In the Steve Sarkisian first wife story, there’s one person whom almost everyone associated with college football knows very little about: Stephanie Sarkisian. This is the woman he dated back in high school, married to for 19 years, and who’s the mother of his kids. She is also the woman behind all the other events in his life, since when their marriage came crashing down in 2015, so did everything else. And out of those ashes emerged one of the great comebacks in the history of American sports.
On this page, you’ll find the complete story: who she is, why they separated, the tough year that followed, and the full-circle twist in Austin which most stories have failed to capture.
Who Is Stephanie Sarkisian: Steve Sarkisian first wife
Stephanie Sarkisian is the first wife of Steve Sarkisian, who is currently the head coach of the University of Texas Longhorns. They have been together since their teenage years in Southern California, dating during high school and getting married in 1997, which was also the year when Steve played in the National Football League. Stephanie is said to work as an educator, and her ethnicity is described as a mix between Japanese and American, information which is rarely provided about her.
She spent nearly two decades being the silent force behind a coaching career that took her family around from place to place. She could be seen celebrating their victories in the field of USC with kids in her hands, but she never craved attention. After the divorce, she withdrew herself almost completely from public affairs, maintaining zero social media activity and not giving any interviews.
| Stephanie Sarkisian: Profile | Detail |
|---|---|
| Known as | Steve Sarkisian’s first wife |
| Marriage | 1997 to 2016 (divorce finalized) |
| Relationship origin | High-school sweethearts in Southern California |
| Profession | Reported to be an educator |
| Heritage | Mixed Japanese and American |
| Children | Ashley, Taylor, and Brady Sarkisian |
| Public presence | None, deliberately private |
| Current status | Not remarried, lives privately |
A Note On The Fake Birthday Going Around:
This is an obvious mistake to correct because it illustrates the lack of depth of almost all information out there on Stephanie. Stephanie Sarkisian’s birthday is given as March 8, 1974, on several websites. It is actually Steve Sarkisian’s birthday. Low-end biographical websites seem to have taken the coach’s date of birth and pasted it to his ex-wife, spreading the information until it started sounding true. Stephanie’s date of birth is not known to the public, and I refuse to make up one myself. If you see one website proudly listing it, that says more about the website than about Stephanie.
The Marriage: 19 Years, Three Kids, Six Cities
Steve and Stephanie got married in 1997 right before Steve concluded an outstanding football career as a quarterback at BYU and went on to play in the Canadian Football League with the Saskatchewan Roughriders. The dream of playing ended with coaching and with it came the traveling. El Camino College, USC, Oakland Raiders, USC again, and finally Washington, where he became a head coach in 2009.
Through all this Stephanie brought up three children, Ashley, Taylor, and Brady. It is the thankless work which allows the coach to do his work and lasted about two decades.
The Divorce: What Actually Happened:
On April 20, 2015, Stephanie filed for divorce in Los Angeles County Superior Court on the grounds of irreconcilable differences. At that point, Steve was the head coach at USC, and all three children were under 12 years old. They released a joint statement requesting privacy and promising to bring up their children as caring and loving parents. The divorce was concluded in 2016.
What is remarkable is the cleanliness of the document. At least according to the media reports of that time, they came to a private agreement with no spousal or child support and joint custody of the kids. No public scandal, no leaked allegations, no court battle. And for such a high-profile case of divorce between a coach who made millions, it was rather unusual.
| Divorce: Key Facts | Detail |
|---|---|
| Filed | April 20, 2015, Los Angeles County Superior Court |
| Filed by | Stephanie Sarkisian |
| Grounds | Irreconcilable differences |
| Finalized | 2016 |
| Settlement | Private, reportedly no spousal or child support |
| Custody | Joint |
| Marriage length | Nearly 19 years |
The Year It All Fell Apart: Divorce, Alcohol, And Getting Fired:
This is the part of the story where the Steve Sarkisian first wife story is really playing out, even if the people searching are unaware. The divorce was not something that was going to fade into oblivion. This was the beginning of a series of events that were about to unfold.
