Mercer University

Macon, GA 31207

Georgia Southeast

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Tony Economopoulos

Tony Economopoulos was hired as the sixth head coach in Mercer women’s soccer history on Feb. 22, 2012. In his 11 seasons at the helm , Economopoulos has led the Bears to a 115-77-31 overall record, 53-26-17 mark in conference action (Southern Conference & ASUN Conference) and the best winning percentage in program history (.577). With a 2-0 win over Furman in the 2019 regular season finale, Economopoulos won his 100th career match. As a head coach, he is 125-118-31 (.510) at two institutions.

In his eleven seasons in charge, Econompoulos has mentored numerous players that have received both athletic and academic accolades. Off the pitch, he has coached three CoSIDA Academic All-District selections in Jordyn Ebert (Spring 2021), Maddie Clark (2016) and Maggie Cropp (2015). Clark was also named a NSCAA Scholar All-South Region selection in 2016.

On the field, Economopoulos has had a player represented on the All-Conference teams in the Southern Conference and Atlantic Sun 37 times while seeing his players represented on All-Tournament teams 19 times. Additionally, his student-athletes have been honored with Player of the Week accolades 17 times with Kendall Cook being the most recent selection on Feb. 23, 2021. During Mercer's time in the Atlantic Sun under Economopoulos, the Bears had four all-academic selections.

Email: wsoccer@mercer.edu

Collegiate Coaching Experience

February 2012-Present – Mercer University

Women’s Head Coach

2009-12 – Georgia Southwestern

Women’s Head Coach

2007-09 – Oklahoma State University

Women’s Assistant Coach/Recruiting Coordinator

2003-07 – Bowling Green State University

Men’s Assistant Coach

Interim Men’s Head Coach

Recruiting Coordinator

2001-03 – Western Illinois University

Men's Assistant Coach

Men's/Women's Goalkeeper Coach

Recruiting Coordinator

Coaching Accolades at Mercer

2022

Lead Mercer to a 9-4-7 (4-1-4 SoCon) record that featured a trip to the SoCon conference semi-final appearance

Undefeated at Home

Seven wins, three draws

34-7 goal differential

Instructed five All-SoCon Performers

First Team All-SoCon: Jada Moorman

Second Team All-SoCon: Nicole Icen, Ciara Whitely, Kylie Buchanan

All-Freshmen: Lindsay Bell, and Jada Moorman

Trained two SoCon All-tournament Team members

Jamie Hlebec

Lindsay Bell

Coached three Academic All-District team

Kylie Buchanan, Mackenzie Gassie, Jamie Helbec

Mentored Jada Moorman to stellar freshmen season

First team All-SoCon

2x SoCon Offensive Player of the week

7 goals and 2 Assists

Aided in the development of Goalkeeper Lindsay Bell.

Started in all 20 games of the Season

83.2% save percentage and 94 saves

SoCon Defensive Player of the Week

Six shutouts this season

2021

Led Mercer to 7-6-5 record that featured an appearance in the SoCon Tournament Semifinal

Mentored Jordyn Ebert, who was second in the SoCon in shutouts (7) and fifth in saves with 78

Ebert and Payton Schurr were tabbed to the all-Tournament team following the SoCon All-Tournament

Instructed six All-SoCon performers

Second Team: Kylie Buchanan (Defender), Ally Fordham (Forward), Schurr (Midfielder) and Ciara Whitely (Midfielder)

All-Freshman: Chandler Lewis-Jenkins and Lana Whitfield

Recorded eight shutouts on the season

2020-21 (COVID-19 forced the season to span the fall and spring semesters)

Led the Bears to an 8-10-1 record and 5-3 mark in SoCon play.

Helped the Bears to a SoCon semifinals appearance as the No. 4 seed

Coached six All-SoCon performers

First Team All-SoCon: Brie Pavol (Defender)

Second Team All-SoCon: Jordyn Ebert (Goalkeeper), Ally Fordham (Forward), Aliah Kitchens (Forward) and Ciara Whitely (Midfielder)

SoCon All-Freshman Team: Kendall Cook (Forward)

Trained two all-tournament honorees, Nicole Icen and Payton Schurr

Led a team that ranked first in the Southern Conference in points (103), goals (36), assists per match (1.63) and saves (96)

Aided in the development of Fordham who scored nine goals. Fordham's nine scores placed her 27th nationally, and her five match-winners led the conference and tied her for second in the country.

Coached one of the Southern Conference's best newcomers, Kendall Cook. Cook was 38th nationally with six assists, scored 20 points to lead the conference, had a hat trick against Wesleyan (Feb. 11), was the league's Offensive Player of the Month in February and a SoCon All-Freshman team member.

