Photo by: All Pro Photography/Dale Sparks
Stratford Introduced Saturday as WVU’s 10th Men’s Soccer Coach
January 25, 2020 11:48 AM | Men's Soccer
MORGANTOWN, W.Va. – Director of athletics Shane Lyons formally introduced Dan Stratford as West Virginia University's 10thmen's soccer coach this morning during a news conference at the WVU Coliseum prior to Saturday's men's basketball game against Missouri.
Lyons thanked search committee members Terri Howes, Simon Dover, Steve Uryasz, Keli Zinn and Greg Featherston for their work in sifting through a long list of candidates to identify Stratford.
"We started this (process) about a month ago when the opening became available; we indicated that we were going to do a national search, and we had the opportunity to do that," Lyons said. "Throughout this search one name kept coming to the top and that was Dan Stratford.
"You look at it and he was 155 miles away and we looked at people 2-3,000 miles away and the guy closest to home had the ability to do that – to come back home to West Virginia University," Lyons added.
The London, England, native returns to WVU after spending three successful seasons at the University of Charleston where he led the Golden Eagles to Division II national titles in 2017 and 2019 and a 61-4-5 record.
His most recent UC team compiled a 22-2-1 record this season by outscoring its opponents 87-8 and registering 17 shutouts.
Stratford's first Golden Eagles team produced a 21-1-2 record by allowing just eight goals and his second team in 2018 that came up short in the national playoffs set an NCAA Division II record by allowing just four goals and lost just once.
"I'm incredibly excited to be here, and it does feel like a bit of a homecoming for me," Stratford said. "It's crazy to think in 2004 as a freshman to step foot in the United States for the first time and now we've gone full circle and I'm back here as the head coach.
"I joked the other day that my former head coach would have a hard time believing that I would one day be in this position when I was a freshman because I'm sure I caused him plenty of problems, but I have a lot of gratitude for everyone in the athletic department who endorsed me."
Stratford spent four decorated seasons at WVU from 2004-07, helping the Mountaineers to a 54-24-8 record with three NCAA Tournament appearances. He ranks No. 1 in WVU history in career matches played (85), game-winning assists (13) and game-winning points (31).
Following graduation, Stratford played one season with D.C. United in Major League Soccer and also played for the Scottish Club Caledonian Thistle and Hereford United in England.
Stratford joined Marlon LeBlanc's WVU coaching staff in 2011 and spent three seasons here before joining Chris Grassie's UC staff in 2012. Stratford replaced Grassie when he became Marshall's head coach in 2017.
"Being in Charleston for six years was fantastic for my growth, and it allowed me to see just how far WVU extends throughout the state," Stratford said. "I drove to work every day past a billboard for West Virginia University, so it's never really felt that far away."
Stratford indicated Saturday morning that he plans to keep West Virginia's current coaching staff intact for the 2020 season.
"During our process we never changed our values of what we were looking for in a head coach," Lyons said. "What we were looking for first and foremost was character. Then we looked at coaching experience, the student-athlete experience and somebody who is going to emphasize academics, athletic development and someone who is going to have our student-athletes involved in community outreach – not only here in Morgantown but throughout the state.
"Then we wanted a proven winner so with all of those qualities we were looking for Dan was the person who kept coming to the top."
Stratford said he will meet his team for the first time later this afternoon.
Lyons thanked search committee members Terri Howes, Simon Dover, Steve Uryasz, Keli Zinn and Greg Featherston for their work in sifting through a long list of candidates to identify Stratford.
"We started this (process) about a month ago when the opening became available; we indicated that we were going to do a national search, and we had the opportunity to do that," Lyons said. "Throughout this search one name kept coming to the top and that was Dan Stratford.
"You look at it and he was 155 miles away and we looked at people 2-3,000 miles away and the guy closest to home had the ability to do that – to come back home to West Virginia University," Lyons added.
The London, England, native returns to WVU after spending three successful seasons at the University of Charleston where he led the Golden Eagles to Division II national titles in 2017 and 2019 and a 61-4-5 record.
His most recent UC team compiled a 22-2-1 record this season by outscoring its opponents 87-8 and registering 17 shutouts.
Stratford's first Golden Eagles team produced a 21-1-2 record by allowing just eight goals and his second team in 2018 that came up short in the national playoffs set an NCAA Division II record by allowing just four goals and lost just once.
"I'm incredibly excited to be here, and it does feel like a bit of a homecoming for me," Stratford said. "It's crazy to think in 2004 as a freshman to step foot in the United States for the first time and now we've gone full circle and I'm back here as the head coach.
"I joked the other day that my former head coach would have a hard time believing that I would one day be in this position when I was a freshman because I'm sure I caused him plenty of problems, but I have a lot of gratitude for everyone in the athletic department who endorsed me."
Stratford spent four decorated seasons at WVU from 2004-07, helping the Mountaineers to a 54-24-8 record with three NCAA Tournament appearances. He ranks No. 1 in WVU history in career matches played (85), game-winning assists (13) and game-winning points (31).
Following graduation, Stratford played one season with D.C. United in Major League Soccer and also played for the Scottish Club Caledonian Thistle and Hereford United in England.
Stratford joined Marlon LeBlanc's WVU coaching staff in 2011 and spent three seasons here before joining Chris Grassie's UC staff in 2012. Stratford replaced Grassie when he became Marshall's head coach in 2017.
"Being in Charleston for six years was fantastic for my growth, and it allowed me to see just how far WVU extends throughout the state," Stratford said. "I drove to work every day past a billboard for West Virginia University, so it's never really felt that far away."
Stratford indicated Saturday morning that he plans to keep West Virginia's current coaching staff intact for the 2020 season.
"During our process we never changed our values of what we were looking for in a head coach," Lyons said. "What we were looking for first and foremost was character. Then we looked at coaching experience, the student-athlete experience and somebody who is going to emphasize academics, athletic development and someone who is going to have our student-athletes involved in community outreach – not only here in Morgantown but throughout the state.
"Then we wanted a proven winner so with all of those qualities we were looking for Dan was the person who kept coming to the top."
Stratford said he will meet his team for the first time later this afternoon.
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