Central College Athletics

Mike Kobylinski has been the Central head women’s soccer coach since 2011 and is a three-time league coach of the year.

The program’s all-time wins leader at 140-82-28 (.616),  Kobylinski has averaged over 10 wins per fall season. The Dutch have won at least 10 games in eight of the last 13 fall seasons. He is the second longest tenured head coach in the league. 

Inheriting a squad that had won only six games in three years, Kobylinski piloted the Dutch to a 10-7-1 record in 2011, the fourth-best turnaround in Division III. 

Kobylinski’s 2016 team set a school record with 15 wins. They were also the first Central team to be ranked in the D3soccer.com top-25 poll.

He piloted Central to a 14-2-3 overall record in 2017 and a school-record winning percentage of .816. The 2017 squad tied for second in the Iowa Conference with a 5-1-2 mark, matching the program’s best finish. It also was the first Dutch team to be ranked in the official NCAA Division III North Regional Rankings, which is used to determine national tournament selection, coming in at No. 8. The team also was ranked as high as No. 6 in the United Soccer Coaches regional poll. His 2021 squad reached No. 7 in the United Soccer coaches regional poll, the second-highest spot in program history and was ranked most recently No. 8 in the 2024 United Soccer coaches regional poll.   Kobylinski's teams have been ranked in the region 9 times in his tenure since 2011.

His 2018 team also spent time in the NCAA Division III North Regional rankings, reaching the No. 6 spot which was the highest NCAA regional ranking in program history.  That team also received votes in the d3soccer.com top-25 poll.

He served a three-year team as the American Rivers Conference soccer coaches chair from 2019-2021.

Under his tutelage, Central players have earned all-conference recognition 28 times. Eighteen of those honorees were on the all-conference first team, including the league's 2013 offensive most valuable player Alayna Bailey which was a first for Central Women's Soccer. Additionally, there have been 13 United Soccer Coaches all-region selections in his tenure.

Central has made the conference tournament in 12 of Kobylinski's 13 fall seasons, earning the No. 2 seed in 2014 and 2017. The Dutch reached the title game in 2014 before losing on the ninth penalty kick and have made the semi-finals in 2012, 2014, 2016 and 2024.

The program is 83-28-18 (.713) at home during his tenure, winning three of its four home conference tournament games since 2011. Central was unbeaten in home matches during the 2016 and 2017 season and more recently have gone 12-2-4 at home in the 2023 and 2024 seasons. 

Academically, his teams have received the United Soccer Coaches team academic award 14 times while averaging a 3.44 GPA. Six players have earned United Soccer Coaches Scholar All-Region honors. In 2018, Elise Askelsen became the program's first CSC Academic All-American. Kobylinski has coached 24 CSC Academic All-District performers.  In 2024-25, the team had a GPA of 3.72 and a 3.85 mark in the spring semester, both program records.

The program has had made four spring break trips to Europe, visiting Netherlands and Germany in 2012, 2015, 2019 and 2023. The trip includes matches against local clubs, attending professional matches and other sightseeing adventures.

A Kalamazoo, Mich. native who played club soccer for Kalamazoo TKO, Kobylinski is a member of the United Soccer Coaches and holds a USSF National ‘D’ License, United Soccer Coaches National Youth Diploma, the United Soccer Coaches Director of Coaching Diploma, and the United Soccer Coaches Premier Diploma.

A 2003 grad, Kobylinski was a four-time all-conference honoree at Central, earning first-team distinction in 2002. He was Central’s MVP in 2000 and 2002 and became the program’s first United Soccer Coaches All-West Region pick when he was a second-team choice in 2002.  As a senior, he helped lead the Dutch to a 16-2-1 record while earning the programs first ever regular season championship.  He was invited to the Info Sport Pro Soccer Combine in 2003 as well as a tryout with the Des Moines Menace.  

Kobylinski is married to Lisa Crabbs and they have a son (Calvin) and a daughter (Chloe) and dog (Willa) and reside in Des Moines.  