Guided Ebert, the SoCon's leader in saves with 96. Her 96 stops ranked fourth nationally, and her 5.05 saves per match placed her 59th among all NCAA Division I student-athletes.

2019

Went 16-4-0 overall and 7-2 in SoCon play

Named the 2019 SoCon Coach of the Year

Guided the Bears to a single-season program record 16 wins

Mentored the first Bear to earn SoCon Player of the Year honors in Nicole Icen

Eight players earned All-SoCon Honors

All-SoCon First Team: Nicole Icen, Abigail Zoeller

All-SoCon Second Team: Ciara Whitely, Megan Delmonico

SoCon All-Freshman Team: Amaya Evans, Nicole Icen, Ciara Whitely

SoCon All-Tournament Team: Elizabeth Hargis, Payton Schurr

Earned a program best 65th ranking in the RPI

Finished the season with a perfect 11-0 mark at Betts Stadium. The Bears were one of seven teams to win every home match they played.

One of 16 teams with 16 or more wins on the season

Under his guidance, Mercer recorded nine shutouts

2018

Led the Bears to a 9-7-4 (4-3-2 SoCon) record

Three Players earn All-SoCon honors

All-SoCon First Team: Abigail Zoeller

SoCon All-Freshman Team: Kylie Buchanan and Payton Schurr

Program earned the NSCAA Team Academic Award

2017

Guided Mercer to a 10-10-1 (3-5-1 SoCon) record

Three Players earned All-SoCon honors

All-SoCon Second Team: Megan Delmonico

SoCon All-Freshman Team: Sarah Adcock, Ally Fordham

Earned the NCAA Public Recognition Award

Mercer placed seven student-athletes on the Fall Academic All-Conference Team

2016

Guided Mercer to 10-9-1 (6-3-0 SoCon) record

Team was one win away from reaching third consecutive SoCon Tournament title match

Ended the regular season on a six-match win streak (five shutouts) after starting the season 3-8-1

Three players earned All-SoCon honors

All-SoCon First Team: Maddie Clark, Corinne Wooten

SoCon All-Freshman Team: Megan Delmonico

Mentored Maddie Clark to stellar senior campaign (14 goals, 30 points, five game-winning goals)

Saw Clark earn NSCAA Scholar All-South Region Third Team, CoSIDA Academic All-District First Team, All-SoCon First Team and SoCon All-Tournament Team honors

Program earned its 15th consecutive NSCAA Team Academic Award

Led all SoCon women’s soccer teams with 13 student-athletes named to Fall Academic All-Conference Team

2015

Went 9-8-4 and advanced to Southern Conference Tournament Championship match for the second time in as many seasons

Six players earned All-SoCon honors

All-SoCon Second Team: Maddie Clark, Maggie Cropp, Katelyn Dimopoulos

SoCon All-Freshman Team: Jorden Christensen, Haley McDuffee

SoCon All-Tournament Team: Maddie Clark, Maggie Cropp, Sarah Daane

Program earned its 14th consecutive NSCAA Team Academic Award

Maggie Cropp named CoSIDA Academic All-District First Team selection, becoming the first player in program history to earn first team honors

2014

Captured SoCon Tournament title in Mercer’s first year as a league member en route to the program’s second-ever NCAA Tournament appearance

Set program single-season wins record with 14-6-2 mark

Ended season with highest RPI in program history

Four players earned All-SoCon honors

All-SoCon First Team: Maggie Cropp

All-SoCon Second Team: Sarah Daane, Washida Blackman, Lauren Gassie

SoCon All-Tournament Team: Maggie Cropp (Tournament MVP), Washida Blackman, Sarah Daane, Lauren Gassie

Finished season ranked in NSCAA Southeast Region (No. 9) for the first time in program history

Program earned its 13th consecutive NSCAA Team Academic Award

2013

Went 10-8-3 overall en route to a runner-up finish in the Atlantic Sun Conference Championship

Three players earned All-ASUN honors

All-ASUN Second Team: Washida Blackman, Lauren Gassie

ASUN All-Tournament Team: Washida Blackman, Rachel Buffalo

Program earned its 12th consecutive NSCAA Team Academic award

Brianna Stampler earned ASUN Academic All-Conference Team honors

2012

Set a then-program record for most wins in a single season after guiding Bears to a 13-5-3 record in his first season as Mercer head coach

Advanced to ASUN Championship title match for fifth time in six seasons after finishing second in conference’s regular season standings

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Drago Ceranic

The 2022 season is Drago Ceranic's first season as a part of the Mercer Bears women's soccer program. "We are excited to be adding Drago to our staff," Economopoulos said. "Drago has a passion to teach the game, a very strong soccer IQ and has a relentless work ethic. These qualities, along with his his championship pedigree, make him a great addition to our program, athletics department and institution."

