Bio

Conner Schmidt enters his second season with the Thunderbirds in 2023, after helping lead the Thunderbirds to a 14-3-2 season. 2023 saw the Thunderbirds ranked inside the top 20 all season, with a First Team All-American, Freshman of the Year, and Defender of the Year. Schmidt graduated from Waldorf University in Forest City, Iowa, with a degree in sports management in 2017. He spent three seasons with the Warriors as a defender, appearing in 25 games while totaling seven points and placing 11 shots on target. Before venturing to Iowa, Schmidt spent one season with Allan Hancock College in Santa Maria, California, in 2012. He also served stints at the semi-professional level as a member of the clubs Electric City Shock from 2017-2018 and Alta Cal Sol in 2021.

Before joining the Thunderbirds’ coaching ranks, Schmidt served as an assistant coach for Allan Hancock College, which included the role of interim head coach for two games in 2021. Schmidt served as the assistant coach for the Lompoc High School varsity girls’ soccer team in 2020 and the Cabrillo High School varsity and junior varsity boys’ soccer teams in 2018-2020. He was also involved in several youth camps and club programs in Iowa.

Playing Career:

• Junior College:
  • 1 season Allan Hancock College (2012-2013)
• College:
  • 3 seasons at Waldorf University (2014-2018)
• Semi-Professional:
  • 2 seasons at Electric City Shock, in Scranton, PA. (2017-2018)
  • 1 season at Alta California Sol in Santa Barbara, CA (2021)

Coaching Career:

• Cabrillo High School: 2 seasons as a Volunteer Boys Varsity Coach (2013-2014), 1 season as Head Boys JV coach. (2019)
• Lompoc High School: 1 season as Girls’ Varsity Assistant Coach (2020)
• Allan Hancock College: 1 season as Men's Assistant Coach, with the opportunity to act as Interim head coach for 2 games of the 2021 season. (2021)