Sonoma State University Athletics

Shawn Percell begins his third year as the Business Operations Manager of the Sonoma State University Department of Intercollegiate Athletics in 2017-18 after spending eight years as an assistant coach for the SSU men's soccer team (and the last two of those years as the associate head coach).

Born and raised in Sonoma County, Percell attended Cardinal Newman High School and Santa Clara University before joining the SSU men's soccer coaching staff after some time at Seattle University, where he was an assistant on the women’s soccer team.

Percell enjoyed a fantastic high school career, first at Piner High School, then at Cardinal Newman in Santa Rosa.  The Redwood Empire and North Bay League Player of the Year as a senior, Percell led his 1995 team to an NCS Championship.  He went on to play at Santa Clara where he appeared in two NCAA Division I Final Fours (1999 and 2000).  In 1999, he was named the Offensive Most Valuable Player of the College Cup.  Percell played professionally for a year in Belize before coming back to the States and joining the Seattle Sounders of the United Soccer League’s First Division.  He played a total of three seasons with the Sounders before joining the coaching staff of the women’s team, eventually becoming the head coach.  

In addition to his coaching experience with the Sounders, Percell spent three seasons as an assistant with the Seattle University women’s team, helping lead the Redhawks to the NCAA Division II Quarterfinals in 2004.  Prior to that, he was an assistant with both the men’s and women’s teams at Santa Clara, winning a national championship with the women’s side in 2001.

Percell loves to follow the Seattle Sounders of MLS, despite their residence in Seattle, which is home to the Super Bowl XLVIII champion Seattle Seahawks.  He is married to current SSU associate athletics director and SWA, Shannon Percell, and they have three children.