Biola University Athletics

Mike Simonson enters his third season as head coach of Biola Women's Basketball in 2026-27. Hired in the summer of 2024, he is 20-36 in two seasons with the Eagles and 81-131 in eight seasons as a college head coach, including six at Seattle Pacific.

Head Coaching Record

Postseason Record

2026 Mission Trip to Japan

Before the 2026-27 season, Simonson led the Eagles on a 10-day mission trip to Japan from Aug. 16-25, 2026, with stops in Tokyo, Kyoto and Osaka. Biola played three games: against Japan's U18 National Team at the National Training Center in Tokyo, and against Mukogawa Women's University and Ritsumeikan University, sharing meals and testimonies with both university teams afterward.

Longtime Japan missionary Paul Gizzi partnered with the team and translated during the trip. The Eagles held a pop-up clinic at Yoyogi Park in Tokyo and joined Hope Alive Church's "Let's Speak English" outreach in Tokorozawa, and three players were baptized in a river near Kyoto's Arashiyama Bamboo Forest. The trip was made possible in part by donors who supported Biola Women's Basketball during the fall 2025 Athletics Week of Giving.

"This opportunity is something I have been dreaming about for about 10 years," Simonson said before the trip. When the team returned, he said, "I feel our team is more together now than any team I've coached."

Through the Years

2025-26: Simonson guided the Eagles to a 13-14 record and a 10-12 mark in PacWest play, finishing eighth in the conference. Laney Grider highlighted the season by earning PacWest Newcomer of the Year, Second Team All-PacWest and PacWest Player of the Week honors. In the classroom, the Eagles posted a 3.721 team GPA.

2024-25: Simonson's first season at the helm saw the Eagles finish 7-22 overall and 7-13 in PacWest play. Biola reached the PacWest Championships as the No. 6 seed, falling to Dominican in the first round, and Laila Walker reached the 1,000-point milestone for her collegiate career. The team posted a 3.468 GPA for the year.

Before Biola

Prior to joining the Biola Athletics staff, Simonson spent eight seasons at Seattle Pacific University, serving six seasons as head coach (2018-19 through 2023-24) and two as an assistant coach (2016-18). As an assistant, he helped the Falcons go 19-11 and 23-8, reaching the GNAC championship game and the NCAA West Regional in 2017-18. Simonson and his wife, Katie, coached together at Seattle Pacific from 2018-23. Katie was a two-time All-GNAC first-team pick and an Academic All-American at SPU, and played professionally overseas in England.

As head coach, Simonson led the Falcons to three consecutive GNAC Championships appearances (2022, 2023 and 2024), reaching the semifinals in 2023. He coached All-GNAC selections Olivia Mayer, Ashley Alter and Natalie Hoff, as well as Hunter Beirne, a future All-GNAC pick. Every team under his leadership posted a GPA of 3.45 or higher and his 2019 team was the GNAC's Academic Team Champion. His SPU players earned 36 GNAC All-Academic honors, and three earned Academic All-District recognition.

Before his time at Seattle Pacific, Simonson worked at Washington State University from 2011-16 as the Director of Men's Basketball Operations. He also served as a student assistant with the Cougars' men's basketball program while completing his undergraduate degree.

Coaching Expertise and Additional Experience

Simonson is known for his tough, hard-nosed man-to-man pack defense, which he learned from Tony Bennett, former Washington State men's basketball head coach and national champion at the University of Virginia. He also utilizes an unscripted, free-flowing motion offense known as the "Red Sea Offense," which emphasizes player movement, backdoor cuts and balanced scoring, resulting in assists on more than 60 percent of made baskets.

He also has experience as a voting member of the NCAA Women's Basketball Rules Committee, which drafts all rule changes and modifications for the sport across all three NCAA divisions.

Playing Career

Simonson was a three-sport athlete in high school, competing in football, basketball and golf. He earned Second Team All-Conference recognition in football.

Personal

Simonson graduated from Washington State University with a Bachelor of Social Sciences in History. He married his wife, Katie, in 2022. Outside of basketball, Simonson enjoys golf and triathlons and is an avid Seattle Mariners and professional boxing fan. His favorite Bible verse is Romans 8:28.

When asked why he chose Biola, Simonson shared, "To work at a premier Christian institution, I am eager to build on the great foundation already laid here. I can't wait to build Biola into a nationally known Christian program in women's basketball."