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West Virginia University

West Virginia University
 PO Box 0877 Morgantown, WV 26507
Division 1 West Virginia Northeast
Public Very Large Competitive team
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Dan Stratford

Mountaineer alumnus Dan Stratford was named West Virginia University’s 10th men’s soccer head coach in January 2020, and completed his fourth season at the helm in 2023.


Stratford, who played for the Mountaineers from 2004-07, and served as an assistant coach at WVU from 2011-13, returned to Morgantown after a three-year stint as the head coach at the University of Charleston from 2017-19. While at UC, he compiled a record of 61-4-5 and led the Golden Eagles to a pair of Division II National Championships.


It hasn’t taken long for him to elevate his alma mater as he has gone 42-16-15 in four seasons in Morgantown.


In 2023, Stratford led the Mountaineers to new heights as WVU went 17-3-4 to set a new program record for wins and advanced to the College Cup for the first time in program history. The Mountaineers finished the season ranked No. 3 in the United Soccer Coaches poll and Stratford was named the TopDrawerSoccer National Coach of the Year.


The season saw many highlights including wins over No. 1 Marshall and No. 3 Portland as well as ranked wins in the NCAA Tournament over Louisville, Vermont, and Loyola Marymount. West Virginia reached as high as No. 2 in the United Soccer Coaches Top 25 while going to No. 1 in both the TopDrawerSoccer and College Soccer News polls at various points throughout the season, the first time the Mountaineers have been in the top spot in any poll in program history.


Marcus Caldeira and Yutaro Tsukada each earned All-America status under Stratford's leadership while Jackson Lee, Frederik Jorgensen, and Luke McCormick joined the high-scoring duo on the United Soccer Coaches All-Southeast Region team as well as the All-Sun Belt team.


Off the field, Caldeira was named a First-Team Academic All-America by College Sports Communicators while Tsukada and Lee earned Scholar All-America status from United Soccer Coaches. Additionally, Ryan Baer, Max Broughton, Carlos Hernando, Kyle Lehnert, and Lee all earned spots on the Academic All-District squad.


In 2022, Stratford and the Mountaineers ushered in a new era as they moved to the Sun Belt Conference after 10 years in the MAC, going 7-7-4 overall record and 3-1-4 in conference play.


Two players, Luke McCormick and Bjarne Thiesen, earned spots on the All-Sun Belt Second Team while Thiesen also earned second-team All-Southeast Region honors from United Soccer Coaches.


In the classroom, Aaron Denk Gracia and Dyon Dromers earned Academic All-America honors. Additionally, Ryan Baer and Adam Burchell earned spots on the Academic All-District squad.


The Mountaineers enjoyed one of their most successful seasons in program history in 2021. The squad finished 12-3-6 on the year and appeared in the NCAA Quarterfinal for the first time since 1981. WVU reached as high as No. 3 nationally in the United Soccer Coaches poll, good for its highest mark in program history. The team finished at No. 8 in the poll, its highest final ranking ever.


WVU earned the No. 11 seed in the NCAA Tournament, its highest national seed since 2007. A big reason why was the Mountaineers’ dominance at home. In all, West Virginia held an 8-0-3 record in Morgantown, marking its first unbeaten, home campaign in 14 years.


Individually, defender Bjarne Thiesen was named to the United Soccer Coaches All-America Third Team, while defender Kevin Morris and midfielder Ryan Baer were all-region selections. Thiesen also was featured on TopDrawerSoccer’s Best XI Third Team, joining defender Frederik Jorgensen, who was named to the Freshman Best XI Second Team by TDS.


For the second consecutive season, Morris was placed on the Academic All-America First Team by the College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA). Defender Aaron Denk Gracia was selected to the third team. Along with that duo, midfielder Pau Jimenez Albelda earned Academic All-District honors.


A total of 14 players scored at least one goal in 2021, a program record. In the classroom, nine members of the year earned Academic All-MAC honors, and the club earned the United Soccer Coaches Team Academic Award for the 14th straight campaign.


Stratford’s first season at the helm in 2020-21 proved to be one of great adversity and uncertainty. The Mountaineers’ tradition fall campaign was canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic, resulting in a 10-game, spring-only slate from February to April. West Virginia finished 6-3-1 on the year, including 4-3-1 in Mid-American Conference play, while battling through multiple postponements and cancelations throughout the process. Stratford led the Mountaineers to a 3-0 win in his debut on Feb. 26, at Charlotte, before WVU took down the eventual National Champions, Marshall, 1-0, on March 24, in Morgantown.


