WNE men’s soccer coach leaving for similar position at Williams College

Date: 1/2/2015

SPRINGFIELD – Western New England University men’s soccer coach Erin Sullivan G’06 has announced that he is leaving the Golden Bears to take a similar position at his alma mater Williams College. He was a standout goalkeeper for the Ephs from 1992 to 1995 under coach Mike Russo, who retired at the end of the season this fall.

“I am forever grateful to [Western New England President] Anthony Caprio, [Director of Athletics] Mike Theulen, [former men’s soccer and current golf] coach [Bill] Downes, [women’s soccer coach] Ron Dias, [former Golden Bears player] Ed Lindsay, [Faculty Athletics Representative] Sharianne Walker and the entire WNE Athletic Family for their endless encouragement and unconditional support. I only hope that in some small way I have been able to repay the enormous debt of gratitude I owe these esteemed individuals with the effort I have put forth and the caliber of the teams that have represented this fine institution during my tenure,” Sullivan said.

“This is indeed a bittersweet moment in my professional career as I prepare to transition away from a place my family and I have called home for the past 15 years. I feel blessed to have been surrounded and supported by so many exceptional coaches, players, and support staff during my time at Western New England and there is no way for me to adequately convey the immense gratitude I feel toward the colleagues, mentors, and friends I will always have in this wonderful community,” he continued.

Theulen added, “Erin Sullivan has left a legacy of undeniable excellence that our University and our Athletic family will benefit from for years to come. He is an outstanding coach, colleague, mentor, role model, and friend. Erin’s talents and human touch have allowed him to achieve greatness in a very short period of time as he will always be remembered as one of the all-time greats to have ever worked here. We wish him all the best as he moves on.”

Sullivan ranks among the top NCAA Division III men’s soccer coaches in the nation while building Western New England into one of the premier programs regionally and nationally.

In 15 years at the helm of the Golden Bears, he racked up a .663 winning percentage with a career record of 207-96-37.

Even more impressive was his conference mark of 105-26-15 (.771) that included affiliation with the Great Northeast Athletic (GNAC) and Commonwealth Coast conferences (CCC).

Sullivan-led WNE squads captured 15 conference titles, including eight GNAC or CCC tournament championships, and all eight of the program’s NCAA Division III Men’s Soccer Championship appearances have come under his watch. All told, he has developed three players who earned four All-America citations, countless all-region performers and scores of all-conference honorees.

In 2013, Western New England returned to the CCC pinnacle by capturing its fifth CCC men’s soccer championship--the most of any institution since WNE’s admittance into the conference for the start of the 2007-08 academic year--as the No. 2 seed and making its eighth trip to the NCAA Tournament.

The Golden Bears reached the second round of the NCAAs to end up 16-5-1 overall, including a 6-1-2 conference slate, and tied for 25th in the final NCAA Division III coaches’ national rankings.

Sullivan broke Downes’ (184-127-31 from 1970-89) record for WNE men’s soccer coaching wins on Sept. 18, 2013, when WNE defeated Framingham State, 2-1, on the road. Sullivan also is the winningest coach in terms of percentage in the program’s storied 49-year history.

“As a coach, the hardest part of this process has undoubtedly been coming to terms with the reality that my professional path will part ways from my current players, my coaching staff Tim Larocca and Eric Lusignan, and the vast WNE Soccer Alumni Family. I want to publically thank them and all the incredibly competitive, hardworking, and talented players that have worn the Western New England shirt and made countless sacrifices without hesitation. Our time together on Suprenant field is forever etched in my memory and I will consider it a privilege to join Coach Downes among the prestigious ranks of former coaches and players in the WNE Soccer Alumni Family,” said Sullivan.

Sullivan worked tirelessly promoting the game of soccer and helping provide access to cultural opportunities for his student-athletes. Western New England has taken four pre-season trips to Europe by playing exhibition matches in Germany, Austria, Italy, and most recently, Spain.

He has remained active in the local soccer community and club soccer ranks coaching the Western Mass. Junior Pioneers Under-15 and Western United U-16 boys’ teams in 2002 and 2007, respectively. Sullivan holds the top soccer coaching licenses in the United States, including a USSF “A” license and the NSCAA Advanced National and Premier diplomas, using that knowledge to direct camps and clinics throughout the Northeast.

The 2011 squad fashioned a 19-4-1 ledger en route to sweeping CCC regular-season (9-0) and tournament titles, while advancing to the second round of the NCAA Tournament. The Golden Bears produced nine all-conference performers, including ECAC Division III and CCC Defensive Player of the Year Shawn Fitzpatrick, and finished tied for 24th in the NSCAA poll.

Western New England qualified in six consecutive NCAA Division III Championships after winning GNAC tournament titles in 2004 and 2006, and CCC crowns from 2007-09 and 2011. The Golden Bears posted a school-record 21-3 record in 2005 and received an at-large bid to the national championship.

Sullivan’s squads advanced to the NCAA Round of 16 in both 2005 and 2006 while finishing 12th (tied for first in New England) and 18th, respectively, in the final national polls.

In 2010, the 2005 team was inducted into the University’s Downes Athletic Hall of Fame after outscoring its opponents by a 71-16 margin, reeling off 14 consecutive victories and recording 13 shutouts during a 9-0 GNAC slate.

Sullivan has gained seven conference coach of the year honors during an 11-year span. He was named both the GNAC and NSCAA Division III New England Coach of the Year in 2005, and was a finalist for the National Coach of the Year Award. He also was voted the top coach in the GNAC in 2001, 2004, 2006, and CCC Coach of the Year in 2007, 2009 and 2011.