Honors

Central College

• (1) Conference Coaching Staff of the Year - 2017
• (2) Conference Coach of the Year - 2012, 2014
• (1) American Rivers Conference soccer coaches chair - 2019-2021

Achievements

Central College

• 140-82-28 (.616) overall record, 49-43-15 (.528) mark in conference matches
• (1) conference Most Valuable Player - 2013 (Alayna Bailey)
• (13) United Soccer Coaches all-region selections
• (9) seasons appearing in United Soccer Coaches regional rankings - 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2021, 2024
• (18) First-team all-conference performers
• (10) Second-team all-conference performers
• (12) conference tournament berths - 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024
• (1) conference tournament finalist - 2014
• (4) conference tournament semifinalist - 2012, 2014, 2016, 2024

Athletics career

• Played at Central College
• (1) NSCAA All-West Region selections, second team - 2002
• (4) All-Iowa Conference honors, first team - 2002; second team, 1999, 2000, 2001,
• (1) Iowa Conference regular season championships - 2002
• (4) varsity letters
• (2) team Most Valuable Player honors - 2000, 2002
• (2) seasons served as captain - 2001, 2002

Year-by-year record

What others are saying about Coach Kobylinski:

“Coach Kobylinski continues to do a remarkable job in building and maintaining a high level of play throughout that region. It comes as no surprise to me because his passion for the game, his kids and Central College shines through daily.”
Jeff Hosler, Women's soccer coach at Michigan State University
NCAA Division II national champions 2009, 2010, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2019, 2021 at Grand Valley State University (Mich.)

"For over a decade, Mike has done a great job of creating a winning culture for his Central soccer family, not only in results, but more importantly, in the environment off of the field. His passionate and detailed style of coaching speaks for itself, but what separates Mike is his dedication to the players as people and his genuine pursuit to help each individual develop to become the best version of themselves. This is evident in the way Mike goes above and beyond to personalize each player recruitment-- going out of his way to find people that fit his culture, pour his authentic character into the process, and give each individual exactly what recruiting is all about-- value."
Whitney Lewis, Director of Coaching - Girls, Sporting Iowa Soccer,
Former NCAA Division I player at University of California - Los Angeles, Texas Tech University and Loyola Marymount University (Calif.) and professional with Ajax (Netherlands)

"There are many non-soccer specific qualities a college soccer coach must possess. High morals, empathy, open-mindedness, diligence and work-ethic are some that I believe are invaluable to keep a program in the highest esteem. Coach Kobylinski possesses each of these in abundance. Hence why Central College is consistently successful.”
Matt Fannon, women's soccer coach, Iowa State University, NCAA Division I

"Mike is a very passionate coach who has done an incredible job building a championship culture. He's had incredible success at Central because he's known as a very honest and passionate leader. His record speaks for itself but what I'm most impressed with his dedication to his craft and impeccable commitment to his core values of leadership and development."
Nick Carlin-Voigt, men's soccer coach, University of Portland (Ore.), NCAA Division I

“Mike Kobylinski has elevated the women’s soccer program at Central to a record level. He is a passionate driven coach with a tremendous attention to detail in all facets of his program. Along with that he is a great motivator both on and off the field and is able to get the best out of all his players.  Having worked with him hand in hand he is always willing to listen to new ideas and change the path or direction as needed to do what is best for the player and program!”
Adam Howarth, Director of Coaching and Education, Illinois Youth Soccer Director

"Coach Kobylinski is a coach who is always evolving along with the game, as the tactics and training methods always evolve through time. He never stops learning and investing in the game of soccer! I’ve had the pleasure to meet him a few years ago in the Netherlands and ever since we have had small talks about the game. He is doing a very good job coaching at Central for such a long period of time and still is searching for ways to level up the game of play. His enthusiasm is contagious and brings out the fire in him and his players, which strengthens the development of these players."
Tom Vrenken, UEFA B licensed coach in the Netherlands. Teacher for the KNVB (Dutch Soccer Federation) and club coach on the highest amateur levels of woman soccer in the Netherlands

"Mike is someone who has always supported me through the ups and downs. He has continually helped me with the growing pains of my professional career. I have no doubt he will be an exceptional college coach. I look forward to watching his success grow on a higher level."
Ella Masar, assistant coach, Chicago Red Stars of the National Women's Soccer League, assisting the United States Women's National Team at April 2025 camp