West Virginia outscored its opponents, 14-6, and tallied six shutouts on the year. The squad finished No. 7 nationally in shot accuracy (.532), No. 8 in shutout percentage (.600) and No. 9 in team goals against average (.576).


Five Mountaineers earned a spot on the All-MAC Team following the season, as goalkeeper Steven Tekesky and midfielders Ike Swiger and Luke McCormick earned first-team honors, while Jimenez Albelda and Morris were awarded second-team distinction. In the classroom, nine players were featured on the Academic All-MAC Team, including Morris, who went on to become a CoSIDA Academic All-America First Team selection, the program’s first 2016.


Prior to his return to West Virginia, the London, England, native was named the Mountain East Conference (MEC) Coach of the Year for all sports in 2017 and 2019, and was a two-time United Soccer Coaches Division II Coaching Staff of the Year (2017, 2019) winner. Under Stratford’s tutelage, UC won three conference regular-season championships and two conference tournament titles in his three years in charge.


Charleston finished 22-2-1 in 2019, culminating with 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 goals-against average record in Division II men’s soccer history. The team went undefeated in the regular season before finishing with an 18-1-2 mark.


Stratford’s first season as a head coach in 2017 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. The squad finished 21-1-2 on the year, as Stratford mentored his first collection of student-athletes as a head coach, including Thomas Vancaeyezeele, the Division II National Player of the Year.


From 2014-16, Stratford served as an assistant coach at UC, helping the Golden Eagles to three trips to the Division II Final Four with two National Runner-Up finishes.


Prior to his time at Charleston, Stratford was an assistant coach for three seasons at WVU from 2011-13. The Mountaineers reached the NCAA Tournament Second Round in 2011, before joining the MAC in 2012.


One of the most decorated players in program history, Stratford played for the Mountaineers from 2004-07, finishing No. 1 in WVU history in matches played in a season (23) and career (85), as well as No. 1 in career game-winning assists (13) and game-winning points (31). Additionally, Stratford, an All-Big East and all-region selection as a senior, currently sits No. 2 in school history in career assists (27), shots on goal (86) and multi-assist games (4), No. 4 in matches started (79), No. 4 in game-winning goals (9) and No. 9 in career points (67).


Stratford led the Mountaineers to a four-year mark of 54-24-8 with three NCAA Tournament appearances and the 2006 Big East regular-season championship as a player. WVU reached the NCAA Sweet 16 for the first time in program history during Stratford’s senior season in 2007.


Drafted by D.C. United in 2008, Stratford played one season in Major League Soccer (MLS) before joining Scottish club Inverness Caledonian Thistle from 2009-10. He finished his professional career at Hereford United (England) from 2010-11.


Stratford owns a UEFA ‘B’ coaching license and graduated from WVU with a bachelor’s degree in physical education teacher education in 2009. He also earned a master’s degree at WVU in 2015.

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Andy Wright

Former West Virginia University men’s soccer All-American Andy Wright enters his eighth season on the Mountaineer men's coaching staff and his fourth as associate head coach in 2023.


Wright, a Mountaineer from 2004-07 and one of the top players in program history, returned to Morgantown after concluding a successful playing career, in which he played for five clubs from 2007-15.


In his seven seasons back at WVU, he has helped guide the Mountaineers to two conference titles, three NCAA Tournament berths, multiple weeks in the national rankings and numerous national athletic and academic honors.


In 2022, Wright helped the Mountaineers to 7-7-4 overall record and 3-1-4 mark in their first year in the Sun Belt Conference.


Two players, Luke McCormick and Bjarne Thiesen earned spots on the All-Sun Belt Second Team while Thiesen also earned second-team All-Southeast Region honors from United Soccer Coaches.


In the classroom, Aaron Denk Gracia and Dyon Dromers earned Academic All-America honors. Additionally, Ryan Baer and Adam Burchell earned spots on the Academic All-District squad.


West Virginia enjoyed one of its most successful seasons in program history in 2021. The squad finished 12-3-6 on the year and appeared in the NCAA Quarterfinal for the first time since 1981.


The team also set a variety of program-best marks, including the highest ranking in team history (No. 3 by United Soccer Coaches) and highest final ranking (No. 8 by United Soccer Coaches). Additionally, a program-record 14 different players found the back of the net during the year.


