1994

Despite beating Colorado 4-1 in the second game of the semifinal, the Sounders' playoff run ends in a series-determining shootout, 2-1. Dick McCormick and Jason Dunn each scored twice in regulation.

Sounders club president Alan Hinton, as expected, names himself head coach. Hinton, 51, previously coached both the NASL Sounders and Tacoma Stars.

Unbeaten for 57 games over three seasons–the best run in the nation–Shorecrest's streak of girls state championships comes to an end. Kennedy upsets the Scots, 2-1, in a 2A state quarterfinal playoff at Highline Stadium. Shorecrest had allowed only two goals the entire season.

Lacking a suitable facility, Seattle is bypassed by Major League Soccer in determining its final cities for its inaugural season of play, in 1996.

Dang Pibulvech resigns as Washington women's coach to take the same position at Texas. Pibulvech (27-21-6) leaves the Huskies three years after becoming the school's first women's soccer coach. He built the program into a national power, achieving top 20 rankings each season.

Washington names Lesle Gallimore, women's soccer coach at San Diego State University for four seasons, as Huskies' new coach. Gallimore, 30, replaces the Dang Pibulvech, who had started the program and guided it to a No. 19 national ranking after three years.

Throughout the state, fans of all ages begin flocking to TV screens as World Cup USA begins. Anticipating increased interest, ethnic restaurants, taverns and clubs extend hours and upgrade their big screens. The July 17 final rates a 9.5 rating in Seattle.

Seattle submits its bid for an MLS club backed by 1,300 season ticket deposits. However, the area lacks a suitable long-term stadium option.

After playing their first four away, the Sounders make their home debut in the Tacoma Dome. David Hoggan and Gary Heale, who once starred for the Tacoma Stars, score in a 2-0 victory over the Colorado Foxes.

Jason Dunn and Marcus Hahnemann, former teammates at Seattle Pacific and fellow rookies for the Sounders, earn call-ins for the national team. Bellevue's Hahnemann starts and Olympia's Dunn comes off the bench in a 1-0 friendly at Port of Spain, Trinidad & Tobago.

Defending champion Seattle Pacific surrenders a 2-goal second-half lead and the title to Oakland (Mich.) in overtime, 6-4, at the NCAA Division II semifinal in Tampa. The 5ht-ranked Falcons had taken a 4-2 lead in the 59th minute on Phil Bullard's third goal.

Washington and Washington State each post road upsets in their NCAA women's tournament debuts. The 18th-ranked Huskies blank No. 15 Oregon State, 3-0, and the No. 19 Cougars oust No. 11 Wisconsin, 3-1.

Seattle's Michelle Akers scored two and assisted on two other goals as the defending champion U.S. WNT secured passage to Sweden '95 by drubbing Jamaica, 10-0, in a CONCACAF semifinal in Montreal. Akers was later named tournament MVP following 6-0 victory over Canada in the final.

Kicking off the MLS bid campaign in earnest, local organizers mail some 70,000 ticket sales brochures to Seattle soccer fans in hopes of gaining their support. If they can reach the goal of 10,000 ticket deposits by May 15, they will be eligible to gain one of 12 charter franchises in the new league.

A sellout crowd of 11,874 in Memorial Stadium cheers Seattle to a 3-0 victory over Vancouver, clinching the A-League regular season title in the Sounders' first season. Nineteen of the 25 roster players came through Washington Youth Soccer Association.

The Northwest Collegiate Soccer Conference disbands after 23 seasons. The NCSC featured divisional alignments for Division I, II, III and NAIA men's, women's and club programs, including a promotion/relegation format.

Chris Henderson, 23, of Everett is one of three final cuts to the U.S. roster for the World Cup. "No matter what happens, I've got a career," Henderson, the youngest member of the 1990 team. "I'm going to be playing for a long time."

Before a record crowd of 3,155 at Husky Soccer Field, 8-time defending NCAA champion North Carolina ends Washington's 15-game home win streak, 2-0. "We had our chances," UW coach Lesle Gallimore said. "We weren't nervous or intimidated. We didn't panic. The best thing about this match is that is shows us we can play with the best of them."

The Sports and Events Council of Seattle/King County organizes a "soccer summit" and notifies Major League Soccer it will begin the process of bidding for a charter franchise. Meanwhile, the Sounders report orders for 1,500 season tickets, despite not having a home or schedule.

Lisa Gozley is been hired as women's coach at Washington State, replacing Lisa Fraser, who resigned to take over at Arizona.

Before the game's largest Washington audience in nearly 14 years–43,651–the United States battles Russia to a friendly 1-1 draw, kickstarting a late bid for a Major League Soccer franchise. Everett's Chris Henderson starts for the USMNT.

Olympia's Kasey Keller, voted MVP of Millwall in the English League First Division, is denied a tryout for the U.S. to host the World Cup. Keller had served as a back-up goalkeeper in 1990.

Confronted with a price tag double of previous estimates, Washington AD Barbara Hedges suspends plans to build a 3,000-seat soccer stadium. Originally slated to open for the 12994 men's and women's seasons, construction estimates climbed to $3 million. The budget was $1.2M.

Among the assistants named by Sounders head coach Alan Hinton is Gina Casella, former prep All-American and U.S. National Team member. Casella has coached both varsity girls and boys at Bothell High School. Other assistants are Tony Chursky, Tommy Jenkins, Frank Barton and Bernie James.

Seattle's Bernadette Noonan, a native of Ireland, is honored as one of 24 foreign-born U.S. residents who made outstanding contributions to the growth of soccer prior to the Italy-Ireland World Cup match at East Rutherford, N.J. Earlier in the week she met soccer legend Pele at a reception Noonan, the only woman honored as a "soccer ambassador," received the most applause.

Seattle becomes the eighth team in the American Professional Soccer League, otherwise know as the A-League, and takes the name of the former NASL club, the Sounders.

Seattle Pacific University receives a $2 million gift for construction of a soccer/track facility from the M.J. Murdock Charitable Trust. The gift equals the largest ever given by the trust and the largest single cash gift ever received by SPU. Since starting in 1968, SPU men's soccer has never had a home field.

Jason Dunn is named A-League Rookie of the Year after scoring 10 goals in his first season out of Seattle Pacific, and Alan Hinton is voted Coach of the Year for guiding the Sounders to the regular season title.

Fernando Clavijo becomes head coach of Seattle's expansion entry in the Continental Indoor Soccer League (CISL). Clavijo brings championship playing experience from the indoor game and earlier in the summer represented the U.S. in the World Cup.