After his divorce, Sarkisian found himself in a spiral of drinking problems. In August 2015, he was visibly drunk and swore at an event for USC boosters. He publicly apologized, stating that it was because of a combination of alcohol and drugs. By October 11, 2015, USC placed him on indefinite leave, firing him on October 12, 2015, which was just five games into the season. He entered treatment and sued the school, a lawsuit that was later settled.
He has since been open about how hard things became following that, and how he felt like he needed to start all over again as a person in order to start all over as a coach. In one single year, he lost his 19-year-old marriage, his job, and his reputation.
The Comeback: How Nick Saban Rescued Him:
The story of a rise from the ashes after a bad breakup is how Steve Sarkisian became famous. In 2016, when no one else in football would touch him, Nick Saban took the gamble of bringing him onto the Alabama staff as an offensive analyst, eventually promoting him to offensive coordinator. This change saved everything for Sarkisian. He moved on to the Atlanta Falcons as an offensive coordinator, then back to Alabama, and in January 2021, was named the head coach at the University of Texas.
In 2024, he signed a contract extension to 2030 for a little over $10.3 million salary, got the Longhorns into the College Football Playoff, and proved once again that he is one of the best offensive minds in the game. None of this would have happened had his life not fallen apart due to the end of the first marriage.
The Full-Circle Twist Nobody Talks About:
There is one detail in particular here that elevates this from a story of a divorce into something much more interesting. His son, Brady Sarkisian, who is from his first marriage, is now a Texas Longhorns football player, being a linebacker. In a press conference in September 2025, Steve explained how he removes his headset mid-game just to watch his son play and says that he gets to be a father for a few plays.
It is important to note here that the kid, who was a young child at the time of his parents’ divorce, when his father was publicly fired and humiliated, is now on his father’s staff at one of the most important college football programs in the nation. Even though the marriage is gone, the family is not, and the promise of joint-custody that was made in their statement in 2015 played out perfectly.
The Children Of Steve And Stephanie:
| Child | Detail |
|---|---|
| Ashley Sarkisian | Eldest daughter, graduated from New York University with a degree in international relations, minored in Spanish and Portuguese |
| Taylor Sarkisian | Daughter, keeps an entirely private life away from media |
| Brady Sarkisian | Son, linebacker for the Texas Longhorns, coached by his own father |
Steve Sarkisian: Full Bio:
| Attribute | Detail |
|---|---|
| Full name | Steve Sarkisian |
| Date of birth | March 8, 1974 |
| Age | 52 years (as of 2026) |
| Birthplace | Torrance, California, USA |
| Zodiac sign | Pisces |
| Nationality | American |
| Heritage | Armenian descent on his father’s side |
| High school | West High School, Torrance |
| College | Brigham Young University (BYU) |
| Playing position | Quarterback |
| Pro playing career | Saskatchewan Roughriders, CFL (1997 to 1999) |
| Current role | Head coach, Texas Longhorns |
| Reported salary | Around $10.3 million per year |
| Contract | Extended through 2030 |
| First wife | Stephanie Sarkisian (1997 to 2016) |
| Second wife | Loreal Smith Sarkisian (married 2020) |
| Children | Four (Ashley, Taylor, Brady, plus a son born 2025) |
Coaching Career Timeline:
| Years | Role |
|---|---|
| 2001 | Quarterbacks coach, El Camino College |
| 2001 to 2004 | Assistant, USC |
| 2004 to 2005 | Quarterbacks coach, Oakland Raiders |
| 2005 to 2008 | Assistant and offensive coordinator, USC |
| 2009 to 2013 | Head coach, Washington Huskies |
| 2014 to 2015 | Head coach, USC (fired October 2015) |
| 2016 to 2017 | Analyst then offensive coordinator, Alabama |
| 2017 to 2018 | Offensive coordinator, Atlanta Falcons |
| 2019 to 2020 | Offensive coordinator, Alabama |
| 2021 to present | Head coach, Texas Longhorns |
Life After Stephanie: The Loreal Chapter:
In June 2020, Sarkisian married Loreal Smith, formerly a North Carolina A&T track athlete who went on to become the USC track coach and a famous fashion stylist. Longhorns’ fans gave her the title of the First Lady of Texas Football.