WVU earned the No. 11 seed in the NCAA Tournament, its highest national seed since 2007, largely due to its 8-0-3 record at Dick Dlesk Soccer Stadium, which was its first unblemished, home campaign in 14 seasons.


Individually, defender Bjarne Thiesen was named to the United Soccer Coaches All-America Third Team, while defender Kevin Morris and midfielder Ryan Baer were all-region selections. Thiesen also was featured on TopDrawerSoccer’s Best XI Third Team, joining defender Frederik Jorgensen, who was named to the Freshman Best XI Second Team by TDS.


The success also translated into the classroom. For the second consecutive season, Morris was placed on the Academic All-America First Team by the College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA). Defender Aaron Denk Gracia was selected to the third team. Additionally, nine members of the year earned Academic All-MAC honors.


A year before, Wright helped lead the Mountaineers through unprecedented times due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Following the cancelation of the fall season, West Virginia finished 6-3-1 in its spring-only campaign from February-April 2021. Perhaps the biggest highlight of the year came on March 24, when WVU topped eventual National Champion Marshall, 1-0, at home. WVU allowed just six total goals on the year and totaled six shutouts.


Five Mountaineers earned a spot on the All-MAC Team following the season, as goalkeeper Steven Tekesky and midfielders Ike Swiger and Luke McCormick earned first-team honors, while midfielder Paul Jimenez Albelda and Morris were awarded second-team distinction. In the classroom, nine players were featured on the Academic All-MAC Team, including Morris, who went on to become a CoSIDA Academic All-America First Team selection, the program’s first 2016.


In 2019, WVU won its first MAC Tournament title, winning three matches in six days to earn an automatic bid into the NCAA Tournament. The Mountaineers reached the NCAA Second Round for the second consecutive season, while finishing the campaign with a 10-9-2 mark. Defender Sebastian Garcia-Herreros was named to the MAC Second Team, while four players reached the MAC All-Tournament Team, Tekesky, the Tournament MVP. In the classroom, WVU continued to excel, as nine members of the team were named to the Academic All-MAC Team.


WVU was ranked as high as No. 19 in the national polls at one point during the season and finished No. 1 in the MAC and No. 26 nationally with 38 assists as a team.


West Virginia won the MAC regular-season title and advanced to the NCAA Tournament Second Round in 2018. With a 14-7-0 record and a 5-0-0 mark in conference play, the Mountaineers were one win shy of the tying the program record and one of just two teams in the country to record a 1.000 winning percentage in conference play.


WVU finished the season in the top-25 in each of the major poll’s final rankings, coming in as high as No. 17, while senior midfielder Joey Piatczyc earned three All-America accolades, was the MAC Player of the Year and was drafted in the fourth round of the MLS SuperDraft by the New York Red Bulls. Piatczyc and Tekesky were named to the All-MAC First Team, while four earned second team accolades.


The record-setting 2018 campaign for West Virginia included 51 assists and 129 shots on goal, both program bests. WVU’s 21 matches played and 135 total points were tied for third-most in school history.


In 2017, the Mountaineers earned a top-25 ranking for five weeks, coming in as high as No. 14, while the team recorded nine shutouts, tied for the fifth-most in a single season in program history. One of the shutouts was a 1-0 victory over then-No. 5 Michigan State.


As a team, WVU earned the United Soccer Coaches Team Academic Award for the 10th consecutive season. The list of individual award winners were highlighted by goalkeeper Stephen Banick and defender Ryan Kellogg, who were recognized on the CoSIDA Academic All-District First Team, and defender Steven James, Garcia-Herreros and Kellogg, who were named Distinguished Scholar-Athletes by the Mid-American Conference.


Wright’s first season back at West Virginia saw the Mountaineers in the top-25 for six consecutive weeks, ranking as high as No. 15, and ranked in all four major polls for two weeks in a row. The season’s second game saw WVU beat then-No. 7 Georgetown, 1-0, which began a string of seven consecutive shutouts, the longest in program history.


Additionally, defender Jack Elliott capped an impressive career by earning Academic All-America First Team honors and was named to the 2016 All-Great Lakes Region First Team by the National Soccer Coaches Association of America. Elliott was selected in the fourth round (77th overall) by the Philadelphia Union in the 2017 Major League Soccer SuperDraft.


