Lakin tabbed to lead AU men’s soccer program
The Aurora University Athletic Department announced today the hiring of Ryan Lakin as the next head coach of the Spartan men's soccer program.
Lakin becomes the program's 14th head coach, replacing Amir St. Clair, who stepped down after three years at the helm. Lakin comes to the Spartan men's soccer program after serving as the Head Coach at Illinois Wesleyan University for the past nine seasons where he had a 67-75-16 overall record.
"We're thrilled to have Ryan join the AU family and lead our men's soccer program," said Aurora University Director of Athletics Jim Hamad. "His experience as a successful recruiter and head coach made him the ideal candidate. Under his guidance, we expect to compete for conference championships and reach a new level of success in post-season play."
A 1995 graduate of Illinois State University with a bachelor's degree in health education, Lakin was the men's and women's soccer coach at Millikin University for five seasons from 1998 to 2002. His men's teams at Millikin compiled a record of 54-29-3 (.645) in five seasons with a league co-championship in 2001.
"Aurora University is a great opportunity for me both the personally and professionally," said Lakin. "Personally, it brings me closer to where I grew up and where my family resides. Expecting our first child, my wife Kristin and I are excited about the move and want to be closer to family in the process. Illinois Wesleyan University was a great place and was always very good to my wife and I. We will miss the people we've grown to know and respect, but AU presents an opportunity that is exciting, wonderful and fruitful. We look forward to the new chapter in our lives, while looking back with fondness on our time at IWU. We are thrilled about being part of the Spartan culture and tradition."
Collegiately, Lakin was a member of the Illinois State University soccer team where he was a team captain in 1993, an NSCAA All-Midwest Team and Missouri Valley Conference All-Conference and All-Tournament Team selection.
St. Clair stepped away from the coaching ranks at AU to explore an opportunity in athletic administration as the Athletic Director at Malcolm X College in Chicago. In his three seasons as the men's soccer coach, St. Clair amassed an overall record of 33-19-7 and was 22-7-3 in the Northern Athletics Collegiate Conference. St. Clair spent two and one half years as an Assistant Director of Athletics at AU and spearheaded the Spartan community service and academic support programs.
"Amir was the consummate employee. His hard work and commitment as a coach has set the program up for success and created an ideal situation for our new coach to take over," said Hamad. "As an administrator, he was tactful and diligent in completing assigned tasks. His energy and resourcefulness is going to be missed."
The AU men's soccer team finished the 2013 season with an 11-5-4 overall record, including a 6-2-2 mark within the NACC.
Aurora University is a member of the Northern Athletics Collegiate Conference (NACC), which began its first season of competition in the fall of 2006. The NACC consists of 13 colleges and universities from the shared-border states of Illinois and Wisconsin. Member schools include: Alverno College, Aurora University, Benedictine University, Concordia University Chicago, Concordia University Wisconsin, Dominican University, Edgewood College, Lakeland College, Marian University, Milwaukee School of Engineering, Rockford University and Wisconsin Lutheran College. AU sponsors all of the 18 Northern Athletics Collegiate Conference sponsored sports as well as hockey, men's and women's lacrosse. Men's teams include baseball, basketball, cross country, football, golf, soccer, tennis, indoor track and field, and outdoor track and field. Women's squads are fielded in basketball, cross country, golf, soccer, softball, tennis, indoor track and field, outdoor track and field, and volleyball.
