Mark Krikorian has stepped down as the president of soccer operations and general manager of the Washington Spirit.

The move coincides with the expiration of his three-year contract. Krikorian said he informed club owner Michele Kang over the winter that he made the “difficult decision” to leave his role.

“When I came here in the spring of 2022, I wanted to help establish the Spirit as a perennial contender in the NWSL and one of the best clubs in the world,” he said. “I felt that over the past three years we built a foundation that can last while assembling a roster that can immediately compete for championships.”

Last season, the Spirit won a franchise-record 19 matches and made the NWSL championship finals, losing 1-0 to the Orlando Pride.

For now, sporting director James Hocken and assistant general manager Nathan Minion will run the club’s soccer operations.

Krikorian, who turns 65 this week, has spent more than 30 years working in the collegiate, international and professional women’s soccer levels. Prior to joining the Spirit, he was the head coach at Florida State, where he led the Seminoles to NCAA championships in 2014, 2018 and 2021. He was named National Coach of the Year three times and won the honor in the Atlantic Coast Conference five times.

–Field Level Media