Almost all websites end here, but be careful: in July 2024, the couple announced they are getting a divorce because of their respective career commitments. They got back together. Loreal was seen at Texas games, she appeared in his social media, and in April 2025, the couple announced the birth of their first child, a boy. If there is information on your web page stating that Steve Sarkisian divorced his second wife, it is outdated.
Where Is Stephanie Sarkisian Now:
This lady did what hardly anyone associated with a public figure can do: she successfully managed to disappear. Stephanie is not remarried, does not maintain any kind of social media accounts, does not give any interviews and apparently still works in education while taking care of her children. She never tried to earn money on her marriage to Sarkisian and has never commented on divorce, alcohol, or her husband being fired from coaching. It could have cost her a fortune to talk about it.
Do not believe the net worth of this lady stated in several online pages. Some of them confidently state numbers from one to one and a half million dollars and give the exact sum of the divorce. Not a single fact from those statements can be proven, especially considering that the exact birthday of this lady is also made up.
Trivia And Lesser-Known Facts: Steve Sarkisian first wife
| Fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| High-school sweethearts | Steve and Stephanie dated as teenagers before marrying in 1997 |
| The BYU quarterback | Steve was a standout college QB before ever coaching |
| Seven Win Steve | A mocking nickname from his Washington years for repeated seven-win seasons |
| Clean break | Their settlement reportedly involved no spousal or child support |
| The Saban lifeline | Nick Saban hired him in 2016 when his career was radioactive |
| Coaching his own son | Brady, his son with Stephanie, now plays for him at Texas |
| Four children | Three with Stephanie, one with second wife Loreal, born 2025 |
| Zero footprint | Stephanie has no known public social-media presence |
FAQs: Steve Sarkisian first wife
Who was Steve Sarkisian’s first wife?
Stephanie Sarkisian. They met as high-school sweethearts in Southern California and married in 1997.
How long were Steve and Stephanie Sarkisian married?
Nearly 19 years. They married in 1997, she filed for divorce in April 2015, and it was finalized in 2016.
Why did Steve Sarkisian and Stephanie divorce?
Stephanie filed citing irreconcilable differences. Neither has publicly detailed the reasons, though the split coincided with Steve’s publicly acknowledged struggles with alcohol.
How many children do they have?
Three: daughters Ashley and Taylor and son Brady, who now plays linebacker for his father at Texas.
Is Stephanie Sarkisian remarried?
No. She has remained single and lives a private life away from public attention.
Is Steve Sarkisian married now?
Yes. He married Loreal Smith in 2020. The couple filed for divorce in July 2024 but reconciled, and welcomed a son in April 2025.
What happened to Steve Sarkisian after the divorce?
He spiraled into alcohol problems, was fired by USC in October 2015, entered treatment, and rebuilt his career under Nick Saban at Alabama before becoming Texas head coach in 2021.
Final Take
The story of the Steve Sarkisian first wife is not really a gossip story, it is the hinge on which an entire life turned. Stephanie Sarkisian gave nearly 19 years to a marriage that moved her family across the country, raised three children through the chaos of a coaching career, and then walked away in 2015 with a quiet dignity she has maintained ever since, refusing to cash in on a story the whole sport wanted to hear. What followed for Steve was collapse and then an improbable rebuild.
The clearest proof that they got the important part right is on the sideline in Austin every Saturday, where the son they raised together now plays for the father who once lost almost everything.
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