Ceranic joins the staff from Iowa where he served for four years as a Volunteer Assistant Coach. Cernaic continued to help develop student-athletes' performances as well, highlighted by being a part of the 2020 Big Ten Championship team. Academically, he played a vital part in the team continuing to earn its 12th straight United Soccer Team Academic awards and holds a school record of having 19 Academic All-Big Ten selections.

Prior to his time at Iowa, Ceranic has coached with the Cedar River Soccer Association since 2009 and he has been a part of Iowa's Olympic Development Program since 2016. With the CRSA, Ceranic helped the team to three Iowa State Cup titles (2013 U16 boys, 2014 U15 girls, and 2014 U17 boys). He also coached three state runner-up teams.

Ceranic also coached with Vermont Voltage of the Premier Developmental League (PDL) from 2008-11, he was a junior varsity head coach at Linn-Mar (Iowa) High School from 2010-11 and was the junior varsity head coach at Cedar Rapids (Iowa) Xavier High School in 2009.

As a player, Ceranic played collegiately at Mount Mercy (Iowa) University, where he was a four-time All-Midwest Collegiate Conference selection. He was the Mustangs' Newcomer of the Year in 2006, was team MVP in 2007 and 2008, and was a three-year team captain. Ceranic also was a three-time all-academic selection and was named to the NAIA Champion of Character Team in 2009.

Ceranic played professional soccer for the Voltage from 2008-11, where he was team captain in 2010-11.

The Serbia native graduated from Mount Mercy in 2010 with a degree in multi-media design and communications. He holds his USSF "C" as well as an impressive UEFA "B" coaching license in game plans and scouting reports.

Coaching Accolades at Mercer

2022

Lead Mercer to a 9-4-7 (4-1-4 SoCon) record that featured a trip to the SoCon conference semi-final appearance

Undefeated at Home

Seven wins, three draws

34-7 goal differential

Instructed five All-SoCon Performer

First Team All-SoCon: Jada Moorman

Second Team All-SoCon: Nicole Icen, Ciara Whitely, Kylie Buchanan

All-Freshmen: Lindsay Bell, and Jada Moorman

Trained two SoCon All-tournament Team members

Jamie Hlebec

Lindsay Bell

Coached three Academic All-District team

Kylie Buchanan, Mackenzie Gassie, Jamie Helbec

Mentored Jada Moorman to stellar freshmen season

First team All-SoCon

2x SoCon Offensive Player of the week

7 goals and 2 Assists

Aided in the development of Goalkeeper Lindsay Bell.

Started in all 20 games of the Season

83.2% save percentage and 94 saves

SoCon Defensive Player of the Week

Six shutouts this season

Email coach

Brad Ruzzo

Ruzzo at a Glance:

Coached Trevor Martineau to being named SoCon Player of the Year and Freshman of the Year, becoming the first freshman since 1977 to win SoCon Player of the Year

Coached Will Bagrou to the 2017 & 2018 SoCon Male Athlete of the Year

Guided Bagrou to the 2018 MLS Combine as well as being selected in the 2018 MLS SuperDraft

Guided Ousman Jabang to be selected in the 2023 MLS SuperDraft

2018 and 2014 Southern Conference Coach of the Year

2014 College Sports Madness SoCon Coach of the Year

2012 Atlantic Sun Conference Coach of the Year

Two-time MVC Coaching Staff of the Year (2006, 2007)

2003 College Soccer News – One of the nation’s top assistants

USSF “A” License

Collegiate Coaching Experience:

2008-Present – Mercer University

Head Coach

2000-07 – Bradley University

Associate Head Coach

1999-00 – Xavier University

Assistant Coach

Coaching Accolades at Mercer:

140-115-15 overall record (.549)

42-22-10 in SoCon regular season play

13-3-5 in SoCon Tournament play

132-93-33 overall record since 2010 (.587)

Highest winning percentage in program history among coaches who have coached 20-or-more matches

Winningest Coach in Mercer history with 125 wins. He passed Tom Melville (107 wins) for the most wins on Oct. 1, 2019, with a 2-1 victory over Winthrop.

