Dalhousie University’s men’s soccer head coach Pat Nearing has announced his retirement from coaching after a 21-year career.

Nearing took over as head coach to start the 1999-00 season to lead the Tigers to a 10-1-2 record and an AUS championship banner.

During his 21-year tenure, he has accumulated a .631 winning percentage in regular season play, finishing his career with a record of 128-75-59. The AUS and U SPORTS men’s soccer coach of the year in 2008, he led the Tigers to an AUS championship and a sixth-place finish at the national championship that season.

“It has been a great pleasure and my privilege to serve as the head coach at Dalhousie,” says Nearing. “As always, the most enjoyable part of coaching are the relationships you develop with the players and over the past 20 years, I have met some incredible student-athletes who have gone on to realize personal and professional success. I’m especially proud to have five student-athletes from the men’s soccer program receive the U SPORTS Student-Athlete Community Service Award which is a testament to the quality of student-athlete we have consistently brought into the program. I will also miss the sense of competition and the excitement of game day.”

Before assuming the reigns of the Dalhousie men’s soccer team, he was the Technical University of Nova Scotia’s (TUNS) men’s soccer coach for 17 seasons, leading them to nine Atlantic Collegiate Athletic Association (ACAA) championship titles. He also chaired the league from 1992-2000 while serving as TUNS’s athletic director.

When TUNS amalgamated with Dalhousie University, he continued his tenure as director of the newly named Sexton Campus’s athletic program, eventually becoming Dalhousie’s assistant director of athletics and recreation.

A Dalhousie University grad (BPE ‘79), he also spent 30 years as a club soccer coach in Bedford coaching at the grassroots level all the way up to U18. He was also the head coach of the Dartmouth United senior men’s team for 15 seasons, leading them to a number of Nova Scotia provincial and Atlantic championship wins.

“Dalhousie and the game of soccer in Nova Scotia have benefited greatly from Pat’s contributions which are most deserving of our gratitude,” says Dalhousie’s Executive Director of Athletics and Recreation, Tim Maloney. “Pat has been a valuable member of our team both on and off the pitch and we’re very happy that he will be continuing on as our assistant director. Congratulations to Pat on his well-deserved retirement from coaching, we hope to build on the outstanding foundation he has built for our program.”

Nearing will continue to serve as the assistant athletic director in Dalhousie’s Department of Athletics and Recreation, supporting campus recreation, varsity and club programs. The Atlantic University Sport eligibility representative, he serves on a number of national committees.

The search for a new men’s soccer coach will commence immediately. Nearing will remain with the program to facilitate a seamless transition for our student-athletes until his replacement begins.