan's success under Wiseman has spanned multiple conferences and championship moments, highlighted by the 2017 Mid-American Conference Regular Season Championship, the 2022 MAC Tournament Championship, and both the Missouri Valley Conference Regular Season and Tournament Championships in 2023, along with the program's most recent MVC Tournament title in 2025.
Just as impactful has been the program's success away from competition. Wiseman's teams have consistently excelled academically, earning national recognition for their performance in the classroom. During his tenure, the Broncos have produced 91 Academic All-Conference selections and 21 Academic All-Americans, and 4 Academic National Player of the Year honorees. The team also posted the second-highest team GPA in the nation during the 2021-22 academic year.
A defining hallmark of Wiseman's leadership has been his ability to develop student-athletes who succeed at the highest levels of collegiate and professional soccer. Under his direction, Western Michigan has grown into one of the nation's premier developmental programs, regularly producing professional talent while earning widespread national recognition.
That reputation reached new heights in 2023 when forward Charlie Sharp became the program's first MAC Hermann Trophy Finalist, an honor widely regarded as the highest individual award in all of college soccer. Sharp's recognition placed Western Michigan among the elite programs nationally and reflected the continued growth of the Broncos under Wiseman's leadership. Both Sharp and former Bronco standout Brandon Bye were also named Hermann Trophy semifinalists during Wiseman's tenure.
Wiseman's coaching staff has also earned national recognition, being named United Soccer Coaches Regional Staff of the Year in both 2017 and 2023 following historic seasons for the program.
On the field, Broncos student-athletes have regularly ranked among the nation's best, leading the NCAA in multiple statistical categories across both offensive and defensive play. That success has translated into numerous All-America honors and national rankings, including multiple Top 25 finishes over the past five seasons and a program-high national ranking of No. 5 during the 2017 campaign.
"I'm incredibly grateful for the continued trust and support from AD Bartholomae and our administration to lead this program," said Wiseman. "Western Michigan means a great deal to me and my family, not only as a coach, but as a former student-athlete who had the opportunity to wear the Bronco jersey. This university helped shape my path, and it's an honor to continue to lead and develop the next generation of Broncos. I'm proud of the culture we've built together and excited to continue competing for championships while representing WMU the right way."
Since taking over the program in 2013, Wiseman has guided Western Michigan to 10 winning seasons, earned conference Coach of the Year honors three times, and coached multiple conference Players of the Year, Defensive Player of the Year, Goaltender of the Year and Freshmen of the Year selections. His teams have also dominated regional competition, compiling a 19-0 record against in-state opponents since 2018.
