MENLO SCHOOL Since 1915
About the Team
The 2024-25 Knights charged to a 12-1-1 record and took home the WBAL Championship for the second year in a row. Menlo returned to the CCS playoffs, where its postseason run included close victories over Palo Alto in the quarterfinals and Carlmont in the semifinals. The Knights advanced to the championship game, ultimately falling in penalty kicks.
With a shutout victory in its 2023-2024 regular-season finale, the boys’ soccer team went 12-2-0 to land the West Bay Athletic League championship. The Knights won their opening round of playoffs before losing in the semifinal. Menlo enjoyed an eight-game win streak midseason—seven of those shutouts.
Menlo won back-to-back league championships in 2021 and 2022. Menlo is a consistent CCS contender, and advanced to the CCS Open in 2021, CCS Div. II quarterfinals in 2022, and CCS Div. IV semifinals in 2023.
The Coach
Daniel Hicker (Fourth Season)
Hicker has over 20 years of coaching experience i n the youth, collegiate and pro ranks, including within US Soccer, MLS, NCAA Div. I, NHL, and The Air National Guard. He began his coaching career leading the men’s team at Pierce College in Washington where he helped carry the program back to the playoffs after a 15-year drought. During this time, he also worked as head coach and performance coach for local youth clubs. Hicker then stepped in as women’s head coach at Trinity Lutheran College (WA) where he taught Exercise Science. From there, he served as Director of Performance Analysis and volunteer coach for Santa Clara University’s women’s soccer team, and served as the Olympic Development Program as a Regional Coach and Cal North Head Coach. In 2014, he was an assistant coach for the Bay Area Breeze of the USL W-League. Hicker holds a USSF D License and Premier Coaching Diploma through United Soccer Coaches. He is currently working towards his USSF C License.
Hicker is also Menlo School’s Director of Sports Performance and Wellness. Before coming to Menlo, he served as Director of Performance for the Columbus Crew of Major League Soccer. Before that, he was with the San Jose Earthquakes as Head of Athletic Performance, where he led management and alignment for physical development pathways from the Academy to MLS.
