MORGANTOWN, W.Va. — West Virginia Director of Athletics and Associate Vice President Shane Lyons has named Dan Stratford as the school’s 10th men’s soccer coach.
Stratford, who played for the Mountaineers from 2004-07, and served as an assistant coach at WVU from 2011-13, returns to Morgantown after a three-year stint as the head coach at the University of Charleston.
While at UC, he compiled a record of 61-4-5 and led the Golden Eagles to a pair of Division II national championships in 2017 and 2019.
The London, England, native also won three conference regular-season championships and two conference tournament titles in the last three years.
“I am happy to welcome Dan back to his alma mater. After an outstanding collegiate and pro career, he has established himself as one of the bright and up-and-coming coaches in collegiate soccer,” Lyons said. “Winning two national championships at the University of Charleston speaks for itself, and I believe Dan will bring momentum to Morgantown and continue to strengthen our men’s soccer program.”
Charleston finished 22-2-1 this past season en route to its second national championship in three years. The Golden Eagles outscored their opponents 87-8 and earned 17 shutouts. In all, the squad finished the campaign on a 12-match win streak.
In 2018, UC conceded just four total goals, an all-time record in Division II men’s soccer history.
Stratford’s first season in charge was capped off with UC’s first men’s soccer national championship. On the heels of a 15-match win streak, the Golden Eagles allowed just eight goals all year, while tallying 19 shutouts.
“Thank you to Shane, (senior associate athletics director/sports administrator) Terri Howes and everyone on the search committee for giving me this opportunity to go back to my alma mater,” Stratford said. “It’s an incredibly proud moment for me, and it feels like I’ve gone full circle from being a Mountaineer freshman in 2004, to now being in this position to lead the program. I’m really excited to get started with the players and work toward taking this team to the next level.”