2021, 2019, 2017 & 2016 NCAA Tournament appearance

2021, 2019, 2017 & 2016 SoCon Tournament Championship

2018 & 2014 SoCon Regular Season Championship

Six SoCon titles in just nine years in the league

2018 & 2014 SoCon Coach of the Year (including 2014 College Sports Madness Coach of the Year)

2012 Atlantic Sun Coach of the Year

Seven conference championship appearances (ASUN: 2009, 2012; SoCon: 2014, 2016, 2017, 2019, 2021)

Mercer ranks No. 30 out of all NCAA Division I institutions based on wins since 2010

Mercer ranks No. 12 out of all private NCAA Division I institutions based on wins since 2010

In 2022, had five players named All-SoCon, one First Team and four Second Team

In 2022, had one player named to the United Soccer Coaches All-South Region Second Team

In 2022, had one player named to the Freshmen All-SoCon Team

In 2022, had three player named to the Academic All-District Team

Went 1-0-1 against ACC teams during the 2022 season with the win coming at Virginia Tech

In 2018, guided Mercer to an 8-0 true-road record, leading the NCAA in true road wins

Set program-record of 14 wins en route to winning 2014 SoCon regular season championship in Mercer’s first season in the league

Tied the program record with 14 wins en route to winning the 2019 SoCon tournament championship

Received votes by NSCAA for National Ranking in 2014, 2016 and 2018

Mentored 70 All-Conference players (28 All-Conference First Team selections), 14 NSCAA/USC All-Region selections & one NSCAA All-American

Earned 12 consecutive NSCAA/USC Team Academic awards and still counting

Coached Jake Mezei, JR DeRose and George Iakovidis to claiming the SoCon Pinnacle Award

Two CoSIDA Academic All-Americans, three Atlantic Sun Scholar Athletes of the Year, seven NSCAA All-Region Scholar Athlete selections

Ashani Samuels named to 2014 Capital One Academic All-America Second Team

Will Betts named to 2012 Capital One Academic All-America First Team

Guided 2016 NSCAA All-American, SoCon Player of the Year and MAC Hermann Trophy semifinalist Will Bagrou

Bagrou was also named a 2017 MAC Hermann Trophy Watch List candidate

Bagrou finished with 37 career goals, 16 assists and 90 points.

Bagrou is a four-time All-SoCon First Team selection & former SoCon Freshman of the Year and SoCon Player of the Year

Mentored Jeremy Booth in claiming two SoCon Tournament MVP Awards, a spot on the College Soccer News Team of the Week and a goals against average of 0.98 which ranks first in program history.

Guided Dylan Gaither, College Soccer News' National Player of the Week in early November 2021

Gaither ranks fourth in program history with 79 career points

Coached JR DeRose to the 2019 Southern Conference Tournament MVP honors.

Mentored 2014 SoCon Goalkeeper of the Year and Orlando City SC goalkeeper Greg Ranjitsingh

Guided 2012 A-Sun Defender of the Year Josh Shutter

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JR DeRose

Mercer Men's Soccer Coach Brad Ruzzo has announced the hiring of JR DeRose as the New Assistant Coach for the Bears on May 1, 2023.

Prior to returning to Macon, DeRose spent the 2022 season as a volunteer assistant coach at the University of North Carolina in Chapel Hill, North Carolina. During his time with the Tar Heels, DeRose helped organized and execute goalkeeper training, and conducted video analysis and scouting of the goalkeeper position. DeRose also organized and execute team logistics and operations which included video compliance requirements, meals, travel, and managing equipment and gear for the Tar Heels. DeRose also helped organized UNC Soccer Camps by being the main point of contact with the Protection of Minors office, supervising all camp counselors and helped set up the camp itinerary.

Prior to joining the Tar Heels staff, DeRose was a volunteer Assistant Coach at Bradley University. During his time with the team, DeRose organized and participated in goalkeeper training sessions and organized training sessions for substitute, reserve, and injured players. DeRose assisted with field maintenance for gameday, this included field lining and setup, game kit laundry, and training setup and clean up.

Prior to starting his coaching career, DeRose graduated from Mercer University in December 2019 with a Bachelor of Business Administration. DeRose would return for his fifth year and graduate Magna Cum Laude with Master of Business Administration in 2021. While at Mercer, DeRose played soccer for the Bears where he was a standout goalkeeper and was named to the All-Southern Conference Second-Team in 2018 and was named the SoCon Tournament MVP in 2019. DeRose was awarded the Pinnacle Award Winner, which goes to the student-athlete with the highest GPA on Championship winning team.

DeRose helped lead the Bears to three SoCon Tournament Championship titles and three NCAA tournament berths. DeRose would graduate as the fourth-best career goals-against average and had the fourth-most shutouts in Mercer Soccer history.