Navid Istanbullu is in his first year as an assistant coach on the men's soccer team at Fort Hays State University.
Istanbullu played collegiately for four years at McPherson, including a 2.5-year stint as team captain. A defender, Istanbullu earned NAIA honorable mention All-American honors as a senior in the spring of 2021. He was also a first team CoSIDA Academic All-American during the 2020-21 season and was selected as the McPherson Scholar-Athlete of the Year. He was a first team All-KCAC selection in 2020-21 after earning multiple honorable mention all-conference accolades.
The Bremen, Germany native used his last year of eligibility at the University of Mobile (Ala.) where he helped the Rams reach the NAIA National Championship game in the fall of 2021.
Istanbullu played in the Oberliga dn the Regionalliga in Germany during his youth. He graduated from McPherson College in the spring of 2021.
