Western New England coaches Ron Dias and Erin Sullivan celebrate milestone seasons
SPRINGFIELD, Mass. - Western New England's Ron Dias and Erin Sullivan come from different generations, but they share several things in common.
Both are among the top soccer coaches in the Northeast who celebrated big milestones this fall. These two individuals also give a lot of credit for their successes to perhaps the biggest name in WNE athletics, Coach Bill Downes.
Dias and Golden Bears celebrate Anniversary seasons
Highlights included a first-place finish at the Husson (ME) Classic to open the season and a 5-0 mark in matches decided by a single goal. WNE was the only team to defeat first-place Endicott in regular season conference action and almost pulled off the upset of the year by tying second-place Roger Williams 1-1 who was ranked 19th nationally at the time.
Dias, 67, joined the Golden Bears staff in 1994 and inherited a program that had suffered eight prior losing campaigns. He quickly turned things around as his first squad posted an 8-10 record for the second highest win total since becoming a varsity program in 1984. WNE then enjoyed eight consecutive winning seasons with the 1998 team compiling a school best 20-2 mark and winning the ECAC Division III Metro Tournament. The next season Western New England posted a 14-8-1 record, won the Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) Tournament title, and participated in the program's first NCAA Division III Championship.
A native of Ludlow, MA, Dias has a 230-163-25 record for a 58.0 winning percentage against many of the top squads in the region. He has been on the sideline for 82% of the program's 280 victories. The Keene State graduate was inducted into the WNE Downes Athletic Hall of Fame in 2008.
Along the way he has earned the admiration and respect from players, coaches, and administrators.
"Ron has the great ability to coach women like men and treat them like women," said Coach Downes. "In my mind, he is the best women's soccer coach in Western Massachusetts."
According to senior co-captain Amanda Waluszko'14, "Coach treats all of us like we are his own daughters. He goes out of his way to help his players on and off the field. I really enjoyed my four years playing for him."
Wentworth athletics director and former women's soccer coach Angela Ayres stated that "I have had the pleasure of knowing and competing against Coach Dias for seven seasons. During that time our teams always had great competitive battles. I have a true respect for Coach Dias. We could always count on him to tell us exactly how he felt and I always admired his honesty and clear point of views. You always knew where he stood on topics in our conference. I wish Coach the best and another 20 seasons of coaching. "
Dias downplays his accomplishments, instead focusing on the student-athletes who have contributed to the team's success over the past two decades.
"Women's soccer program has evolved into a very competitive program. I consider myself very lucky to have coached here for the last 20 years. Over that time, I have coached some wonderful young ladies and a great many outstanding student athletes. Women's soccer was the first women's team here to win an ECAC championship in 1998. We were also the first women's team to compete in the NCAA Championship in 1999. The program has won five conference championships, participated in four NCAA championships, four ECAC Championships, and the team has been to every conference tournament since 1995. All of our success can be attributed to the young ladies who have worn the WNE colors," Dias noted.
"Coaching young women is very different from coaching men. I have struggled at times trying to understand the feminine mindset, but the one thing I know is that they are passionate about the sport and play just has hard as any male player. I have always tried to treat my players as just that, players. I expect them to train hard and play hard. Soccer is the one sport that does not make concessions in its rules for women. I have always tried to show my players the utmost respect and gratitude for participating and playing at Western New England no matter what their skill level."
Erin Sullivan sets all-time win mark
This past fall, the Voorheesville, NY, native directed the Golden Bears to a 16-5-3 record (72.9%) and a second place mark of 6-1-2 in the conference. The 16 victories were a seven-game improvement from last season (9-9-3) and tied as the third best total in the program's 48-year history. Western New England also captured the CCC Tournament and reached the second round of the NCAA Division III Championship. WNE was ranked 24th in the final regular season National Soccer Coaches Association of America (NSCAA) Division III poll and third in New England behind Amherst and Brandeis.
"I feel blessed to have been surrounded by so many exceptional coaches, players, and support staff during my time at Western New England so, in my humble opinion, these victories actually belong to all of those people, especially all the incredibly competitive, hard-working, and talented players that have worn the Western New England shirt and made countless sacrifices without hesitation," stated Sullivan.
Like Dias, Sullivan needed a rebuilding season to get his philosophy across to his players. His first squad posted a 4-13-2 record in 2000, but since then the Golden Bears have compiled 11 winning seasons in the last 13 years. WNE has captured two GNAC Tournaments titles, five CCC crowns in seven years, and has participated in eight NCAA Division III Championships since 2004.
"It has been an honor and pleasure to play for Coach Sullivan these last four seasons," said senior co-captain Kevin Parma '14. "He is without a doubt one of the greatest leaders, motivators, and mentors a student-athlete could ask for. Coach Sullivan has been able to create an unprecedented culture of work ethic, discipline, competitiveness and ultimately winning throughout his time here. He possesses the unique ability to challenge both our mental and physical capabilities to push us beyond our known potential. I have learned a tremendous amount about the game of soccer from him, but more importantly about what it takes to be successful in any endeavor in life."
Sullivan's success on the pitch doesn't surprise his former college coach Mike Russo whose team ended WNE's season with a 4-1 win in the 2013 NCAA Tournament.
"Erin was arguably one of the best goalkeepers we have had in my 35 years here at Williams," commented Russo. "He was a captain and true team leader both on and off the field. He has done a remarkable job at Western New England with the men's soccer team, as they are one of the best programs in the region. Sully is smart, witty, and has the proper perspective of the student-athlete at the university level. He is a great guy and an outstanding leader of young men."
Excellent role models
Athletics director Mike Theulen says, "The tremendous on-the-field accomplishments of Ron and Erin pale in comparison to what they do as role models for their players and as outstanding representatives for our University and our Athletic Family. Ron's 20-year Hall of Fame career is a testimony to his hard work, commitment, and passion. His 1998 ECAC Champion team signaled the start of a new era of athletic excellence at Western New England University that we still enjoy to this day.
"Ever since his arrival in 2000, Erin has been on a mission to return Golden Bear men's soccer to its past glory under Coach Downes. His vision, work ethic, and passion have been exemplary. The men's soccer program is now one of the nation's finest year in and year out. Our proud soccer alumni from both programs stay very much connected with our current teams, again reflecting the positive effect that these talented men have had over the years on their players. Western New England is, indeed, fortunate to have such dedicated professionals," Theulen stated.
Ron Dias and Erin Sullivan on the impact Bill Downes has had on them while at Western New England.
Ron Dias – "From the first day I was given the opportunity to coach at WNE, Coach has been one of my biggest supporters and boosters. Coach has been a sounding board on many occasions and his insightful comments have always been positive. At times he has admitted that he could never coach young women and could not understand how I could. I know that if he would have had the opportunity he would have made a great women's coach. His fiery brand of coaching was evident during the game; however you will find no better gentleman off the field or court. I hope that my players feel the same way about me as do Coach Downes' former players. I feel extremely lucky to count coach Downes as a colleague and friend."
Erin Sullivan – "To even be used in the same sentence as a coaching legend like Coach Downes is a privilege unto itself. His competitive fire, tireless work ethic, and infinite coaching wisdom, even after 40 years at the same institution, inspire all of our coaches to chase excellence and emulate the very best in our profession. It is truly a privilege to have inherited so much momentum and support from his great soccer teams of the 1970's and '80's that has been here with me since day one. I can honestly say that I come to work each day with the same competitive desire, excitement, and intensity as I did on my first day on the job fourteen years ago."
