Baldwin Wallace University

Baldwin Wallace University
275 Eastland Rd Berea, OH 44017

Division 3 Ohio Midwest

Private Small National competitor

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Coaches

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Reid Ayers

Reid Ayers enters his 20th season as the Head Men's Soccer Coach at Baldwin Wallace University in 2021. The 2-time Ohio Athletic Conference Coach of the Year and Ohio Collegiate Soccer Association Hall of Famer has won more than 300 games and is the most successful coach in the 51 year history of men’s soccer at Baldwin Wallace. Ayers goals are for each player to maximize their potential in a challenging, competitive learning environment insuring not only success during their time at BW but establishing habits that they will carry into their everyday lives once their college career is over.

Ayers at Baldwin Wallace

BW's first full-time head soccer coach directed both the men’s and women’s teams from 2002-2017 before working exclusively with the men’s program. He holds school records for career and seasonal wins for both the men’s and women’s programs.

Led his team to its first-ever NCAA Division III National Tournament appearance.

Team has been regionally ranked 14 of Ayers 18 seasons and achieved it’s program’s best national ranking of No. 7.

His team has been recognized for Academic Achievement by the United Soccer Coaches / NSCAA 16 of the last 18 years.

Under Ayers’ Guidance

Has produced a United Soccer Coaches All-American and 17 times Yellow Jackets have been recognized as All-Region honorees by the United Soccer Coaches / NSCAA in addition to 8 OAC Positional Players of the Year

Under his mentorship, 8 times BW players achieved Academic All-American status including the program’s second Co-SIDA / Google Cloud Student-Athlete of the Year in 2019.

Three times Yellow Jacket Soccer players won the OAC Clyde Lamb Award for outstanding academic / athletic achievement.

Professional Highlights

Earned Ohio Collegiate Soccer Association’s Honor Award and induction the their Hall of Fame in 2019.

In 2017 received Ohio’s Director of Coaching Award recognizing “exceptional contributions to the growth and development of the game and who serve to inspire us by example”.

Worked with US Soccer assisting in selecting players for inclusion into the country’s youth national teams in addition to serving as an age group coach for the Midwest Region Olympic Development Program.

Served as a Professional Match Evaluator for Major League Soccer

Member of the US Soccer Coaching Education Instructional Staff

Holds United States Soccer Federation National “A” and National “Youth” License in addition to a Premier Diploma from the NSCAA

Serves as the Regional Chair on the United Soccer Coaches All-American Committee in addition to the Executive Board of the OCSA

As a Player

Ayers was a 3-time All-Presidents Conference performer, in addition to being named the team’s Most Valuable Player as a senior while serving as team captain his junior and senior seasons

Hold the distinction of starting every game in his college career

Hometown Roots

A native of Bay Village, Ohio, he was a prep standout for one of the state’s top soccer programs

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Nick Taljan

Nick Taljan begins his second season as an assistant men's soccer coach at Baldwin Wallace University in 2021-22.

Taljan is currently the head soccer coach at Lake Ridge Academy in nearby North Ridgeville and a staff coach at Cleveland Force Soccer Club. He currenly receiving his United States Soccer D License.

Taljan earned a Bachelor of Science in political science from Cleveland State University. He attended St. Ignatius High School and was a member the Ohio High School Athletic Association Division I State Champions in 2010 and 2011.

Taljan resides in Westlake.