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Mike Noonan Resigns as Bears' Soccer Coach
1/5/2010 12:00:00 AM | Men's Soccer
Clemson, SC- Brown University head men's soccer coach Mike
Noonan has announced his resignation to become the head soccer
coach at Clemson University.
“I'd like to thank Director of Athletics Michael
Goldberger, Associate Athletic Director Bob Kenneally, former
Athletic Director Dave Roach who hired me, as well as my colleagues
at Brown for all of their hard work and support over the
years,” said Noonan. “But most of all I'd like to
say thanks to my players, assistant coaches and alumni who have
made Brown such a wonderful place. It has been a fantastic 15 years
and my family and I will always hold a special place in our hearts
for Brown University.”
Noonan, one of the nation's outstanding coaches and just the
fifth head soccer coach in Brown's 81-year soccer history,
has led the Bears to 10 NCAA Tournament berths, including NCAA
Quarterfinal appearances in 1995 and 2000, and eight Ivy League
Championships in his 15 years. Noonan has compiled a 160-77-31
record while with the Bears and boasts a 224-118-41 overall record
in his 20 years coaching.
“We will miss Mike a great deal,” said Director of
Athletics Michael Goldberger. “He has been a fabulous coach,
but more importantly a wonderful educator. Our student-athletes
have learned a great deal from Mike and for that we are very
grateful and we wish him the very best at Clemson.”
During his first season with the Bears in 1995, Noonan set a school
record for victories with a 16-4 record. From 1997-2000, his squad
garnered three Ivy Championships and appeared in the NCAA
Tournament four consecutive years, including a NCAA Quarterfinal
appearance. He also led the Bears to two undefeated Ivy League
seasons in both 2000 and 2007. In his tenure, Noonan has coached
five Ivy League Players of the Year, two Rookies of the Year, 36
First Team All-Ivy players and four Academic All-Americans.
This past season, the Bears posted an 11-3-5 overall record and
recorded a 5-2 mark in Ivy League play. Brown received an at-large
bid to the NCAA Tournament, its seventh tournament time in the last
10 years, and defeated Stony Brook on Stevenson Field in the first
round, but fell to #5 North Carolina in Chapel Hill.
Prior to his arrival at Brown, Noonan led the University of New
Hampshire to an NCAA Tournament berth in 1994 for the first time in
the school's history, ironically losing to Brown in the first
round at Stevenson Field. His Wildcats finished with a 15-5-2
record in 1994, playing 11 matches against Top 20 teams, while
setting a school record for victories. New Hampshire also captured
the North Atlantic Conference's regular season championship
that year. He compiled a 48-23-9 record in four years as head coach
at New Hampshire and was the winningest coach in Wildcat history.
Prior to UNH, Noonan served as the head soccer coach at Wheaton
College from 1989-1990, where he was the first coach in the
program's history. He was also an assistant coach at the
University of Vermont from 1986-1989, and an assistant coach at
Bates College in 1983.
A national search will begin immediately to find Mike
Noonan's replacement.