A three-time All-American, Wright ranks in the top-10 in team history in numerous statistical categories. During his time donning the Gold and Blue, he helped lead the Mountaineers to three NCAA Tournaments and was named the Big East Midfielder of the Year in 2007. In all, he was a three-time Big East All-Conference selection from 2005-07.


The Southport, England, native played in 83 matches in his WVU career, tied for fourth-most all time, with 80 starts, third-most. He netted 11 game-winning goals, one shy of the program record. Wright assisted on eight game-winning goals, third-most in team history, and he is second with 30 game-winning points in his career.


Wright played 6,755 minutes at WVU, which ranked No. 2 in program history at the time, while his 17 assists tied for second-most at the conclusion of his Mountaineer tenure.


His 60 career shots on goal are currently No. 5 in program history and his 151 shots also remain in the squad’s all-time top 10.


Wright led the team in shots in 2006, with 50, and tied for the team lead as a senior in 2007 with six goals, helping lead the Mountaineers to the NCAA Third Round.


Upon the conclusion of his WVU playing career, Wright returned to England to play professionally from 2008-15. He began his professional career with Scunthorpe United from 2008-12, where he helped the team win promotion from League 1 to the English Championship. He was loaned to Grimsby Town in 2010 and 2012. From 2012-15, he played for Morecambe before he concluded his playing career with Southport.

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Nick Noble

Former West Virginia University men’s soccer All-America goalkeeper Nick Noble returned to WVU as an assistant coach in 2018, and is entering his sixth season on staff at his alma mater.


Noble, a First Team All-American in 2006, set numerous school records as a Mountaineer and joined the WVU staff following an 11-year professional career. As a four-year starter in goal at WVU from 2003-06, Noble set 17 career or single-season program records.


In 2022, Noble helped the Mountaineers usher in a new era as they moved to the Sun Belt Conference after 10 years in the MAC, going 7-7-4 overall record and 3-1-4 in conference play.


Two players, Luke McCormick and Bjarne Thiesen, earned spots on the All-Sun Belt Second Team while Thiesen also earned second-team All-Southeast Region honors from United Soccer Coaches.


In the classroom, Aaron Denk Gracia and Dyon Dromers earned Academic All-America honors. Additionally, Ryan Baer and Adam Burchell earned spots on the Academic All-District squad.


West Virginia enjoyed one of its most successful seasons in program history in 2021. The squad finished 12-3-6 on the year and appeared in the NCAA Quarterfinal for the first time since 1981.


The team also set a variety of program-best marks, including the highest ranking in team history (No. 3 by United Soccer Coaches) and highest final ranking (No. 8 by United Soccer Coaches). Additionally, a program-record 14 different players found the back of the net during the year.


WVU earned the No. 11 seed in the NCAA Tournament, its highest national seed since 2007, largely due to its 8-0-3 record at Dick Dlesk Soccer Stadium, which was its first unbeaten, home campaign in 14 seasons.


Noble led goalkeeper Steven Tekesky into the WVU record books during the duo’s final season together in Morgantown. Tekesky tied Noble for WVU’s No. 1 mark in career wins (45), and he earned the No. 1 spot in career starts by a goalkeeper (81). Tekesky had eight shutouts in 2021, and allowed just 14 goals in 21 matches.


Elsewhere, defender Bjarne Thiesen was named to the United Soccer Coaches All-America Third Team, while defender Kevin Morris and midfielder Ryan Baer were all-region selections. Thiesen also was featured on TopDrawerSoccer’s Best XI Third Team, joining defender Frederik Jorgensen, who was named to the Freshman Best XI Second Team by TDS.


The success also translated into the classroom. For the second consecutive season, Morris was placed on the Academic All-America First Team by the College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA). Defender Aaron Denk Gracia was selected to the third team. Additionally, nine members of the year earned Academic All-MAC honors.


In one of the most adverse seasons in program history, the Mountaineers finished 6-3-1 in a 10-game, spring-only campaign in 2020-21. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, WVU’s fall slate was canceled, resulting in competition from February-April 2021. One of the biggest highlights of the year came on March 24, when WVU topped eventual National Champion Marshall, 1-0, at home. WVU allowed just six total goals on the year and totaled six shutouts.


Under Noble’s tutelage, Tekesky made 10 starts, tallied 31 saves, good for a .838 save percentage, and finished with a career-best 0.58 goals-against average. He was named an All-MAC First Team selection as he continued to move up the charts in the Mountaineer record books.


