Head coach Jason Crist is entering his thirteenth year at the helm of the SAU Lady Cougar soccer program in 2012.

Crist has amassed a long list of awards in his tenure, including  NSCAA/Adidas Great Lakes Regional Coach of the Year in 2004 and 2011 as well as being been named conference coach of the year in the WHAC (2001) and MCC (2011). Crist has also been widely honored in the  NCCAA, notching Midwest Regional Coach of the Year seven times during his career.  He was named as the NCCAA/NSCAA National Coach of the Year in 2010 after guiding the Lady Cougars to a 18-5-2 record and capturing the NCCAA National Championship.

Crist is a native of Spring Arbor who played high school soccer locally for Jackson County Western before coming to Spring Arbor where he spent his college career as a defender.

Before assuming head coaching duties for the Lady Cougars, Crist served as the assistant women's coach for two years at Spring Arbor. His coaching resume also includes experience coaching both boys and girls at Jackson High School and Jackson County Western High School. Crist has also been successful as a club coach, coaching several local club teams and leading the Jackson Kings to a division championship in the Premiere division of the Michigan State Youth Soccer Association. He is nationally licensed by the USSF and is currently a staff coach for the Michigan Rush.