Along with Tekesky, four other Mountaineers earned a spot on the All-MAC Team following the season, as midfielders Ike Swiger and Luke McCormick also earned first-team honors, while midfielder Pau Jimenez Albelda and Morris were awarded second-team distinction. In the classroom, nine players were featured on the Academic All-MAC Team, including Morris, who went on to become a CoSIDA Academic All-America First Team selection, the program’s first 2016.


In 2019, West Virginia finished with a 10-9-2 mark, which included the program’s first Mid-American Conference Tournament title and second consecutive trip to the NCAA Tournament. The Mountaineers reached the NCAA Second Round for the second year in a row and eighth time in program history.


Ranked as high as No. 19 nationally at one point in the season, WVU was represented on the All-MAC Team by defender Sebastian Garcia-Herreros. Tekesky was named the MVP Tournament MVP, the first Mountaineer to ever garner the award. He was joined by three others – Josh DiMatteo, Ryan Kellogg and Luke McCormick – on the All-Tournament Team. Tekesky finished with 1,936 minutes played, good for No. 14 in the country, and had six shutouts.


Additionally, nine Mountaineers made the Academic All-MAC Team, as the squad earned the Team Academic Award by the United Soccer Coaches.


Noble helped guide the Mountaineers to a MAC regular-season title and NCAA Tournament appearance in 2018, his first season back in Morgantown. With a 14-7-0 record and a 5-0-0 mark in conference play, West Virginia was one win shy of the tying the program record and one of just two teams in the country to record a 1.000 winning percentage in conference play.


WVU finished the season in the top 25 in each of the major poll’s final rankings, coming in as high as No. 17. The record-setting 2018 campaign for West Virginia included 51 assists and 129 shots on goal, both program bests. WVU’s 21 matches played and 135 total points were tied for third-most in school history.


With Noble’s guidance, Tekesky was named to the All-MAC First Team. He finished No. 11 in the country in total saves (86) and No. 16 in minutes played (1,891:37), while he led the conference in save percentage (.761) and saves per game (4.10). Tekesky’s 14 wins were tied for No. 2 in a single season in program history, his 21 starts and matches played were both tied for No. 3 and his 1,891:37 minutes ranked No. 5 all-time.


A Damascus, Maryland, native, Noble’s professional career began in Major League Soccer as a first-round pick in the supplemental draft by the Chicago Fire in 2007. He spent the 2009 season with the Austin Aztex of the United Soccer League before playing in 59 matches from 2010-11 for Swedish Superettan team Ljungskile SK.


In 2012, Noble signed with the Los Angeles Galaxy of the MLS before joining the Harrisburg City Islanders of the USL. He played in 122 career matches with the Islanders from 2012-17, and was a 2012 USL Goalkeeper of the Year award nominee and 2013 All-League Second Team.


In an illustrious Mountaineer career, Noble was named a First Team National Soccer Coaches Association All-American and a Second Team All-American by College Soccer News as a senior in 2006, and added Big East Goalkeeper of the Year accolades. In his career, he also was a two-time All-Big East honoree and earned six weekly Big East accolades.


Currently, Noble is tied for the Mountaineer record for career wins, with 45, while his 15 victories in 2006 also are No. 1. Noble’s 12 wins in 2004 tied a program record at the time, while his 13 victories in 2005 gave him sole possession of the record before he broke it again the following season.


Noble set a then-WVU record with a 0.79 goals-against average as a sophomore in 2004, a mark he eclipsed as a senior with a 0.63 in 2006. His 1.02 goals-against average in 2005 was fourth-best at the time and still ranks in the top 10 in the WVU record books. Noble’s career goals-against average of 0.88 set a program record and remains at No. 2 ever.


His 302 career saves rank No. 3 all-time. The total was highlighted by 91 saves in 2005, which ranks No. 10 in a single season in team history. Noble’s .812 career save percentage also is fifth-best in WVU history.


Noble concluded his career ranked No. 1 all-time with 34 shutouts, highlighted by a then-school-record 12 in 2005 and another 11 in 2006.


Noble still ranks No. 1 in team history in matches played, starts and minutes played in 2005, with 23 starts and 2,120 minutes, while he concluded his career ranked No. 1 with 79 matches played, 77 starts and 7,135 minutes in his career.

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